2011 Minnesota Pheasant Counts & Observations

[Rick]

The 2011 Pheasant Index will be included below as soon as it is available.

The 2010 pheasant index (62.8 birds/100 mi) was similar to 2009 but remained 22% below the 10-year average, 38% below the long-term average, and 79% below the benchmark years of 1955-64 (soil-bank years with marginal cropland in long-term set-aside, a diversified agricultural landscape, more small grains and tame hay, and less pesticide use).

The 2010 hen pheasant index was similar to last year range-wide but was 28% below the 10-year average.

The number of broods observed was similar to last year but 20% below the 10-year average, which reflected fewer hens available for nesting.

Overall, the size of the fall population will be close to that of last year, when approximately 400,000 roosters were harvested. The best opportunity for harvesting pheasants appears to be in the Southwest region, although good opportunities will likely also be available in the Central and West Central regions.

What have you been seeing in your area?

Minnesota’s pheasant index falls 64 percent from 2010

A severe winter followed by a wet spring contributed to a significant decline in Minnesota’s pheasant counts. According to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR), the pheasant population index declined 64percent from 2010 and is 71 percent below the 10-year average.

Contributing factors include:

A second consecutive severe winter, resulting in hen counts 72 percent below the 10-year average.

Cold, wet weather during the April through June nesting period, resulting in brood counts 75 percent below the 10-year average.

Loss of nearly 120,000 acres of grass habitat enrolled in farm programs such as the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) since 2007.

Severe winters combined with cold, wet springs are doubly hard on pheasant populations. That’s because fewer hens survive the winter and those that do are less successful in producing broods.

Pheasant hunters are expected to harvest about 250,000 roosters this fall, the lowest harvest since 1997. This compares to harvests that have exceeded 500,000 roosters five of the past eight years. The 500,000 bird harvests correspond with a string of mild winters and high CRP enrollment.

“We expect hunters to harvest a similar number of birds in 2011 as they did in 2001, which was another year with a severe winter followed by a cold, wet spring” said Kurt Haroldson, a wildlife biologist for the DNR’s Farmland Wildlife Population and Research Group in Madelia. Haroldson noted survey results indicated an unusually low ratio of hens to roosters.

This suggests hen mortality was high or hens were nesting or caring for young broods during the survey. If the late nesting effort was greater than normal, the 2011 pheasant population and the fall harvest may be higher than forecast. Pheasant populations can rebound quickly given good habitat, mild winter weather and favorable spring nesting conditions.

Minnesota is not the only state to see pheasant index declines. Wildlife officials in South Dakota reported a 46 percent population index decline. North Dakota’s spring population survey showed a decline, too.

The pheasant population estimate is part of the DNR’s annual roadside wildlife survey. The survey summarizes roadside counts of pheasants, gray (Hungarian) partridge, cottontail rabbits, white-tailed jackrabbits and other wildlife observed in the early morning hours during the first half of August throughout the farmland region of Minnesota.

The highest pheasant counts were in the east central region, where observers reported 51 birds per 100 miles of survey driven. Hunters will find fair harvest opportunities in pockets of south central and southwest Minnesota, but harvest opportunities in most of Minnesota’s pheasant range are rated poor to very poor.

This year’s statewide pheasant index was 23 birds per 100 miles driven, the lowest index since 1986. The pheasant index in southwest Minnesota, typically the state’s best pheasant range, fell 82 percent from last year to 19 birds per 100 miles driven.

Haroldson said the most important habitat for pheasants is grassland that remains undisturbed during the nesting season. Protected grasslands account for about six percent of the state’s pheasant range. Farmland retirement programs such as CRP, Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program, Reinvest in Minnesota and Wetlands Reserve Program make up the largest portion of protected grasslands in the state.

High land rental rates and competing uses for farmland diminish the economic attractiveness of farmland conservation programs. During the next three years, contracts for 550,000 acres of CRP lands are scheduled to expire. If not re-enrolled, this would reduce CRP acres in Minnesota by 36 percent.

To help offset continued habitat losses caused by reductions in conservation set-aside acreage, DNR has accelerated acquisition of Wildlife Management Areas in the farmland region of Minnesota. DNR also supports habitat conservation on private lands by working with a variety of partners in the Farm Bill Assistance Partnership and Working Lands Initiative. Also, nearly 10,000 acres of private property will be open to public hunting through the state’s new Walk-In Access program.

The August roadside survey, which began in the late 1940s, was standardized in 1955. DNR conservation officers and wildlife managers in the farmland region of Minnesota conduct the survey during the first half of August. This year’s survey consisted of 166 routes, each 25 miles long, with 148 routes located in the ring-necked pheasant range.

Observers drive each route in early morning and record the number and species of wildlife they see. The data provide an index of relative abundance and are used to monitor annual changes and long term trends in populations of ring-necked pheasants, gray partridge, eastern cottontail rabbits, white tailed jackrabbits and other select wildlife species.

The gray partridge index was similar to last year but 75 percent below the 10-year average. The cottontail rabbit index was also below the 10-year and long-term average. The jackrabbit index was 96 percent below the long-term average. Finally, the mourning dove index was 26 percent below last year and 29 percent below the 10-year average.

The 2011 August Roadside Report and pheasant hunting prospects map is available below.

MN Pheasant Prospects Map - 2011- CLICK HERE

[Jaspernuts]

Southern MN near Mankato - I have several groves near my home and have always heard roosters in the morning. I heard one crow this year. I also have seen a few roosters, but no hens. The really weird thing is my buddy is a sheriff and is on the road a lot. He has been seeing a few roosters, but no hens or little ones. Its like all the hens are gone. It will be interesting to see the road side counts.

[RangerJack]

Central Minnesota - 20 miles Southwest of Little Falls.

Maybe see 1 or 2 birds a week on the home farm. Driving around the area, the numbers are down too from recent years. Unless all the birds are being sneaky.

[ducksnbucks]

Driving around the Marshall-LQP-Odessa areas one day last week I saw roughly 15-20 roosters and 10-12 hens (4-5 of which had chicks with them), the chick groups had between 3-6 birds in each. There must have been 2 distinct hatches though as I saw 2 young roosters that were nearly fully colored but didn't fly away very well, but then saw some chicks that were very small and couldn't fly. This was just on the main tar roads so I would expect I would have seen more off on the gravel roads.

Driving south of Marshall towards Pipestone and Luverne I haven't seen as many birds as north of Marshall but still some around. More roosters than hens and chicks.

[123fish]

I live in the Worthington area and drive 23 miles to work every day. Have been hearing rumblings from one of the COs in the area that the counts are down 50% for us for sure. I would totally agree with that. Probably have seen six or seven broods this summer with the biggest brood at four birds until this week where I saw a brood of about 10-12 birds that were nearly fully grown. They must have had a very caring mom to get through the cool and wet weather they had to have endured. Pheasant hunting is going to be a lot tougher this fall than previous years no doubt. Surprisingly though I have seen five broods of huns in the last ten days ranging from 5 to 9 chicks per brood and ranging from sparrow size to nearly full grown. Have not seen that many huns in a while.

[slimngrizzly]

I live on about 400 acres of CRP and brush and groves 100 miles or so West of the Cities. I have not seen a single chick yet this summer! I have not seen a hen or heard a rooster in close to a month now! I know the winter was tough on them, but i think all the rain has just destroyed the population in my neck of the woods! Worst I have ever seen for sure!

[BLACKJACK]

Saw my first brood of 6 a couple days ago. Thats it, nothing before that. I had some food plots out all winter, I was seeing 10-20 hens into late March but I think the wet weather killed any reproduction.

[grab the net]

Looks pretty tough in the area west of St. Cloud also. A golf course I play frequently could always be counted on to hear a few roosters crowing in the adjacent CRP, morning or early evening. Have not heard one all year. Local CO said it is a sad situation. Probably the first year I will shoot more ducks than roosters.

[bigbucks]

Okay in my area. Have seen one rooster, as well as a hen with 9-10 little ones on my place off & on. Haven't seen a lot of birds over all. Seems like what I have seen have mostly been hens though.

[Dave S]

In the past 3 months, I've only seen 1 rooster and 2 hens, one of those hens with a brood of 6-8 chicks near Ottawa, NE of St. Peter. Definitely going to be a rough season this year.

[Rooster Chaser]

Hope and pray that Minnesota's counts are no where near Iowa's, they are expecting their worst year ever. It was only going to be so long before CRP loss caught up with us and four hard winters did the trick.

[tracker x-2]

We have seen fewer birds for sure, were just south of the cities.

[TylerS]

I'm not sure where the OP got his numbers, but the info Duluth News Tribune's Sam Cook published seems much bleaker:

Quote:

Minnesota pheasant counts down 64 percent from 2010

Posted on September 6, 2011 by Sam Cook

According to a Minnesota Department of Natural Resources news release this morning, the state’s pheasant population index declined 64 percent from 2010 and is 71 percent below the 10-year average.

This year’s statewide pheasant index was 23 birds per 100 miles driven, the lowest index since 1986. The pheasant index in southwest Minnesota, typically the state’s best pheasant range, fell 82 percent from last year to 19 birds per 100 miles driven.

Contributing factors include:

· A second consecutive severe winter, resulting in hen counts 72 percent below the 10-year average.

· Cold, wet weather during the April through June nesting period, resulting in brood counts 75 percent below the 10-year average.

· Loss of nearly 120,000 acres of grass habitat enrolled in farm programs such as the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) since 2007.

Severe winters combined with cold, wet springs are doubly hard on pheasant populations. That’s because fewer hens survive the winter and those that do are less successful in producing broods.

Pheasant hunters are expected to harvest about 250,000 roosters this fall, the lowest harvest since 1997. This compares to harvests that have exceeded 500,000 roosters five of the past eight years. The 500,000 bird harvests correspond with a string of mild winters and high CRP enrollment, DNR officials say.

“We expect hunters to harvest a similar number of birds in 2011 as they did in 2001, which was another year with a severe winter followed by a cold, wet spring” said Kurt Haroldson, a wildlife biologist for the DNR’s Farmland Wildlife Population and Research Group in Madelia. Haroldson noted survey results indicated an unusually low ratio of hens to roosters. This suggests hen mortality was high or hens were nesting or caring for young broods during the survey. If the late nesting effort was greater than normal, the 2011 pheasant population and the fall harvest may be higher than forecast. Pheasant populations can rebound quickly given good habitat, mild winter weather and favorable spring nesting conditions.

Minnesota is not the only state to see pheasant index declines. Wildlife officials in South Dakota reported a 46 percent population index decline. North Dakota’s spring population survey showed a decline, too.

The pheasant population estimate is part of the DNR’s annual roadside wildlife survey. The survey summarizes roadside counts of pheasants, gray (Hungarian) partridge, cottontail rabbits, white-tailed jackrabbits and other wildlife observed in the early morning hours during the first half of August throughout the farmland region of Minnesota.

The highest pheasant counts were in the east central region, where observers reported 51 birds per 100 miles of survey driven. Hunters will find fair harvest opportunities in pockets of south central and southwest Minnesota, but harvest opportunities in most of Minnesota’s pheasant range are rated poor to very poor.

Haroldson said the most important habitat for pheasants is grassland that remains undisturbed during the nesting season. Protected grasslands account for about six percent of the state’s pheasant range. Farmland retirement programs such as CRP, Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program, Reinvest in Minnesota and Wetlands Reserve Program make up the largest portion of protected grasslands in the state.

High land rental rates and competing uses for farmland diminish the economic attractiveness of farmland conservation programs. During the next three years, contracts for 550,000 acres of CRP lands are scheduled to expire. If not re-enrolled, this would reduce CRP acres in Minnesota by 36 percent.

To help offset continued habitat losses caused by reductions in conservation set-aside acreage, DNR has accelerated acquisition of Wildlife Management Areas in the farmland region of Minnesota. DNR also supports habitat conservation on private lands by working with a variety of partners in the Farm Bill Assistance Partnership and Working Lands Initiative. Also, nearly 10,000 acres of private property will be open to public hunting through the state’s new Walk-In Access program.

The gray partridge index was similar to last year but 75 percent below the 10-year average. The cottontail rabbit index was also below the 10-year and long-term average. The jackrabbit index was 96 percent below the long-term average. Finally, the mourning dove index was 26 percent below last year and 29 percent below the 10-year average.

[ClownColor]

Tyler...thats what I heard also. Not good at all either way!

[Jaspernuts]

Over 100 birds on the route last year to 19 this year in the southwest. That is terrible. After years of driving west to hunt pheasants, now the best hunting is east toward the metro. That just seems backwards to me. Lets hope for a mild, dry winter.

[Brocster]

Not what I wanted to hear, but, I guess I was expecting it. Guess we will just have to work a little harder this year.

The flip side is that I am seeing pheasants all over in Western Wisconsin near our family's land. Also hearing and seeing a lot of birds in the northern metro area by Ham Lake.

I had a blast hunting the WMA's just south and southwest of the metro last year. This year looks to be slim picking. We are heading to Western MN for the opener again, and it looks like we may want to bring our duck decoys just in case.

[muc33]

Jaspernuts, I would love to tell you it is sunny and bright here in the extreme SW, but we all know it was a rough spring with very very wet conditions for nesting and things didn't go as planned, but I would venture a large bet that our numbers in extreme SW Mn are still leaps above any other place in the state. At least in Nobles, Jackson, Murray counties, I would bet large sums on that. Anyone can hunt where they chose, but the numbers here are not catastrophic, lower, yes, but not invisible. I see broods daily. I am on the road daily as well with work, but I see them, maybe not great numbers, but consistent. It's because of habitat.

[Jaspernuts]

Thanks for the info Muc, they also stated a late hatch could really help and from what Im hearing from you guys out west there was a decent late hatch.

[Snag]

I saw a Hen with 5 little ones last night here in the metro. They were 1/3 to 1/2 the Hen's size. Maybe there will be a late hatch.

Anyone know what's going on with the crops and when they will get harvested.

[creepworm]

I would say things are on pace for an average harvest time this year. We had enough heat to make up for the late planting and barring a real wet fall, things should be about normal.