1pheas4
Moderator
Feel free to add to this thread what you think, observed, etc regarding Illinois habitat hub areas positive or negative.
To those who work on such areas to improve the habitat and increase the acreage/areas thank you!
Anyway, there seems to be a few positive trends within Illinois' habitat hub projects that I've noticed. With that said, in no way are the "hub" areas a cure-all for habitat loss throughout the state, but I feel over time, with a few good years of nesting and broad rearing seasons these areas have good to great potential for wild pheasants. This will particularly be the case if well placed (year round) food sources (especially winter food plots) and shelter belts (for lofting/dusting/brood rearing) are implemented in and around these areas.
That said, the nesting, brood rearing, and winter habitat within habitat hub areas has improved greatly. I've seen a nice mixture of warm season grasslands, with cool season and Forbs mixed together, sections of short woody/brush cover, and in some areas wet-lands/cattails. All within close proximity to one another. Such areas seem to have the best bird numbers.
Another positive trend to consider is the purchasing and converting land into habitat (by private land owners) around habitat hubs due to an increase in game and improved hunting opportunities. This is resulting in habitats becoming "linked" with one-another, or, at least within walking/safe traveling distance for pheasants and other wildlife.
Also, a good number of roadside ditches were either left alone (un-mowed) or delayed mowing until late summer around the hubs. These improvements are small in comparison to the big picture, but every little bit helps. If we get a nice increase in CRP within the next farm bill, I can see these areas only increase in habitat and wild birds:thumbsup:
To those who work on such areas to improve the habitat and increase the acreage/areas thank you!
Anyway, there seems to be a few positive trends within Illinois' habitat hub projects that I've noticed. With that said, in no way are the "hub" areas a cure-all for habitat loss throughout the state, but I feel over time, with a few good years of nesting and broad rearing seasons these areas have good to great potential for wild pheasants. This will particularly be the case if well placed (year round) food sources (especially winter food plots) and shelter belts (for lofting/dusting/brood rearing) are implemented in and around these areas.
That said, the nesting, brood rearing, and winter habitat within habitat hub areas has improved greatly. I've seen a nice mixture of warm season grasslands, with cool season and Forbs mixed together, sections of short woody/brush cover, and in some areas wet-lands/cattails. All within close proximity to one another. Such areas seem to have the best bird numbers.
Another positive trend to consider is the purchasing and converting land into habitat (by private land owners) around habitat hubs due to an increase in game and improved hunting opportunities. This is resulting in habitats becoming "linked" with one-another, or, at least within walking/safe traveling distance for pheasants and other wildlife.
Also, a good number of roadside ditches were either left alone (un-mowed) or delayed mowing until late summer around the hubs. These improvements are small in comparison to the big picture, but every little bit helps. If we get a nice increase in CRP within the next farm bill, I can see these areas only increase in habitat and wild birds:thumbsup:
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