Pheasant limits

[koonie]

If I'm not mistaken I think the legislature asked the Dnr to look in to raising the limit.

They need to stick with government and politics and stay out of the Dnr's area of "expertise". It's just one more thing they'll try to screw up.

[gorrilla]

Does anybody believe in Biology anymore???????

When its been proven biologically that decreasing our state duck bag limit from six to four will not increase surviving populations by a negligible number... What happens??? we do it anyway and break our arms patting ourselves on the back...

When biologist have said for years increasing the pheasant bag by one won't hurt spring hatches by any amount.... What do "we" do???? Biyatch and moan about the possibility of a few less roosters left in December. Duh???

Face it guys, you can't stock pile roosters, or ducks. If a drought doesn't kill the ducks, an ice storm will kill the roosters.

DO YOU KNOW WHAT CAN BE STOCKPILED THOUGH????? HABITAT!!!

habitat allows game birds to bounce back much quicker, just look at South Dakota...

I CAN'T BELIEVE SPORTSMAN AND POLITICIANS CAN SPEND THIS MUCH TIME AND ENERGY DEBATING MINOR CHANGES IN BAG LIMITS WHEN THE REAL PROBLEM IS DWINDLING CRP, CHANGES IN NORTHERN MN FORESTRY, AND PRIVATIZATION OF MN LAND WITH NO GOOD WILDLIFE INCENTIVES/PROGRAMS AVAILABLE.

I'D LIKE TO SEE THIS MUCH GRIPING GO INTO DEDICATED FUNDING EFFORTS. I DON'T SEE ARTS PEOPLE FIGHTING FOR THIS MONEY EITHER, SO WHY ARE WE SO WILLING TO SETTLE FOR A PORTION OF IT AND LET THESE SPONGES RIDE OUR COATTAILS FOR THERE CUT. EXPLAIN THAT TO ME LIBERALS???? WE CAN SURVIVE WITH PRIVATELY DONATED MUSEUMS AND CONCERT HALLS, BUT WITHOUT PUBLIC MONEY, THE WATER, AIR, AND LAND KEEPS GETTING MORE POLLUTED EXPONENTIALLY!!!!

THERE ARE SOME MIXED UP PRIORITIES OUT THERE...

rant over, sorry about the side track, I just hate politics over biology, always have...

[BLACKJACK]

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rant over, sorry about the side track, I just hate politics over biology, always have...

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The debate wasn't about biology, if you read thru the posts hardly anyone said a three bird limit would wipe out the population. The concern expressed by most was that more birds would get shot early in the season, MEA weekend included , meaning less roosters left for the late season hunting.

I also read in the Outdoor News where the legislature 'asked' the DNR to look into raising the limits. What that tells me is that 1 or 2 hunters whined to a legislative person, who whined to the DNR. Why don't they tell us which legislative person it was and why, as in how many hunters whined about raising the limits!!!

[Eric Wettschreck]

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Can I come down during MEA weekend?...

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Good one!!! Tell ya what, you come down during MEA weekend and I'll tell my teenage boys a teacher is on his way to "Spend quality time." That'll get em shakin for a while.

Humor aside, this last blizzard did some serious damage. Like i said before it's mother natures way of evening things out.

[riverrat56]

I wouldn't call a 50% increase a minor limit increase, that would put the walleye limit at 9.

Also I don't really care about the biology of it, it just doesn't make sence that shooting more roosters will have no impact on the ones around next year. It just can't, think of it this way, theres less roosters around because of a higher limit, there is no winter mortality, whats the outcome, less roosters next fall. Or there is a big ice storm, there is less roosters to begin with, so say 75% would be wiped out either way, if you started with 200 there is now 50 but if you started with 100 now there is only 25. Having less roosters at the end of the season has to mean less in the spring and less old birds next fall. Maybe all the hens will be bred anyways and there will be the same number of juvinile birds but not as many old long spurs.

Leave it at 2

[gorrilla]

Bjack, I did read the posts.

My main point to the whole thing is similar to what your stating, in that lets base the majority of our desicions on what the biologist have to say, not the legislators. They are the ones we pay money to for getting an education in their field, not politicians.

As far as the biology and research goes, its been shown that when times get tough the bigger stronger roosters will outcompete and act territorial at food sources during rough winter weather. This in turn adds stress to the hens which reduces their survival rates.

As any wildlife manager or sharp hunter will tell you, the way pheasant populations grow or repopulate ISN'T from carry-over roosters, its from good hatches resulting from good habitat and healthy hens(with a minimum of 1 rooster for every 12-15 hens).

To look at the benefit statistically:

-carrying over 50 roosers = 50 fall roosters

-having 50 healthy hens pulling off a 20% success rate on broods of 8-14 chicks = 80-140 pheasant chicks(40-70 roosters)

As you can see with these numbers, replacement is very possible with good habitat and good weather. The limit on roosters won't effect brood success in a negative way.

Realistically guys that normally get their two birds don't always have the opportunity to get three either.

[tealitup]

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An aside, one thing I have noticed is that the increased number of birds has deffinatly brought out more hunters, the private land I got on this year was amazing compared to past years, but the public was average at best. A 3 bird limit would have really shot up the public land more than it was already. Late season was tough because of 2 things, lack of snow meant we were hunting smart birds in all there cover not just the thick stuff and lots of hunters never hung it up this year because it wasn't as tough as normal.

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How do you know this? What would happen in the DNR received more money in licenses?

[riverrat56]

I guess I have to agree with what gorilla says, spring reproduction is the most important factor to fall numbers, I was just trying to find the reasoning of why there would be more birds around in the spring if we shot more in the fall.

The reasoning of roosters out competing hens does make sence thought.

tealitup, well that was something I have noticed, and the lack of snowfall, well thats a fact, and hunting late season birds when they can be any where and aren't confined to small areas is tougher than hunting them when all the cover is knocked down by snow. And I raelly don't feel they would make more money by increasing the limit, even at 3 birds, who is going to travel to Minnesota to hunt roosters because you can shoot 3 not 2? Also not many residents will pick up the sport because they can not get 1 more bird. Starting out its hard enough to get 1 let alone 3.

Whoever said stockpiling habitat is correct, thats what we need, good nesting cover, good winter cover and access to food.