Just read the road count's, and was somewhat surprised to see the number's down 17% this year, 39% 10 year mean avg in the area I hunt. After 26 year's of hunting the same farm I have never put a ton of stock in these count's, but it gave me a reason to call my friend to see what he had to say, and catch up on the past year. His word's caught me completely off guard. He said if we were coming out just for the hunting we might want to think twice. That has never been the case. It's always been about the total overall experience, but he said he has never seen so few bird's. While mowing his hay, or chopping silage he said he can't remember a year when he didn't at least hit a few nest's, or see some running around. I do know there has been a lot of habitat loss in the area I hunt, and a bad drought a few year's ago, but everything I've read, and heard it sounded like they had a great winter, and good nesting spring. So i guess my question is doe's anyone else have a report in the Mitchell area? Good luck Hunter's.
Don't know what to think.
- Thread starter jeffslabs
- Start date
"While mowing his hay, or chopping silage. . . ." I don't mean to be cynical, and I respect the man doing what he does. But I think we're beginning to see the CRP down-years really make a difference.
When you look at charts of pheasant numbers, measured either by harvests or roadiside surveys, depending on the data you find, and their parallels to declines in land bank acreage, and then in CRP acreage, it seems obvious to me that the decline in habitat, which is always a primary factory, eventually overwhelms even good years, weather-wise. We're seeing that this year, I'm afraid.
Your friend is doing what he must do. But it shouldn't surprise us going forward that numbers will continue to decline, even when traditional factors leading to increases -- like moderate snowfall and winter temps, and moist springs -- are present.
Just one man's opinion. And I'd love to be wrong, and see moderate conditions (but declining CRP next year) lead to increase in pheasant counts. Or better yet, I'd like to believe that a few mornings in the survey with dry conditions led to bad survey results. We'll see.
When you look at charts of pheasant numbers, measured either by harvests or roadiside surveys, depending on the data you find, and their parallels to declines in land bank acreage, and then in CRP acreage, it seems obvious to me that the decline in habitat, which is always a primary factory, eventually overwhelms even good years, weather-wise. We're seeing that this year, I'm afraid.
Your friend is doing what he must do. But it shouldn't surprise us going forward that numbers will continue to decline, even when traditional factors leading to increases -- like moderate snowfall and winter temps, and moist springs -- are present.
Just one man's opinion. And I'd love to be wrong, and see moderate conditions (but declining CRP next year) lead to increase in pheasant counts. Or better yet, I'd like to believe that a few mornings in the survey with dry conditions led to bad survey results. We'll see.
carptom1
Well-known member
Spoke to the landowner where I hunt every year to ask what his thoughts were on the birds. He told me that he honestly was having a hard time getting a read on it. One day he sees a bunch and thinks it will be good then he goes awhile thinking there are not many. As always it is almost impossible to gauge until all the crops are out. Two years ago he told me he would not blame me if I stayed home as the opening day guys didn't fare well. That year we worked hard but limited each day. It will probably never return to what it was a half dozen years ago or so but he has good habitat so the birds are always there. He did say his food plots were excellent.
Early this summer, say about mid-July, we were down for a wedding reception. The farmer where we hunt was there. He said he thought it would be a great year. He hadn't hit a pheasant with his truck in over 10 years, and nailed three of them in one day. He said they were seeing them a lot.
Not sure if much has changed since then or not, but it should be at least better than the last two years. We didn't get to hunt much, so that made it a bad year for me. I just like being out there. And, with a new pup, I'm excited to get whatever chance I get.
Not sure if much has changed since then or not, but it should be at least better than the last two years. We didn't get to hunt much, so that made it a bad year for me. I just like being out there. And, with a new pup, I'm excited to get whatever chance I get.