Habitat Doesn't Always Do it For Ya

UGUIDE

UGUIDE

Active member
The lesson learned this year is you can have the best habitat around and that doesn't always translate to higher bird number.

Mother Nature still holds the trump card and trump she will when she wants.

Yes, if you build it they will come but it may not be every year.:confused:

I'm beginning to think that the low numbers across such a wide area are not just due to weather but may be a larger phenomenon like age class.

I suspected a similar issue in whitetail populations in WI two years ago when their was a statewide drop where predator and weather conditions varied markedly.

I'm thinking something like a 10 year cycle on population swings.
 
Intersting you say that. I planted an acre sorgum food plot and have yet to see a bird in it.
 
moellermd said:
Intersting you say that. I planted an acre sorgum food plot and have yet to see a bird in it.
Click to expand...

Moe it is interesting you say that. I planted the most beautiful looking 2 acre milo plot and we made two passes thru it the second week of Nov. with 3 dogs and did not kick up one bird.

I thought the ground would lift off every time someone stepped in that sucker.:(
 
I wouldn't be surprised if there's population swings over a period of years. I see it with grouse and woodcock here in MI.

On the topic of poor results - my egyptian wheat this year got planted a little too late and while it looks like it has seed, it wasn't fully hardened before the hard frosts came and 95% is a failure. The accompanying grain sorghum mixed in has been picked clean by the numerous song birds and the millet is long gone. Luckily I've still got a variety of seeds on the weeds in and surrounding the plot, and the EW still provides some cover.

Also never hunted it during MI's initial pheasant hunting period due to not wanting to push/pressure deer for bow/gun season. A heavy, wet snow 2 days before the opener for the late season flattened much of the habitat on my land and chances seem bleak.

The neighbors have the winter cover, but don't manage for birds, so I provide the nesting portion by necessity. I've seen a few birds across the property line from the treestand and I did have some of the NWSG pop back up yesterday, but I'll be surprised if I get a single bird from my parcel this season.

The last few years kept getting better and better as I made improvements - can't say I'm surprised to have a down year though. At least there is always next year. :cheers:
 
Chris,
Is your plot connected to other habitats? Or, is it fragmented? I ask because if there are birds in your area (I suspect there are) and they have other "safer" food sources than the food plot you have installed, they will leave your plot alone. Once the snow hits hard and food supplies start to dwindle you may see birds risking the journey to your plot. This is only a guess and just one of many factors that could be playing into it. --some you've mentioned.

A quick story. There's an area near by where my dad and I keep a watch on some wild pheasants throughout the year. Last year I had a very nice food source for the birds. Not one wild rooster used the entire winter. Even after a some heavy snow fall.

After doing some tracking to figure out what was going on (I knew the birds where back there). I found that the pheasants had a good food source left over within the corn fields. The farmers combine left corn behind everywhere.

The moral of the story is this; wild pheasants prefer not travel to a food source unless it's "safe" or they're in need of (another) food source due to a lack of food from other sources.;)
 
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