Anyone seeing birds?

pheasantaddict

pheasantaddict

New member
I worked the past two and a half weeks out in the country with at least 40 acres of crp on both sides of the road and only heard one rooster crowing. I know this county is in deep trouble. Anyone else seeing birds or hearing them?
 
A couple of weeks ago I saw 4 different roosters while I was driving. About 20 min from my house. Can't recall seeing any others though.
 
Hearing and seeing them in the NW part of the state. I've seen quite a few more hens then roosters. I guess it's somewhat encouraging, but I'll take the wait and see approach.
 
Updates

Homeplace trailcams continue to pick up the three roosters that I went into this winter with. No hens!:mad: Have also picked up in deer numbers as they left the timber early and came back to the grain fields.

I saw one dead rooster all winter long along the roads I travel to and from work. I believe there have been comments prior stating very few dead birds observed along roads last year. Could it be there aren't many?:eek:

Had my first mess of asparagus this year and saw a man in town mowing the lawn today. March????
 
Kbell,
Maybe you need to release a few hens out there with those boys! They could show'm the ropes. LOL!
I live in Colorado now but grew up in NC Iowa where we has awesome bird numbers in the 60's. Kind of sad how things have gone in Iowa! Used to come back and hunt the old stomping grounds.

1fun37
 
my daughter sent me an excited text today!!!! dad!! guess what i just saw?? knowing she went to a friends in the country after school i said a rooster:thumbsup:. she said yes and asked if i was parked somewhere watching them?:D
 
Is it the loss of CRP acreage and habitat, or is there something else going on?
 
Been keeping my fingers crossed. A friend turned loose a large number of phez last oct. and 3 roosters and about a dozen hens took up residence at my place and made through the winter. Right now the roosters are going at it. Have plenty of cover for nesting and protection. Been taking care of all the predators to insure their survival and it's working so far.
 
FLDBRED,
Many have stated reasons before but I see some farmers in Iowa are too caught up in raising $6.50 corn and $13.00 soybeans and willing to pay $10-20K for land. My sister who works for the USDA ( and whose husband farms the family farm) says the payments for CRP now is astronomical less than what you can get either in cash rent or crops, and they are unwilling to add CRP buffer strips for birds. They spray for everything! No weed patchs left, there is very little safe habital for for them.:(
 
I hate to see these reports, I hunted NW Iowa about ten years ago and loved it. There was a lot of public land open to hunting and access to private land was still possible.

Are there still birds on the public land where there is still good habitat?
 
What?

Alert the National Guard! Alert the President! Notify all that you love!

I saw one rooster crossing the road this morning in central Iowa where I live. It is the only bird of either sex I have seen this late Winter/Spring.

Poor bastard acted like a Democrat:D with nothing in particular to accomplish and really no place to go. He is probably wondering where another rooster is to do Spring battle with and hopefully remembers what a hen looks like.:)

There has been print in the state paper that our legislature is considering stocking birds. One Iowa senator is quoted as stating within three years we could be back to harvesting 1 million plus roosters per year. Insane!
 
Good luck, must of been a Republican senator. :p:p:p So that means we are going to stock a million pheasants every year. I think I just found a new business venture.
 
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One closer to one million

Worked the family farm for seven hours yesterday. Field work on March 31st? It was a beautiful day. Heard one rooster crowing while eating lunch. Only 999,999 to fill the harvest quota my state legislators said we Iowans will enjoy soon!:p

Back at it today. Currently sixty-one degrees with a high of eighty plus today. Gotta turn soil!:)
 
On the way into the Pheasants Forever banquet last night, there was a rooster on the side of the highway........ dead. Dangit..
 
I live in Van Buren county, but run a youth group in Davis county. The teens at church are telling me they've been seeing a lot of birds. Like flocks of up to 15 birds with a fair number of hens. Maybe there's a chance down here.
 
They burned all the wildlife areas and I've seen a grand total of ZERO birds. They did manage to burn 12 huge tires they had for goose nest:thumbsup: That was one black wildlife fire. Hell I could of passed college if I study to be a wildlife expert:D Must be the new underwater basket weiving course:)
 
Glad you asked

Spent 5 hours today planting. Saw zero birds. Did hear one rooster crowing every time I stepped out of the cab. His sound was strained and I swear I could hear it break up from time to time. He has no ladies to win over:(
 
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