Extended Rooster season-action

[CodyDawg]

If you liked the extended season, email the dnr at [email protected] and tell them you liked it. As of last week, they only had 1 comment regarding it (it was a good comment, luckily). We dont want them to think nobody cared....it will only take a minute. Lets post here if we email them and we can keep track of the comments. I just did it so we are at 1.

[kentuck_ike]

I just sent my e-mail in support of the longer season. That makes 2

Ike

[Wild Willie]

Just sent mine in...now we are up to three!

[radke22]

Now we have 4. It is a good idea to let the DNR know we appreciate their experimenting with the late goose season and extended phesant because even though other states do It, that dosn't mean that they have to impliment it.

[collegeoutdoorsman]

At least 5 now.

[fishtrap3]

Should be at least six now..

[fivebucks]

Seven.

[BLACKJACK]

My letter to the DNR.

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Extended Pheasant Season

To whom it may concern:

I'm going to go against the flow and say that I don't think an extended pheasant season is good for the resource. Forget the roosters, it doesn't hurt to shoot a few more of them, it the hens that I care about. This fall was an aberration, the weather was nice right up until the end, but on a normal year when you have a few snowstorms, then to have hunters rousting the pheasants out of the heavy cover is not good, in areas with marginal cover you're running the pheasants up into the fence lines and poor cover, you're going to lose some hens. Every experienced pheasant hunter knows that the best time to hit pheasants is at dusk and when bad weather concentrates them - but that’s also when they're most vulnerable. Even if they get back into heavy cover, you're scattering them out. One of the pheasant’s best defense mechanisms against predators is the flock mentality, when one pheasant sees danger, they all take off. Have you ever seen it in South Dakota when a couple of pheasants find the gap in your posters, pretty soon they're all escaping out that gap. There is safety in numbers for pheasants and when you hunt them late in the year, you scatter them.

It makes no sense to me, promoting nesting cover and winter cover to increase pheasant populations, and then running the hens - next years brood stock - out of that heavy cover when they need it the most. Close the season in early/mid December and let the hens find and stay in good cover.

[radke22]

If I'm not mistaken, phesants move quite a bit during the day, so how Is It by flushing them out of one spot is killing them? I realize here In Minnesota we don't have nearly as many birds as Iowa or the Dakotas, but other states have had a season extend into January for as long as I know, and I haven't heard of any complaints from their DNR or the U.S Fish and Wildlife service about hunters jumping hens in roost and having them die in the cold.

[lawdog]

I don't get the concern either. Actually if you look at Minnesota weather December often isn't a real snowy month. We get as many bad weather incidents in November when everyone agrees it should still be open as we do in December. Look at '03, November was a butt-kicking month for weather and the birds were probably stressed. December on the other hand was mild and melted the snow and led to a mild rest of the winter.

The DNR is comfortable with it, other states have not had problems with it, I just don't see where Blackjack's concerns come from or anything to show they are valid...

[CodyDawg]

Lawdog you are absolutely correct. The DNR studied this and the results showed that few if any hens would be stressed. also, according to studies of hen mortality, a certain amount is expected and has NO effect on the following years population (seems illogical, but that is what the studies showed and if you hear Kurt Haroldson explain it, it makes sense). And we have some hen mortality to give. Pheasants move about a lot each day, one has only to look at tracks after a snowfall or sit and watch an area with a decent pheasant pop to know how much they move. So, as far as the science of it, chasing roosters later into the season has no affect on the next years population. Lawdog, did you send an email is support? If not, we need to keep sending the positive letters. Thanks for those of you who did send letters of support.

[LuciandTim]

What is it...15 extra days?

One more letter sent. I thought it was great.

[BDR]

Blackjack-I agree with your concerns to a point. I think in years when it is unusually brutally cold it will disrupt hens to the point it could be fatal. It takes alot of energy to escape bieng shot. I believe the DNR's original statements allowing the extended season also stated that they wouls use thier power to shut it down if conditions are brutal. Who defines extreme conditions? I don't know.

As it stands now I am all for the extended season and have let them know my feelings. I would need to see some studies of mortality in coming years to vote against the extended season.

[lawdog]

Apparently the forum, or my computer at home wasn't working last night

YES I DID WRITE THE DNR...

[Blaze]

One more thank you letter sent.

[Jim Bob]

We hunt in Kansas and have so for the last 20+ years. The season starts the 2nd Saturday of Nov. and runs till the end of Jan. The limit is 4 a day and 16 in possesion.

It's the spring, summer, and fall weather that determines how the birds will do out here. The birds nest in the winter wheat and if it's a bad year for the wheat the farmers plow it under about the same time the chicks are hatching. Those that do make it still have to put up with hail storms, to much rain, not enough rain, and the heat. We've seen areas hit by hail and you won't see a single bird come hunting season. The last 3,4,5 years the drought has done a real # on the birds.

With that being said the last 2 years have been awesome. This year they actually had 3 hatches. It's nothing to see 50 - 100 birds a day. As for the hunting they get very little pressure in Jan.

The real problem is deciding on ice fishing or bird hunting!

Looks like bird hunting this weekend!