Below is an email about the WPRA's. I think the good news outweighs the not so good news.
First, the not so good news...
We will not be able to reschedule our wild pheasant flushing surveys this year. Ground conditions are still problematic, and with pre-breeding season dispersal, any data we might get at this point could be inaccurate. We?ll use sex ratio data from previous years for hen density calculations in areas not surveyed this year. It is because of you that we have all the data from previous years, so once again, thank you for all your help!! And thanks to all of you who signed up to help again this year. We had plenty of people and dogs ready to go, even though the weather repeatedly interfered. We can all look forward to next year?s surveys. J
The Really Good News!
Pheasants Forever members were able to find a trapping location out west this year at almost the last minute. Jesse Putnam and Megan Gerber travelled west on short notice and were able to trap 49 hens and 9 roosters in a very short period of time. Megan Rake, Ray Grater and Brandon Black also rallied to trap a few PA roosters in the Turbotville area to help boost the rooster numbers. On Sunday, March 9, just before dawn, the wild pheasants were released in the Franklin County Wild Peasant Recovery Area. This is the first wild pheasant release for this wild pheasant recovery area. We now have 4 active Wild Pheasant Recovery Areas on the ground in PA.
Thanks to everyone in the great partnership between PGC and PF who worked hard to make many good things happen in a very short period of time!
And, as always, Thanks for all your help and support!
Colleen
Colleen DeLong
Wildlife Biologist
Pennsylvania Game Commission
570-380-0833
cdelong@pa.gov