Pheasants this winter, how are they doing ?

[harvey lee]

Nice winter cover.

[MuleShack]

Kind of intesting that you see all Roosters...

Are the females the only smart ones to stay in cover?

Or are they the ones taking the hit?

When i was out last week, i only saw roosters too. One had flown from the snow into an evergreen tree just as grayfox had stated.

[muc33]

You should see the cattle feed lots around here. When the feed wagon goes by the pheasants come out like wild fire! Beef and Pheasants eating together. I will try to snap a few pictures. It works I guess.

[rkhinrichs]

my dad owns land west of Long prairie, and says are pheasant feeders are being hit a lot, had to refill the feeder, also the standing corn is getting hit hard to. but still a lot of snow in the swamps as well.

[pureinsanity]

my dad owns land west of Long prairie, and says are pheasant feeders are being hit a lot, had to refill the feeder, also the standing corn is getting hit hard to. but still a lot of snow in the swamps as well.

The deer are getting it not the pheasants. @ my fathers house we have a crib feeder. At night if you would flip a light on there would be 23 deer at a time feeding on the corn. We would go through a crib feeder in less than a week.

Since than we have modified the crib with 8 foot sections of hog fence. We drive fence posts in the ground and build a box out of the hog wire (small openings at the top, big openings at the bottom. The pheasants can walk right through the hog wire and the tweetie birds can perch on the little openings. The deer can only stick their head through a couple openings we made larger for the birds. the spacing is too close for the deer to jump over the fence. They won't even attempt it. They might get a cob or two but for the most of it they spend to much time trying to get food from it so they just go find another source.

Now the corn is strictly for the birds...

The neighbor has been putting out round bails for the deer. A current herd of 24 have been spotted eating these bails.

If you want to protect our pheasants you should put up hog wire and stop the deer from stealing all the corn.

If anyone is interested I can find some pictures

[rkhinrichs]

no thats what we have! i dont thing we have a hog fence, but we have a fence around both of are feeders. its high enough (6 ft) so deer cant jump over the fence, but small enough so they cant land in the fenced in area. and there holes in the fence that the ROOS can walk through!

[pureinsanity]

glad to hear then

[CodyDawg]

we have feeders out right next to our big willow swamp and the birds arent using them at all. there are still birds there, but they dont use the feeders. also, i dont know how much i believe the part about predators focussing on feeders. We have had feeders out for years and i have NEVER even seen a predator track by one. Putting feeders too far out in the open can cause predation by owls, etc. I wouldnt hesitate to put a feeder out due to possible predation issues. Having said all that, winter cover is by FAR more important than feeders. Feeders are but a band aid.

One thing I would caution is going out and jumping these birds. The birds are stressed and if you cause them to fly, they are using valuable energy that they need. Save the wildlife viewing for later.

[pureinsanity]

we have feeders out right next to our big willow swamp and the birds arent using them at all. there are still birds there, but they dont use the feeders. also, i dont know how much i believe the part about predators focussing on feeders. We have had feeders out for years and i have NEVER even seen a predator track by one. Putting feeders too far out in the open can cause predation by owls, etc. I wouldnt hesitate to put a feeder out due to possible predation issues. Having said all that, winter cover is by FAR more important than feeders. Feeders are but a band aid.

One thing I would caution is going out and jumping these birds. The birds are stressed and if you cause them to fly, they are using valuable energy that they need. Save the wildlife viewing for later.

Like you said above, if it is in the wide open than their will be areal predators in the sky. The fact that yours is close to good cover the predators will only try if they are desperate.

and you are correct winter cover is key, corn is just a band aid

[Dotch]

Some winters like this one the feeder in the yard here gets used heavily. 2 winters back the squirrels & bunnies consumed far more ear corn than the pheasants ever did. Snow is deep this time around and it is an emergency measure. I've never considered it as anything more than that. Our yard happens to contain habitat the pheasants like and as some of the plantings we've done grow, the number of birds seeking refuge there has increased. When you see birds walking across the yard while shaving in the morning, that's a clue. We leave a sunflower/corn/sweet corn food plot every year but that got tapped early on and has been buried since late December. 2 years ago even the squirrels didn't get it used up. I think we need to be a little careful we're not denigrating people too much for their feeding efforts in a winter like this one, particularly if they don't have acreage to build habitat of their own. We all do what we can do, given the circumstances. That said, you also have to put your money where your mouth is. I antied up my PF sponsor membership again and have some ongoing wildlife habitat improvement projects for the spring & fall. This will include for the pheasants some winterberry and crabapple planting as well as a reconfiguration of the corner of the pasture where the plum and sumac can run farther on down the hillside. Best of all, all I have to do is move the electric fence. The plum and sumac will do the rest on their own. What are others doing?

[pureinsanity]

Some winters like this one the feeder in the yard here gets used heavily. 2 winters back the squirrels & bunnies consumed far more ear corn than the pheasants ever did. Snow is deep this time around and it is an emergency measure. I've never considered it as anything more than that. Our yard happens to contain habitat the pheasants like and as some of the plantings we've done grow, the number of birds seeking refuge there has increased. When you see birds walking across the yard while shaving in the morning, that's a clue. We leave a sunflower/corn/sweet corn food plot every year but that got tapped early on and has been buried since late December. 2 years ago even the squirrels didn't get it used up. I think we need to be a little careful we're not denigrating people too much for their feeding efforts in a winter like this one, particularly if they don't have acreage to build habitat of their own. We all do what we can do, given the circumstances. That said, you also have to put your money where your mouth is. I antied up my PF sponsor membership again and have some ongoing wildlife habitat improvement projects for the spring & fall. This will include for the pheasants some winterberry and crabapple planting as well as a reconfiguration of the corner of the pasture where the plum and sumac can run farther on down the hillside. Best of all, all I have to do is move the electric fence. The plum and sumac will do the rest on their own. What are others doing?

My father started a chapter for a county. Ive been a part of pf since I can remember as a kid. 1986 I believe. I have had my share of blood sweat and tears in several habitats all over the county that you, me, our kids and their kids will be using for life! Helping at corn pick ups, helping at banquets, and attending many of the banquets and spending money for habitat. Every dollar donated is turned into additional money. So everyone needs to keep that in mind.

Good job on your habitat at your house! It is amazing how that helps.

When I was 7 years old I helped plant over 300 evergreens and other shrubs and such for the birds. 20 years later, the shelter belt is so thick and blocks all the elements out!

[MidwestArcher]

Even the little things help in this crazy winter weather, My dad and I always try to keep up on feeding the pheasants in heavy snow by throwing corn out in the ditches where we normaly spot them hiding from the elements. over the years we've heard our county getting pounded with lower and lower numbers but around our block you wouldn't believe the numbers! and they are spreading out fast. Last day of the season we counted over 60 birds and that was un heard of a few years back. great to see that in midwestern wisconsin.

[rkhinrichs]

your right if your going to have a feeder, you need good ground cover but also cover from the flying preditors, mature pine trees next to other key cover works well. but over all habitat/variety is the key, and a varity off food source is a great idea to!!!

[CodyDawg]

my projects this year include adding about 9 acres of nesting cover to one of our farms. In addition, maintenance on the shrub and winter cover plantings in the form of thistle control and replanting any that died. Of course a food plot will be planted.

On the other piece, we have enrolled about 27 acres into CCRP so we will be planting nesting habitat and establishing a shelterbelt. Food plots are being expanded yearly on this place too. Of course, some of those are focussed on deer...butttt....a guy has to do what a guy has to do!

as far as supporting PF, I am the VP of our chapter and we get involved with habitat projects all over the county as well as youth education. In fact, tonite is our 3rd night of firearm safety training that I am teaching.

[pureinsanity]

my projects this year include adding about 9 acres of nesting cover to one of our farms. In addition, maintenance on the shrub and winter cover plantings in the form of thistle control and replanting any that died. Of course a food plot will be planted.

On the other piece, we have enrolled about 27 acres into CCRP so we will be planting nesting habitat and establishing a shelterbelt. Food plots are being expanded yearly on this place too. Of course, some of those are focussed on deer...butttt....a guy has to do what a guy has to do!

as far as supporting PF, I am the VP of our chapter and we get involved with habitat projects all over the county as well as youth education. In fact, tonite is our 3rd night of firearm safety training that I am teaching.

Congrats! Thanks for all you do for helping make our kids futures better!

[Arago]

Just came back fron a trip from the cities to Decorah & Waterloo Iowa and back. As we are rooster hunters, we were looking for any lone phesant. Did not see a single one. Lots of turkeys and hawks. That was it. Very bleak. Lots of drain tiling still going on. At least in Iowa, they do not plow under the fields, so there is crop access. Much less snow. Iowa used to a banner state for hunting...no more. With corn fetching $7.00 per bushall all crp is bye-bye. With our winter and spring flooding, this is going to be a dismall season I fear.

[rundrave]

Just made a weekend trip to Huron, SD and saw several birds all over. Saturday took a country drive and saw several birds. There is tons and tons of snow in Huron, much more than what we have in the SE part of the state, but the birds seem to be surving ok, despite all the snow.

I am sure there were some birds lost as always, but for the most part pheasants are tough birds I am more concerned about a potential wet spring than the tough winter we are having.

[Scott M]

I saw my first rooster since the season closed...I've seen a few hens this winter. Overall pretty bleak.

[Transporter]

Got back from out west in the semi yesterday and ran across So Dakota on 212 on Saturday. From 30 miles west of the river to Watertown when it got dark I saw over 1000 birds along the highway eating everywhere in the fields and loafing under every thicket, temps 5-10 degrees. There is lots of snow still on the ground, big drifts. Except for the two roosters that refused to get out of my way and half a dozen previous roadkills they appear to be doing just fine, habitat is where its at for living outside in winter.

[CodyDawg]

In the early part of winter, I had an area where i watched a few roosters and about a dozen hens. Pretty soon it was a couple roos and 8 hens. then 1 roo and a few hens. then 1 roo. then nothing. for a long time. many people would jump to the conclusion that the winter got them.

the weather warmed up and I saw 1 roo and 6 hens recently. so some are making it and just because they dissappeared, doesnt mean they croaked.

[pureinsanity]

nope, now the main thing is to get this water gone. flooded nesting cover is no good

[gador2]

Havin a T-Storm right now in SW MN. Positive, all the snow should be gone over the next couple days. Negative, even more water that will make flooding(which is already bad here) even worse and take up more cover. I just hope the temp doesn't drop too fast and freeze to the birds beaks. Next year might be a deer and waterfowl season only sadly from the look of things

[CodyDawg]

actually, we dont want the water gone too soon (for pheasant nesting success). we want those nests on high ground, not on temporarily dry low ground. Also, we are a LONG way from nesting season yet, so nothing to worry about yet.

[pureinsanity]

just because you dont see birds doesn't mean anything. they are smart and tought. youll be surprised at how many are running around soon.

[Scott M]

Since one of the topics covered in this thread is winter feeding, I figured I'd bring it back up and see how people view it under different conditions (e.g. this winter's conditions).

Frankly, I'm disappointed that the local sportsman's club has wasted thousand of dollars handing out corn. With little or no snow cover and generally warm temperatures, the birds left are foraging just fine. Why not spend the money on something better? I believe my opinion is shared by wildlife managers.

Others thoughts?