Tuesday, April 8, 2014

2014 Winter harsh on Ohio's pheasant numbers

Written by

Dick Martin

Ohio’s pheasants have been scarce for a number of years. Still, at least small populations have hung on in spots where there was plenty of food and cover.

But this winter was a bad one, and according to Pheasants Forever, Ohio’s birds took a hit. The severe weather, which featured long durations of snow cover and extreme cold took its toll on our feathered friends.

“Ohio pheasants undoubtedly struggled to find sufficient food and cover during this severe winter,” reports Mark Wiley, wildlife biologist for the Division of Wildlife.

Wiley notes that there is a habitat bright spot: More than 10,000 acres in the Ohio Pheasant State Acres for Wildlife Enhancement program will be available as part of the Conservation Reserve Program this year within the primary pheasant range in the state.

With birds so scarce in Ohio, many hunters seek ringnecks elsewhere. What can they expect this fall?

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