Encouraging South Dakota Bird Report

UGUIDE

UGUIDE

Active member
I was concerned as ever about bird numbers over winter due to harsh condition but have been extremely pleased with the number of hens and roosters I have seen move back on the farm as I have been working up 70 acres of corn stalks for new spring CRP planting. Crowing counts are much better than last trip out and hope they increase as spring continues and warms up a little more.

I also talked with local PF Biologist and he thought "we'd be OK" (meaning state of SD for birds numbers).

More ducks being seen that pheasants right now but that is OK:)
 
I visited with one of the officers with the GFP in Aberdeen and he thought the birds did fairly well considering the winter we had. He did say that west and southwest of here in the areas that got the wet weather and ice storms that the mortality was higher. I've been seeing pretty good numbers on the GPA's I've been running my dogs. Probably not as high as a year ago but still not bad and the hen numbers are very good. Just need a good hatch and we should be okay. Much better than I was anticipating.

Just a side note: Dog training on wild birds is prohibited statewide from April 15th through July 31st. That includes public and private land.
 
im seeing ALOT of birds when i spray.. and i see MORE roosters than i do hens.. however it is fun to watch two roosters go at it when youre cruising down the highway and all they do is look at each other and .. hey dont mind the truck that is coming at US!! this is MY terroritory!!!

birds.. pea size brain.
 
Today when I went over to east farm the last 2 miles I take the back road and saw more hens and roosters on that stretch of roas than I have seen in a long time. I suspect it might be because there is less cover with all grasses matted down from snow but all the same it is good to see. I bet I saw 50-60 birds in road right of way in a 2 miles stretch.

Birdman, them birds ain't so dumb in the fall;)
 
That's great news, thanks for the reports
 
It seems to vary greatly from area to area re the rooster to hen ratios, but definitely over roostered in some areas.
 
That's great news Chris, after reading some of the reports over the long winter I had my doubts. Thanks for the information.

Scott
 
But what about all the doom and gloom everyone was preaching a couple of months ago? Nature seems to have a way of taking care of itself.
 
True, but if winter had not broke when it did, the damages on the brood stock would have increased dramatically day by day. Fortunately the spring stoms involving snow have been sw of the Dakotas in WY and CO.
WE ARE GRATEFUL.
 
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