This Year's Pheasant Hatch

[Blaze]

Hey guys. I gotta say, with all the rain we've had in the last couple weeks, I'm concerned about what impact it's having on this year's hatch. A lot of the lowland/cattails, etc., that is prime nesting and hiding habitat is now well underwater. Unless these pheasants are half "duck", they're in trouble, don't ya think?

Anyone seeing pheasant chics this spring? I live in the NW Metro, and it's WET around here - how's the water level in your area this year? Things looking good or bad for the birds?

[Dano2]

I read somewhere that the hatch is at its peak around the middle of June or so, so hopefully things will have dried up abit, but I guess that wont make any difference if nests are under water. Will it?

[FISH AWAY]

I live in Ottertail County and recently saw a hen with about 10 chicks following her across the road, just a little upbeat bit of info.

------------------

[CornPirateKiller]

Seeing an incredible number of roosters this spring. Great to see birds regularly again. I have spotted two families of hens with chicks so far, but I'm not surprised that I'm not seeing more. Hens keep the little ones under cover pretty well until they get bigger.

------------------
Quando Omni Flunkus Moritati (When all else fails, play dead)

[Mayfly]

I haven't been to any of the areas I usually hunt birds but, everytime I travel along hwy 47 heading up to Mille Lacs I see a lot of Roosters. They are everywhere.

[First Ice-Mike]

I wasn't feeling very good about this years hatch until a week ago. Ever since they mowed the road ditches I've been seeing some every day. Every hen I've seen with a hatch has had at least 7 or 8 chics - not too shabby!! I think we might be in better shape than most people thought with all the wet weather.

FI

[MLaker2]

Thru my job I travel a lot of gravel roads in Stevens, Pope and Swift counties. Although as others here have posted, there are a lot of cocks on the roads, there are not hear as many hens w/ chicks as compared w/ last year.
I have a 7-8 mile stretch that I travel roughly the same time of day once a week most of the summer, last year 2-3 pheasant clutches per mile, this year 1-2 clutches the entire stretch. You want pheasants, find out where the dryer areas in June were.

[Flash]

Has anyone seen any Pheasants? I've been out looking and have not seen many. How about anyone else?
Flash
"Set the Hook"

[BLACKJACK]

Been seeing a few batches by Willmar, one nice batch of 10 by my place You'll start seeing more once the small grain goes down.

[walleyeking#8]

I agree with Blackjack, once the grains start coming out you'll begin to see more birds. This spring and earlier this summer I also saw a lot of roosters everywhere I went it seemed. With the mild winter we had last year and a pretty good spring and summer I am willing to bet this fall is going to be one pheasant season everyone will remember for a long time.