All

[pheasantaddict]

All I want for Christmas is for the pheasants to make a comeback in Iowa! Maybe this is asking to much from Old Saint Nick. I'm pretty sure this is all my dogs want too. Went out today without a gun and hunted one buffer strip with young man who had gun. I said before we started we would just take one rooster. Saw 5 roosters and 6 hens. He knocked down one we couldn't find. Last year same place had 25 roosters this time of year.

 

[KBell]

I must admit Pheasantaddict that I too have been praying to the "pheasant gods" for our birds this year. Hopefully this mild winter continues. We really must have it. I have a total of 5 birds on our home place. If they perish, there will not be a hope in the spring to begin re-establishing the birds.

I am hopeful with the current "pheasant situation" that our legislature and state government entities have "received the message loud and clear" that we are in a desparate situation. We can and have passed legislation and have enacted policies in the past that have aided pheasants both advertently and inadvertently. I have heard from many businesses and communities that they have noticed lost revenue the past two years.

Please continue to stay positive and spread the word about our birds. I tell everyone that will or is willing to listen about their plight. We hunters are their best alliance in their situation. I quote Jimmy V--never ever give up hope.

 

[pheasantaddict]

When I wear my hunting attire out in the public, I kind of feel like a rock star. I have never had so many people ask me about pheasants when I'm in a cafe or filling up the truck. I hope for better days ahead.

 

[mstand]

I must admit Pheasantaddict that I too have been praying to the "pheasant gods" for our birds this year. Hopefully this mild winter continues. We really must have it. I have a total of 5 birds on our home place. If they perish, there will not be a hope in the spring to begin re-establishing the birds.

I am hopeful with the current "pheasant situation" that our legislature and state government entities have "received the message loud and clear" that we are in a desparate situation. We can and have passed legislation and have enacted policies in the past that have aided pheasants both advertently and inadvertently. I have heard from many businesses and communities that they have noticed lost revenue the past two years.

Please continue to stay positive and spread the word about our birds. I tell everyone that will or is willing to listen about their plight. We hunters are their best alliance in their situation. I quote Jimmy V--never ever give up hope.

WOnder if it would help if they saw the stats on how many Iowans left to go to SD or other states to hunt. I know we spent 800.00 bucks on a trip to SD. would much rather of kept it home.

 

[wispringer]

I will second that Christmas wish. Went out the last two mornings gunless. My springer was working hard. We managed to kick up 5 hens and 2 roosters. I went through small patches of standing corn, what appeared to be the only food source in a vast ocean of plowed fields, and saw zero birds. If I got away from the state game areas there was even less hope of seeing any birds. Let's keep this weather going! We are down to the last few birds, it will take a couple years at least to make a decent comeback. Merry Christmas to all.

 

[UplandHntr]

Lots of other states that are in as bad or worse shape. I wish you all the best, now that the seasons about over pray for the mild winter to continue.

 

[only a pointer]

I must admit Pheasantaddict that I too have been praying to the "pheasant gods" for our birds this year. Hopefully this mild winter continues. We really must have it. I have a total of 5 birds on our home place. If they perish, there will not be a hope in the spring to begin re-establishing the birds.

I am hopeful with the current "pheasant situation" that our legislature and state government entities have "received the message loud and clear" that we are in a desparate situation. We can and have passed legislation and have enacted policies in the past that have aided pheasants both advertently and inadvertently. I have heard from many businesses and communities that they have noticed lost revenue the past two years.

Please continue to stay positive and spread the word about our birds. I tell everyone that will or is willing to listen about their plight. We hunters are their best alliance in their situation. I quote Jimmy V--never ever give up hope.

bell do you ever worry about your 5 birds getting to the road and someone shooting them? im sure you do it would bother me is it 5 roosters or is there a fewe hens hopefullyu on your land?

 

[FieldKing]

Lots of other states that are in as bad or worse shape. I wish you all the best, now that the seasons about over pray for the mild winter to continue.

Yep, here in Indiana we are down to just a handful of countys with wild birds, farmers plow fence to fence and mow ditches, DNR does have some properties they manage for Pheasant but it is on a lottery draw to hunt, I have not been drawn in over 20 years of applying also stiff competition for the few private spots that hold birds, I believe our DNR spends most of their efforts where the $$$ is (Whitetail Deer)

 

[KBell]

Hello Only a pointer,

That should not be a problem since there is no road bordering our land. I do not control their movements however and they could venture on to adjacent lands. What is great about this year however is the number of farmers and people who know of their plight and are not allowing hunting of them or access to hunt them. To be honest, this is the first year in my memory that I have not seen a single hunter in the 10 to 15 mile radius of our home. I have not heard any shooting all season long. There just isn't anyone here willing to harvest what little we have. I have seen a conservative effort by many this year. Weather has been fantastic so far!

FieldKing, I have 3 roosters and 2 hens on trail cam at this point. I hope we are not going the way of your fine state but must admit that much talk and action focuses on our whitetail herd. Birds have taken a backseat here due to the lost legislators that had hunted and our current agricultural intensity. Iowa must decide whether or not the pheasant is a recognized and valuable resource. If not, they will go by the wayside. If yes, we need to begin the rebuilding of the resource. As I stated in a previous post, we have taxidermists, cafes, lodging and sport shops who have noticed a "remarkable decline" in the amount of business the past two years. I know of some who have left, gone under or about to go under from the loss of revenue.

 

[captaincoot]

I got about 15 partridge hanging out with the cows on stalks. No pheasant I hope the winter stays nice maybe I'll have 30 next year:thumbsup:

 

[FieldKing]

Kbell, u are right on the economic impact, in the 80s I knew 5 hunters including myself who would take yearly week long trips to the Sigourney Iowa area for pheasant, spend $ on license, motels, diners, fuel, goof off money, beer, pop etc. Iowa has been crossed off most traveling Phez hunters list that I know of for a long time, hope u guys save it, I will come back for sure!

 

[hunter94]

Hello Only a pointer,

That should not be a problem since there is no road bordering our land. I do not control their movements however and they could venture on to adjacent lands. What is great about this year however is the number of farmers and people who know of their plight and are not allowing hunting of them or access to hunt them. To be honest, this is the first year in my memory that I have not seen a single hunter in the 10 to 15 mile radius of our home. I have not heard any shooting all season long. There just isn't anyone here willing to harvest what little we have. I have seen a conservative effort by many this year. Weather has been fantastic so far!

FieldKing, I have 3 roosters and 2 hens on trail cam at this point. I hope we are not going the way of your fine state but must admit that much talk and action focuses on our whitetail herd. Birds have taken a backseat here due to the lost legislators that had hunted and our current agricultural intensity. Iowa must decide whether or not the pheasant is a recognized and valuable resource. If not, they will go by the wayside. If yes, we need to begin the rebuilding of the resource. As I stated in a previous post, we have taxidermists, cafes, lodging and sport shops who have noticed a "remarkable decline" in the amount of business the past two years. I know of some who have left, gone under or about to go under from the loss of revenue.

i think the Iowa DNR has already made their decision, it clearly appears they have thrown in the towel, as they have stood by passively over the past 5-10 years and done absolutely nothing to counter the trend of a massive decline in pheasant populations. if it takes effort or dollars, they have no interest, they even had the balls to raise NR license fees, while bird populations have plumented.....what other conclusion could one draw?
sad.........

 

[wispringer]

Anybody else find it funny that Rick Perry and Iowa rep Steve King went on what Perry called an "awesome hunt" hunting pheasants in NW Iowa. If it was awesome either Rick Perry has never been on a awesome pheasant hunt or they were hunting on a game farm. If it were the later it goes to show that pheasant hunting is becoming a rich mans sport, destined to be contained to the game farms. In their minds pheasant hunting is great, look at all the birds we shot. Of course we had to kick them to get them to fly. Then again I have never seen Obama even on a game farm. I would love to see Newt Gingrich trudging his sorry arse through a cattail swamp.:thumbsup: