M. R. Byrd
Well-known member
I don't get away from the Ponderosa often to see other areas around here, but a wedding and a distance parts run got me out and about SW Kansas. Time on the road is a time of reflection for me. I am always looking for wildlife(only saw one pheasant hatch) and looking at the habitat of the area and where a pheasant or quail could live. It is also a time for me to view areas that I have hunted over the years.
All of that made me return my thoughts to 1960(or maybe 1961). Kansas had an abundance of pheasants, so many that the limit was five and could include one hen. My older brother lived to hunt, but that year he gave up opening day to take advantage of the projected onslaught of hunters from Wichita to operate his small filling station in a small town for 24 hours starting on Friday evening. I remember he put a slot in the lid of gallon pickle jar filled with water and a shot glass in the bottom. A successful drop of a coin in the shot glass won Coke products. I don't know how many times we had to empty the money from the jar that night. The rush started Friday afternoon and by nightfall the traffic coming into town was slowed to bumper to bumper and headlights could be seen for miles.
What brought all of this excitement was the abundant pheasants from what I call "Accidental Pheasants" . Accidental? The number of pheasants was not from any master plan by the state or game managers, it was from the farming practices of that era. Farms were smaller, thus more fencerows. Herbicide use was limited and thus weedy fence rows and weedy wheat stubble and milo fields. All the weeds had lots of grasshoppers and insects. Combines slobbered lots of grain on the ground.
Sixty-four years later things are much different. Farms are bigger. Many fencerows and tree rows are gone. Herbicide use is wide spread. Insects are fewer. Combines leave little on the ground. Brood rearing areas are much less.
As I traveled there were areas where I could stop on flat dryland areas where I could see a mile or more in any direction where the land was void of anything green, it was either sprayed wheat stubble or bare ground ready for winter wheat to be planted in September. Really no chance this area will produce any birds. For those that are not familiar with cropping in these areas of 20" or less of annual rainfall, there is what is known as summer fallow(half of the ground is used for the current wheat crop while the other half is idle and used to accumulate moisture for the next year's crop). Farming practices in these areas are unlikely to ever return to brood rearing areas for pheasants. I did get into areas like this but had some mix of CRP or waste land mixed in. These areas would have some promise that there might be pheasants.
I also traveled into areas of heavy irrigation where mile after mile had a center pivot on every quarter section of ground. These areas hold potential of pheasants since many of the 4 corners(about 7 acres where where the center pivot doesn't reach) might have supporting habitat including CRP grasses. Maintaining CRP corners in good brood rearing holds promise for "Intentional Pheasants".
So what I am saying is that there are areas where likely pheasants are a thing of the past, but there are some areas where proper management and programs could continue or even increase pheasant numbers. Programs that some states are using to enhance habitat like the corners. Programs like PF has promoted to get farmers to put areas that are not profitable for their farm operations, such as small areas or marginal land to put those in a CRP program. I have found in my own experiences that there are some NRCS managers that will work with you and some that will not. I have been talking about pheasants, which are much easier to provide good habitat for, now quail has much different habitat needs.
I wish I could say that I was a perfect "intentional" habitat farmer, but I like many in the public sector, have the limitations of time, money and manpower. My hope is that those that can improve habitat will achieve that through private or public assistance.
My hope for 2024 is that the areas that have good habitat will have favorable brood rearing conditions this year and all you upland bird hunters will have a great year.
All of that made me return my thoughts to 1960(or maybe 1961). Kansas had an abundance of pheasants, so many that the limit was five and could include one hen. My older brother lived to hunt, but that year he gave up opening day to take advantage of the projected onslaught of hunters from Wichita to operate his small filling station in a small town for 24 hours starting on Friday evening. I remember he put a slot in the lid of gallon pickle jar filled with water and a shot glass in the bottom. A successful drop of a coin in the shot glass won Coke products. I don't know how many times we had to empty the money from the jar that night. The rush started Friday afternoon and by nightfall the traffic coming into town was slowed to bumper to bumper and headlights could be seen for miles.
What brought all of this excitement was the abundant pheasants from what I call "Accidental Pheasants" . Accidental? The number of pheasants was not from any master plan by the state or game managers, it was from the farming practices of that era. Farms were smaller, thus more fencerows. Herbicide use was limited and thus weedy fence rows and weedy wheat stubble and milo fields. All the weeds had lots of grasshoppers and insects. Combines slobbered lots of grain on the ground.
Sixty-four years later things are much different. Farms are bigger. Many fencerows and tree rows are gone. Herbicide use is wide spread. Insects are fewer. Combines leave little on the ground. Brood rearing areas are much less.
As I traveled there were areas where I could stop on flat dryland areas where I could see a mile or more in any direction where the land was void of anything green, it was either sprayed wheat stubble or bare ground ready for winter wheat to be planted in September. Really no chance this area will produce any birds. For those that are not familiar with cropping in these areas of 20" or less of annual rainfall, there is what is known as summer fallow(half of the ground is used for the current wheat crop while the other half is idle and used to accumulate moisture for the next year's crop). Farming practices in these areas are unlikely to ever return to brood rearing areas for pheasants. I did get into areas like this but had some mix of CRP or waste land mixed in. These areas would have some promise that there might be pheasants.
I also traveled into areas of heavy irrigation where mile after mile had a center pivot on every quarter section of ground. These areas hold potential of pheasants since many of the 4 corners(about 7 acres where where the center pivot doesn't reach) might have supporting habitat including CRP grasses. Maintaining CRP corners in good brood rearing holds promise for "Intentional Pheasants".
So what I am saying is that there are areas where likely pheasants are a thing of the past, but there are some areas where proper management and programs could continue or even increase pheasant numbers. Programs that some states are using to enhance habitat like the corners. Programs like PF has promoted to get farmers to put areas that are not profitable for their farm operations, such as small areas or marginal land to put those in a CRP program. I have found in my own experiences that there are some NRCS managers that will work with you and some that will not. I have been talking about pheasants, which are much easier to provide good habitat for, now quail has much different habitat needs.
I wish I could say that I was a perfect "intentional" habitat farmer, but I like many in the public sector, have the limitations of time, money and manpower. My hope is that those that can improve habitat will achieve that through private or public assistance.
My hope for 2024 is that the areas that have good habitat will have favorable brood rearing conditions this year and all you upland bird hunters will have a great year.
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