Pheasants could use a little help!

[Try Too Fish]

Just A Reminder!

If you are in an area where there was very heavy snow. The pheasants are going too have a very tough time finding food.

Take some corn too your favorite hunting spot,find a spot as high, bare, and some distance from the road as you can. and dump it!

We dont want too lose our breeding stock this late in the winter!

[harvey lee]

That would really help the birds and wildlife until the snow cover is less. I took a little ride around the country side to see how many birds were out after the storm looking to feed. Maybe bad luck but I didnt see a bird and I drove around spots that I normally would.

[sparcebag]

The ole girl likes to see pheasants in the yard,We buy a few bushels every year.This morn 11 hens roaming the yard for breakfast!No roosters yet see them across the road though.

[doser]

Tom,

I took a drive on CR 15 by the Severence lake landing yesterday about 4PM and kept driving past to the west. I counted over 100 pheasants. It was a happy site to see that that many survived. I had some corn left in the back of the truck just for this specific occations for after the storm. The birds were so hungry that when I stopped to get out and throw corn in the ditch only a few flew away. The rest ran a further distance away. When I headed back down the road to where I had left piles of corn in the ditch the birds were already feeding on the corn.........that's how hungry they were. I'm stopping at the crib today afer work and grabbing more corn. Guys get out and throw a little corn out near good cover if you can. You'd be amazed at how little time it takes these birds to find it.

[brittman]

The local owl and hawk population will be really glad you did

If you really must dump corn - make sure it is fairly near the winter brush / cattail habitat. Pheasants that have to roam near roads or far away from their cover - DIE via avian predators.

The process is slow with one or two dissappearing each day or week until ...........

[gorrilla]

When we built and distributed feeders as Habitat Coordinators for McLeod County Pheasants Forever, we also stressed that they were ideally to be placed near cover for those very same reasons. The problem is people want to place them in the open where they can watch wildlife and the only reason we see so many in the open now is this is when they are really struggling to find anything. The longer they are in the elements the less chance they have to survive.

The best feeders are natural hedge rows and standing corn this time of year. We need to plan ahead and create habitat. Its hard to keep up with just shelled corn.

[doser]

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The spot where I was dumping it the birds were already there. The cover was qtr. mile away. How do you stop the birds from eating the gravel off the side of the road then? Your not going to stop the birds from going to those locations this time of yr.I'm a board member for Sibley County PF and have attended many state meetings and am also aware of the feeding strategies. I am trying to help the birds that were out in those spots at the time for now. I have feeders all over the county that I put out near cover so don't worry.

[gorrilla]

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Just because your well aware of feeding strategies and attend meetings, doesn't mean everyone out there gets it yet.

If birds are on roads for grit they usually do it quick in the morning or evening. No reason to add feed to that spot though, it just encourages them to linger in the open.

I commend you for helping out on your PF board. I believe that organization does more for MN wildlife than the DNR given equal amounts of money for comparison.

[BLACKJACK]

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We have some people in our area that goes along and throws cobs of corn on the road!! Great, put it on the road so the birds get hit by cars!! I'm sure he drives along with a bucket of corn in the cab and when he sees some birds, he tosses it out.

[brittman]

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I like the idea of food plots because the birds are less concentrated. Feeders and dumped bags of food can promote transfer of disease - death by mircoscopic pathogens...

Look at the NW deer heard (now being shot because of the threat of TB). Song birds and sparrows at feeders can die of disease - concentrated pheasants??

I suspect the pheasants you see in winter are the ones that often die. The ones in the right mix of habitat are less likely to be visibly exposed for a long time.

[doser]

The corn wasn't going on the road or in the ditch. I know I stated ditch , but it was on field edges. Anyway the birds were out there scratching in those spots looking for the food anyway. I get what your saying. Food plots are the best answer. If your involved with McCloud you know as well as I do to get farmers to plant food plots today is tuff business even if we make payments to them per acre with the price of corn today. BTW say hi to Virgil V. from me he's a good guy...DUDE!

Britt,

are you saying we should stop feeding the birds because of the diseases that will be spread. Our regional biologist from PF tell us to practice for winter feeding wher food plots are not available. I do put 20 some feeders out near (cover).

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[Try Too Fish]

There is no great way to feed them! You put by brush then the fox and Coyote sneak up on them. I dont think adult pheasants view hawks as trouble or they would not be out in the wide open feeding on there own. I have personal seen on more than one occasion an adult pheasant avoid being caught by a hawk. I'm sure they get some but that is nature working!

It still gets down too if there is nothing available to eat you will be doing the population a favor by helping!

[gorrilla]

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Luckily I don't live in McLeod County anymore. No more black desert for this guy. Now up here in Northern Crow Wing county we deal with native birds, aka Grouse. I do chase a few chinese ditch parrots occasionally out of obligation for my GSP, but usually I'll treat him to western MN where there's a few around consistantly.

[brittman]

Where ever animals (including humans) group together - pathogens prosper, multiply and infect.

Avian cholera kills many waterfowl. Song birds die at unclean feeders. Biologists now tell everyone NOT to feed deer.

Chicken and turkey (pheasant preserves?) farms typically use a lot of antibiotics to keep their flocks healthy.

I won't argue that the PF biologists recommend the feeders -but I am also curious if any wildlife research team has ever investigated the impact of large groups of pheasants at a feeder. Maybe it is microscopic pathogens killing the birds and not the cold and snow. A sick pheasant can not go to the doctor.

I would like to see my PF dollars go to food plots not feeders. Feeders rank right behing stocking in my book.

[brittman]

Owls are number 1. Hawks a close second. Avian predators take winter pheasants.

Are they the weak and stressed birds - probably. But then those are the ones walking 1/4 mile to scratch corn off the side of the road.

[doser]

Britt,

We try to push habitat and food plots as much as possible. That is why PF's slogan is "Think Habitat" . As much as I would love to see more habitat and food plots it's never going to happen in Mn. like it does it South Dakota. Farming practices are different and our soil over here is much better than the Dakotas. Big Ag. runs everything. The Gov. needs to set up programs for better environmental tactics for farmers . the way it's set up now there is no way some of these farmers will change their mind when there are so many substities and programs for their cash crop. Switch grass for ethanol may be good that they are looking into, but who knows how that will pan out. It's all about the almighty doller with the farmers. Out Chapter has stress time and time again to our members about food plots. The $ we stick into corn now days is getting ridiculous.

[BobT]

YES!!! I just posted a similar suggestion on another thread in this same category.

Some of our pheasants greatest threats come from above. That's why they like to hang out in the thickest brush and grass they can find. Putting food out in the open will more likely fatten up the birds for the owls, hawks, and any other overhead threat and they'll love you for it.

Bob

[brittman]

My brother and other ND farmers have watch flocks of pheasants and partridge (huns) dwindle to nothing as owls have picked them off one by one.

Long time ago .. the owl died. Now days, the birds either need to move on or become food. Feeders are such an easy meal that the birds often abandon other biological self-protection mechanisms

[slotlimit]

How could you sit and watch that happen? I know I would never stand by and watch that. I would introduce them to old bessy.

[BobT]

In Minnesota owls are protected.

Bob

[LABS4ME]

Slot... are you saying it's smarter to shoot a federaly protected bird than to lose a flock of pheasants... nature doing her work... If so you'd shoot the owl or hawk so "YOU" have the ability to shoot those same pheasants as opposed to the bird of prey getting them... HMMM.... if that's what you are saying -Ethics at it's finest! I'm sure the DNR would love to hear about your conservation methods in the event Ol Bess is a gun! Maybe throw all the Muskies and Pike up on shore too so you can harvest more fish! Shoot all the Timber wolves so you can shoot more deer...

Good Luck!

Ken

[Rick]

Please, be sure to keep this thread VERY friendly. We want you absolutely sure to stay WELL within forum policy guidelines when posting in this thread.

Please, It's a good topic and we'd like it to stay that way.

[snapcrackpop]

Safety in numbers. Lots of eyes looking out for each other helps.

Having food easily available to the birds (dumped) can cut down on their "exposed" time they would spend looking and scratching for food.

But yes, a food plot would be preferred by most.

Want to help?

(Like Doser said) My PF chapter (and others) are looking to pay farmers for food plots ($100-200 per acre). Now is the time to put your name on the list or ask neighbors to put their name on the list. Usual criteria is the food plot be "near good wintering cover" like cattails, etc.

It is a good practice to cut down lone trees to eliminate perches for the owls and hawks in some areas.

[Jameson]

Quote:

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...But yes, a food plot would be preferred by most.

Want to help?

(Like Doser said) My PF chapter (and others) are looking to pay farmers for food plots ($100-200 per acre). Now is the time to put your name on the list or ask neighbors to put their name on the list. Usual criteria is the food plot be "near good wintering cover" like cattails, etc...

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I have use of land I think is perfect for this, and available. It's near Lester Prairie in Mcleod county. I have tried e-mailing the county PF with no answer. Anybody know who to call or write? Thanks

[snapcrackpop]

HSOforum: www mcleodpf org

National: www pheasantsforever org

Aaron Kuehl

Southern MN Regional Wildlife Biologist

111 Beech St. E.

Trimont, MN 56176

507-639-7345 (Ph/Fax)

Thank You!