Central ND Broods

Here is a report from Central ND. I drove around our land Saturdayfor about 2 1/2 hours, I saw 2 pheasant broods. One had 15 chicks that were almost full grown roosters were turning color. the other brood was 11 chicks that could fly about 20-50 feet. I also saw a brood of about 16 Huns (give or take). Besides the broods I saw 11 roosters 3 hens and 3 grouse.
 
What is your sense of sharptail nesting success in the central ND area? Good to hear you saw Huns!
 
Here is a report from Central ND. I drove around our land Saturdayfor about 2 1/2 hours, I saw 2 pheasant broods. One had 15 chicks that were almost full grown roosters were turning color. the other brood was 11 chicks that could fly about 20-50 feet. I also saw a brood of about 16 Huns (give or take). Besides the broods I saw 11 roosters 3 hens and 3 grouse.
Good news! As you know Ihave hunted that area , I haven't talked to anybody yet where I usually hunt NE of there. How are the crops? Not just yours but in general? Think they will be mostly off by November 1?
 
Corn on my land was 6-7 feet tall in most areas, but if you ask my Renter, corn height doesn't mean corn success. too me all the crops look great. they are harvesting wheat, yesterday, on our land. but i think most crops are two weeks behind....also we had a lot of rain in june. not a ton last couple weeks of july. If i had to guess most corn will still be on NOV 1st (except silage). when i was driving through my land all the non crop areas were super thick. unlike last year. i think the reason i saw large broods was the cover was so thick and easy for the birds to hide. (just my opinion). i might be way off in that theroy.


Jim
 
What is your sense of sharptail nesting success in the central ND area? Good to hear you saw Huns!

so this year was the first time i have seen grouse wihile driving around our land in the summer. we always shoot sharpies in the fall, i just don't usually see them in the summer. mainly cuase i driving through pheasant habbitat and sharpies tend not to be there. so seeing 3 sharpies i think might point to better numbers. but that might be me hoping more than anything else. Sorry i don't have more to say on that.


Jim
 
No , you are spot on with cover = nesting and brood success. There are lots of factors but the thicker cover makes it more difficult for nest predators to find eggs. It makes it easier for broods to escape sky predators and land predators. It also crates better habitat for insects such as grass hoppers to thrive in. Broods feed on those almost exclusively for the first few weeks.
 
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