See many pheasants in the metro?

[muskiemanAD]

I guess this is similiar to the question just posted. However I was thinking how I used to see up to 10 birds at a time at our feeder in Minnetonka growing up 15 or so years ago. I have used to see them in Crystal/Plymouth area up to 5 years ago. Have not seen or heard any in years, just wondering if thats the case for all? Was always cool to see metro roosters but shoot French Park doesn't even have them anymore!! Let me know if you still see them in the metro, not some 3rd ring suburb!!

[pureinsanity]

2 big harsh winters in a row, very wet spring, and urban society with hardly any food doesn't mix well for pheasants when they have to dig to get any food.

[tracker x-2]

IS Lakeville a 3rd ring Sub.

Either way not many ring necks around!

[R. Miller]

Yea I was just thinking about how many birds I used to see in Minnetonka. It was nothing to take a walk by a local lake that had good cattail coverage, etc and jump 15 to 20 birds. That was 15 to 20 years ago. Over the last few years I might see one rooster a winter around the Glen Lake, Shady Oak lake area etc.

[charliepete]

I bump into plenty of them in Maple Grove while running my dogs in the cattails in the winter. I used to see plenty in Bloomington before I moved further north.

[yakfisher]

Tons of tracks last week in the snow up in elm creek park while I was mountain biking. Not that you can shoot them if you see them up there.

[pikeguy2003]

I hunt a farm just northwest of St. Bonifacius. I am also an avid bowhunter and the last two winters have definitley taken there toll! For as long as I can remember I would always see and hear pheasants every time I would sit on my stand with the bow in my hand while waiting for the right deer to give me an opportunity. From the the bow opener up until two weekends ago I didn't see or hear a pheasant. When I was on the stand two weekends ago I saw a hen get up and glide across the cattails and I had a rooster start making some noice about a hundred yards north of my stand and he too eventually got up and went out into the cattails. I also saw three other roosters get up and go out to the cattails that night. To put it in perspective, it was not uncommon to see 20-40 birds on the farm just a few years ago every time I would go out. I started hunting this place when I was a kid and I just turned 39. I was't going to buy a pheasant stamp this year and I plan on feeding the pheasants out there this winter to try to help them make a comeback. My 10 year old daughter asked me last weekend if we could go pheasant hunting. She isn't old enough to carry a gun, but likes to watch the old dog work. So reluctantly I bought her a new blaze orange vest and a phesant stamp for myself on the hopes that I might get a crack at a rooster. It was bittersweet watching the dog work. She kicked up a hen that flew right over the top of my daugters head. We walked a total of an hour and half and went to all the go-to spots where we have always gotten birds for the past 25 years and didn't flush another bird. At that point the dog was starting to limp and I could tell from the look on her face that she was done for the day. I told my girl that there just are not a lot of birds this year because of the last two winters being so harsh. She told me not a problem dad, this was a great hunt, the pheasant jumped up between me and the dog and scared me! Probably the last season for our dog, but I was quickly reminded and humbled that it really doesn't matter how many birds we see or take home, or even if we fire the gun. The memories are priceless, and to think that I almost did't buy a stamp because the population is so down? Not a shot was fired, but for her and the dog, it was a great hunt.

[UMC]

My grandparents live a few blocks from Brookdale in Brooklyn Center and they and my uncles talk about how there used to be tons of pheasants right where the mall sits (or used to sit I guess). Hard to believe nowadays.