pheasant brood ?

[fish2live]

i ran across a brood of pheasants today and they still looked very small for this time of year not much bigger than a grouse. has anyone notice if there has been two hatches this year or just a late hatch? i really don't see them being full grown by oct.

[LuciandTim]

It sounds like a 2nd hatch occured. I have heard this from many...if a hen looses her first nest she will repeat the process. It is not uncommon at all. This is very normal pheasant behavior. The first hatch occurs in the beginning of June almost like clock work...The DNR says this peak time is the 9th or 10th.

[tweedlap]

I saw about half a dozen about that size on Thursday. From what I am hearing there is quite a range this year. Some are nearly fully colored and some have a long way to go before they get their color.

I heard from a Pheasants Forever officer that: If a hen hatches even one chick, she is done for the year. However, they will renest if they lose their whole nest.

A number of times on Opener we have seen young birds with no color and pretty small.

It will be a great season.

tweed

[WaveWacker]

Yep, just a late or 2nd nesting hatch. As stated above, hens won't have 2 hatches. As long as they are still laying and not sitting/incubating they will renest.