I've started the last few pheasant seasons by hunting in the Hutchinson, MN area and have had good luck so I decided to go with what had been working.
Our friend Greg and is GSP, Tank, joined us on the hunt. Our first stop was a farm just west of Hutchinson. The corn was still up along two sides of the field. We started out by following the edges of the field in hopes of cutting off any birds that might be trying to make it to the corn. The dogs did get birdy along and in the corn but we didn't move any birds. Next we moved towards some trees on the way to the drainage ditch that cuts through the unit. The dogs didn't get too excited in any of these areas.
We decided to change it up and cut across the field and the dogs started to get more interested. Tina pointed and relocated a few times before locking up solidly. I moved in and the birds came up. Six hens ended up flushing. They looked really small so I am guessing late hatch or a renest. we continued to work the field back to truck and didn't move any other birds.
We then moved to another farm. This farm is just south of Hutchinson. We started by working the edge of the cattails. The dogs were worked all the way to the other side of the wetland and started the point and go, point and go that signals a bird nearby. I took a step to the right and a rooster got up. I totally blew the opportunity. I was hunting with my Browning Over / Under and flipped the selective trigger to the side instead of forwards to release the safety. By the time I recovered the bird was out of range. I was pissed at myself. I have been mostly hunting with my Beretta semi-autos this fall and wasn't able to make the adjustment. arrgg.
After recovering from being ticked at myself we made a swing towards the south edge of the field. As we pushed through the trees that line the border of the field the dogs started to get more active. Tina went on a solid point. I hoped to redeem myself and moved ready for the bird. Up came a huge Tom Turkey. It was a shot that I'm sure that even I could have connected on. Not having a turkey tag and using dogs on turkeys being illegal I passed on the shot. At the edge of the field we made a move towards some thicker cover. As we approached the cover we had a rooster bust out well past gun range.
The dogs continued to work well but it was warming up to the mid 50's and the wind was picking up as well. We decided to call it a day. With moving so few birds the easy missed opportunity stings all the more.
Showing posts with label 2011 Pheasant. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 2011 Pheasant. Show all posts
Sunday, October 16, 2011
Thursday, September 22, 2011
2011 Pheasant Forecast - Traveling Wingshooter
An extremely harsh winter across the heart of the pheasant range in the Midwest – the last in a string of bad winters in some states – plus a wet spring in the Dakotas and Minnesota, and the continued loss of Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) acres, all combine to mean tougher prospects for ringneck hunters in the traditional top states.
Thursday, September 15, 2011
Pheasant Forever's 2011 Pheasant Hunting Forecast
Overall Outlook:
After the better part of a decade of fantastic pheasant numbers in the Midwest – bird numbers aided by a strong Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) – pheasant hunters will be finding fewer ringnecks during the 2011-2012 pheasant hunting season.Tough weather, from drought in Kansas to hard winters in the Dakotas, did its fair share to hurt pheasant populations, but it’s the 5 million fewer CRP acres than there was just four years ago that made sure pheasant numbers were bound to decrease, which they did in every major pheasant producing state. Pheasants Forever is advocating for a strengthened CRP and other federal conservation programs in preparation of the upcoming Farm Bill, but cannot do it without your support as a Pheasants Forever member.
Despite the decline, there are still millions of pheasants roaming the grasslands, fencerows and field edges in the heart of pheasant country. South Dakota will again be in a class by itself, while Kansas, Nebraska and North Dakota look to be next best. In other states, boot leather will have to wear thinner in the fields this year. But as veteran uplanders know, any day hunting roosters is a day well spent. Remember to always consult official state hunting regulations for rules and season dates, and please carry Pheasants Forever's code of conduct with you into the field this fall:
As a member of Pheasants Forever, I believe in conserving wildlife and protecting the environment. I promise to leave the outdoors a little better than I found it. I will hunt safely and treat hunting on public and private land as a privilege. I will always ask permission before hunting private land. I will obey all game laws and insist my companions do as well.
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2011 California Forecast
California - Average Year by Modern Standards -
2011 Colorado Forecast
Colorado – Northeast Up While Southeast Prospects Dry Up -
2011 Idaho Forecast
Idaho – Southwest Hatch Looks Good -
2011 Illinois Forecast
Illinois – Hunter Numbers Up, Bird Numbers the Same -
2011 Indiana Forecast
Indiana – Slight Dip, Don’t Overlook Northeast -
2011 Iowa Forecast
Iowa – While Waiting on Weather, a New Low -
2011 Kansas Forecast
Kansas – Central Looking Best -
2011 Michigan Forecast
Michigan – Numbers Low, Pheasant Restoration Program Begins -
2011 Minnesota Forecast
Minnesota – Winter, Spring, Habitat Loss Deliver Punch -
2011 Missouri Forecast
Missouri – Pheasants and Pheasant Hunter Numbers Drop -
2011 Montana Forecast
Montana – Winter Clenches, Spring Drenches Outlook -
2011 Nebraska Forecast
Nebraska – Head West, Pheasant Hunters -
2011 New York Forecast
New York – Working on Habitat out West -
2011 North Dakota Forecast
North Dakota – Pheasant Numbers Down, Still a Top Destination -
2011 Oklahoma Forecast
Oklahoma – Drought Quells Gains -
2011 Ohio Forecast
Ohio - Report Coming Soon -
2011 Oregon Forecast
Oregon – Fair to Good -
2011 Pennsylvania Forecast
Pennsylvania - Recovery Projects Continue -
2011 South Dakota Forecast
South Dakota – Big Drop, But Still Tops -
2011 Texas Forecast
Texas – Drought Hurts Nesting and Brood Habitat -
2011 Utah Forecast
Utah – Pheasant Upswing Continues -
2011 Washingon Forecast
Washington – Columbia Basin Could Be Hidden Gem -
2011 Wisconsin Forecast
Wisconsin – Downward Trend Continues
2011 Wyoming Forecast
Wyoming - Big Horn Basin for BirdsSee The Original Pheasant's Forever Article
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
Minnesota’s MN 2011 pheasant count / index falls 64 percent from 2010
(Released September 6, 2011)
A severe winter followed by a wet spring contributed to a significant decline in Minnesota’s pheasant counts. According to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR), the pheasant population index / count declined 64 percent from 2010 and is 71 percent below the 10-year average.
Contributing factors include:
Pheasant hunters are expected to harvest about 250,000 roosters this fall, the lowest harvest since 1997. This compares to harvests that have exceeded 500,000 roosters five of the past eight years. The 500,000 bird harvests correspond with a string of mild winters and high CRP enrollment.
“We expect hunters to harvest a similar number of birds in 2011 as they did in 2001, which was another year with a severe winter followed by a cold, wet spring” said Kurt Haroldson, a wildlife biologist for the DNR’s Farmland Wildlife Population and Research Group in Madelia. Haroldson noted survey results indicated an unusually low ratio of hens to roosters.
This suggests hen mortality was high or hens were nesting or caring for young broods during the survey. If the late nesting effort was greater than normal, the 2011 pheasant population and the fall harvest may be higher than forecast. Pheasant populations can rebound quickly given good habitat, mild winter weather and favorable spring nesting conditions.
Minnesota is not the only state to see pheasant index declines. Wildlife officials in South Dakota reported a 46 percent population index decline. North Dakota’s spring population survey showed a decline, too.
The pheasant population estimate is part of the DNR’s annual roadside wildlife survey. The survey summarizes roadside counts of pheasants, gray (Hungarian) partridge, cottontail rabbits, white-tailed jackrabbits and other wildlife observed in the early morning hours during the first half of August throughout the farmland region of Minnesota.
The highest pheasant counts were in the east central region, where observers reported 51 birds per 100 miles of survey driven. Hunters will find fair harvest opportunities in pockets of south central and southwest Minnesota, but harvest opportunities in most of Minnesota’s pheasant range are rated poor to very poor.
This year’s statewide pheasant index was 23 birds per 100 miles driven, the lowest index since 1986. The pheasant index in southwest Minnesota, typically the state’s best pheasant range, fell 82 percent from last year to 19 birds per 100 miles driven.
Haroldson said the most important habitat for pheasants is grassland that remains undisturbed during the nesting season. Protected grasslands account for about six percent of the state’s pheasant range. Farmland retirement programs such as CRP, Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program, Reinvest in Minnesota and Wetlands Reserve Program make up the largest portion of protected grasslands in the state.
High land rental rates and competing uses for farmland diminish the economic attractiveness of farmland conservation programs. During the next three years, contracts for 550,000 acres of CRP lands are scheduled to expire. If not re-enrolled, this would reduce CRP acres in Minnesota by 36 percent.
To help offset continued habitat losses caused by reductions in conservation set-aside acreage, DNR has accelerated acquisition of Wildlife Management Areas in the farmland region of Minnesota. DNR also supports habitat conservation on private lands by working with a variety of partners in the Farm Bill Assistance Partnership and Working Lands Initiative. Also, nearly 10,000 acres of private property will be open to public hunting through the state’s new Walk-In Access program.
Full MN DNR article
The 2011 August Roadside Report and pheasant hunting prospects map is available online.
Contributing factors include:
- A second consecutive severe winter, resulting in hen counts 72 percent below the 10-year average.
- Cold, wet weather during the April through June nesting period, resulting in brood counts 75 percent below the 10-year average.
- Loss of nearly 120,000 acres of grass habitat enrolled in farm programs such as the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) since 2007.
Pheasant hunters are expected to harvest about 250,000 roosters this fall, the lowest harvest since 1997. This compares to harvests that have exceeded 500,000 roosters five of the past eight years. The 500,000 bird harvests correspond with a string of mild winters and high CRP enrollment.
“We expect hunters to harvest a similar number of birds in 2011 as they did in 2001, which was another year with a severe winter followed by a cold, wet spring” said Kurt Haroldson, a wildlife biologist for the DNR’s Farmland Wildlife Population and Research Group in Madelia. Haroldson noted survey results indicated an unusually low ratio of hens to roosters.
This suggests hen mortality was high or hens were nesting or caring for young broods during the survey. If the late nesting effort was greater than normal, the 2011 pheasant population and the fall harvest may be higher than forecast. Pheasant populations can rebound quickly given good habitat, mild winter weather and favorable spring nesting conditions.
Minnesota is not the only state to see pheasant index declines. Wildlife officials in South Dakota reported a 46 percent population index decline. North Dakota’s spring population survey showed a decline, too.
The pheasant population estimate is part of the DNR’s annual roadside wildlife survey. The survey summarizes roadside counts of pheasants, gray (Hungarian) partridge, cottontail rabbits, white-tailed jackrabbits and other wildlife observed in the early morning hours during the first half of August throughout the farmland region of Minnesota.
The highest pheasant counts were in the east central region, where observers reported 51 birds per 100 miles of survey driven. Hunters will find fair harvest opportunities in pockets of south central and southwest Minnesota, but harvest opportunities in most of Minnesota’s pheasant range are rated poor to very poor.
This year’s statewide pheasant index was 23 birds per 100 miles driven, the lowest index since 1986. The pheasant index in southwest Minnesota, typically the state’s best pheasant range, fell 82 percent from last year to 19 birds per 100 miles driven.
Haroldson said the most important habitat for pheasants is grassland that remains undisturbed during the nesting season. Protected grasslands account for about six percent of the state’s pheasant range. Farmland retirement programs such as CRP, Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program, Reinvest in Minnesota and Wetlands Reserve Program make up the largest portion of protected grasslands in the state.
High land rental rates and competing uses for farmland diminish the economic attractiveness of farmland conservation programs. During the next three years, contracts for 550,000 acres of CRP lands are scheduled to expire. If not re-enrolled, this would reduce CRP acres in Minnesota by 36 percent.
To help offset continued habitat losses caused by reductions in conservation set-aside acreage, DNR has accelerated acquisition of Wildlife Management Areas in the farmland region of Minnesota. DNR also supports habitat conservation on private lands by working with a variety of partners in the Farm Bill Assistance Partnership and Working Lands Initiative. Also, nearly 10,000 acres of private property will be open to public hunting through the state’s new Walk-In Access program.
Full MN DNR article
The 2011 August Roadside Report and pheasant hunting prospects map is available online.
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