Habitat for released pheasants

treedaddy

treedaddy

Member
I have been putting out quail and pheasants lately for some controlled hunts in Tennessee. Some of the pheasants have gotten away due to running off and poor shooting. Last Friday, I released 10 for some guys and 5 got away. Went back Sunday afternoon and my dog pointed and I got 2. These pheasants really acted wild and flew great. I believe the pen pheasants act more like wild birds than quail do. We don't have a native pheasant population here in Tennessee, but what do you guys think the chances are that pheasants could survive 2 or 3 weeks. Also what type of habitat would help them make it a while? We have lots of hawks and coyotes and I know this could be a problem. I have had some quail last a month or more earlier this season, but I am not sure of the pheasants. I have a sorghum field of about 20 acres and a weedy corn field of about 20 acres that I have access to where I could release birds. I don't expect the pheasants to raise, but I would like have a setup where the birds that get away could last a while so I can hunt them later.
 
treedaddy said:
I have been putting out quail and pheasants lately for some controlled hunts in Tennessee. Some of the pheasants have gotten away due to running off and poor shooting. Last Friday, I released 10 for some guys and 5 got away. Went back Sunday afternoon and my dog pointed and I got 2. These pheasants really acted wild and flew great. I believe the pen pheasants act more like wild birds than quail do. We don't have a native pheasant population here in Tennessee, but what do you guys think the chances are that pheasants could survive 2 or 3 weeks. Also what type of habitat would help them make it a while? We have lots of hawks and coyotes and I know this could be a problem. I have had some quail last a month or more earlier this season, but I am not sure of the pheasants. I have a sorghum field of about 20 acres and a weedy corn field of about 20 acres that I have access to where I could release birds. I don't expect the pheasants to raise, but I would like have a setup where the birds that get away could last a while so I can hunt them later.
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Don't know if this will help you but being from SEK I've always wondered (and wished) why the Phez bird doesn't make it this far east...


WHY NO PHEASANTS IN SOUTHEAST KANSAS?
Lack of habitat primary factor, but much of the state offers excellent pheasant hunting
PRATT â?? With Kansas annually ranking in the top three states in the nation for pheasant hunting, hunters often ask why this popular game bird cannot be found in southeast Kansas. Like all wildlife, pheasants need four things to survive: food, water, cover, and space. If these things are not present in the proper mix for an individual species, it will not thrive. But sometimes it can be more complicated than that.

"The most obvious reason pheasants don't occupy southeast Kansas is inadequate habitat caused by too many trees, too little high-quality nesting or brood-rearing habitat, intensive agriculture, and urbanization," says Jim Pitman, small game coordinator for the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP). "These problems have worsened over the last 30 years in southeast Kansas and have also been detrimental to pheasants in other parts of the country. However, even before these problems intensified in southeast Kansas, pheasants were mostly absent. Some areas in southeast Kansas and other places outside the pheasant range seem to have suitable habitat, so habitat inadequacy probably isn't the sole explanation."

Pitman believes that soil-mineral deficiency may be another factor that influences pheasant distribution.

"Calcium, which is important for eggshell development and adult survival, may be deficient in non-range areas," he explains. "Soils in the central, northeast, and western portions of the state are naturally high in calcium. Southeast Kansas soils are naturally low in calcium. While the exact mechanism by which this may limit pheasant distribution is complicated and not entirely clear, mineral deficiencies may play a role in explaining why pheasants are absent."

Another possibility is higher spring temperatures and humidity in the southeast.

"Research has shown that egg hatchability declines with increasing temperature and humidity," say Pitman. "When the temperature holds at 85 degrees and humidity at 80 percent for extended periods, hatchability drops to around 40 percent. Southeast Kansas certainly has much higher springtime temperatures and humidity than parts of the state where pheasants are common."

So while food, water, cover, and space are critical for wildlife survival, other factors such as mineral deficiencies and weather have combined to prevent pheasants from establishing in southeast Kansas. But hunters need not worry; pheasant hunting should be excellent in other parts of the Sunflower State, and the winter of 2009-2010 promises many good days afield for the avid bird hunter.
 
Makes you go "ah ha" on the urbanization remark. All great Phez areas are wide open ranges (western ks, sd, nd, ia, mn). Phez are a long ranging and not so "homing" like quail.

JMHO
 
Pheasants do well when released at adult stage, provided they find what they need, other wild birds in the area has seemed to be the key factor in my success. Even if it is a couple. However when talking to some DNR guys I ran accross in IA that were tracking pheasents, using a truck with antenna and some transmitter on birds, they told me they range up to 25 miles. Many hang out where undisturbed but they do get around.
 
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I have been hearing that story about pheasant not surviving in southeast Kansas because of mineral calcium, humidity, heat and too much rain for 40 years. Pheasants can definitely survive and reproduce in S. E. Kansas, S.E. Missouri, S.E. Texas and in Tennessee.

I will give you a number of good examples to demonstrate this fact. First of all, I have seen full grown and young wild pheasants in the deep S. E. Texas (coastal prairie rice field country) warm and humid in the summer time. I have flushed wild pheasants in central California, in July on hot (95 degree) day. Google: Mexicali Pheasants. Those are California pheasants that have expanded their range into Mexico.
The pheasants first brought to the America (to Oregon) in 1881 by Owen Denny, came from Shanghai, China (wild pheasants are everywhere in that area). Shanghai is near the 30 parallel, that's about the same as Houston, Texas and Jacksonville, Florida warm and humid in summer with little snow in winter.
Truly Wild pheasants are expanding their range into S.E. Kansas but at a very, very slow rate. Let me explain.
I have been keeping up with the slow expansion of the North American pheasant range for the last 44 years. In the the last 40 years ( with the help of man and wilder strains of the True Pheasant - Ring-neck type) the wild pheasant range have expanded in New Mexico, Texas and Oklahoma. In New Mexico wild pheasants are seen all along the entire rough and tough Rio Grande river. Google: Bosque Del Apache pheasant, note the white-winged or Bianchi's pheasant (subspecie of the ring neck) extreme wild and wary of predators, that have crossed with the gray-rump or blue back ring neck pheasants to produce a much wilder and predator alert pheasant for that river bottom area, which is loaded with ground and aerial predators.

In Oklahoma, in the late 60's the northern edge of the wild pheasant range did not extend much farther south of Enid, now 40 years later wild reproducing pheasants are seen as far south as Kingfisher and around Sweetwater.
In Texas, wild pheasants have expanded their panhandle range southward to the Lubbock area. The panhandle pheasants expanded with the help of man and wilder strains of the true pheasant, see article below:

http://www.amarillo.com/stories/120201/whe_legionsofspo.shtml

Whats wrong with having both wild quail and wild pheasants in every county in Kansas? Its not impossible, but it may take another 40 or 50 years to happen.

In 1968 and 1969 I was stationed at Fort Riley, Kansas with the 24 Infantry Division. That was over 40 years ago, we frequently flushed quail, prairie chickens and pheasants all over that area. Back then wild turkeys, at Ft. Riley, were rare, very few. I know now 2010, the the turkey population at Riley has exploded. And the status of the other three game birds have remained the same over the last 40 years, this is very important. This is important because it shows that predators play a big roll in the progress of a game bird specie. Predators mostly take down young turkeys because of their smaller size. Full grown adult turkeys (because of their large size are harder to take down by a Cooper's hawk, Red-Tailed hawk, bobcat, coyote etc...) survive longer and reproduce longer than the quail or pheasants.
Main point, the biggest limiting factor in the S.E. Kansas expansion of the pheasant range is not trees or minerals (Riley county probably has the same mineral and trees as Anderson county) its PREDATORS.

But truly wild pheasants are slowly expanding eastward (slowly the wise old hens will figure out ways to hide the nest and get away from predators this is a very slow process) example, I have a good friend who is a wildlife photographer that is now frequently seeing wild pheasants around Dexter, Kansas they were rare in that area 20 or 30 years ago. Wild pheasant are frequently seen around E. Kansas areas of Yates Center, Leroy, Richmond, LaCygne and Cambridge. I am sure there are other areas.

There are wild pheasant in S.E. Missouri, in the booth hill area and in east central Tennessee.
If 1000 wild trapped pheasants (60 or 70 generations of wild genes that know how to escape predators) from western or north central Kansas were released in the spring time in Anderson county it would speed up the eastward expansion process.
 
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Very interesting preston1, I liked that story of facts. Glad you brought up trapping and preditors. That is also one of the things that has led to my success here, is traping those dam fox, cyotes, skunks, and coon out of my area. I don't release as many birds now that they are taking off, but I do keep those critters at bay. The one that I caught most was none of these though. I caught more field cats then anything. Terrible, they are everywhere here. I kept track and I caught 13 cats for every fox, skunk, coon, and cyote combined. Out in the middle of no where, by rivers, in the woods, did not matter, cats are everywhere. I regularly feed them lead sandwiches at the house. So that can be a big part of ones success, let a trapper go, learn where his traps are and how to release your dog from one and it will help.Big time. And I have never had a dog caught in one, but it does happen, so educating yourself on how to get out of one is a good plan, useualy simple without harm.
 
Pheasants

I found your story very interesting. I am a Northwest Arkansas native. I joined the Army almost 20 years ago and have seen a lot of different places. I am currently stationed at Fort Riley, Kansas and you hit the nail on the head. The turkey population has boomed around here and still supporting Pheasant, Quail and Prairie Chicken. When I was a young lad, I bought a dozen ringneck pheasants at a swap meet. I raised them for about 8 months and had a lot of success with them until they started becoming very aggressive with each other. They would peck each other on the backs until they would bleed. I eventually let them go into the wild. They didnt make it through the first winter. I chalked it up to the abundance of chiggers, ticks and predators (mostly chiggers). I had no solid conclusion though. I have wanted to see them flourish back in Arkansas but would need several conditions that would make that possible. First of all is money. Arkansas Game and Fish Commission (AGFC) does not make what they need to start experimental programs (I am only assuming) such as the re-introduction of the pheasant. If the licenses remain around $35 for a fishing and hunting package, they will not maximize what they need to become successful. Kansas on the other hand nickel and dimes you for tags. I gripe about the price but see what the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP) does with their money. CRPs are established to provide incentives for farmers. They own most of the lands and there needs to be something for them (I am a little biased because my dad is a farmer). They have money for food plots that create not only food but also cover. Once again, money provided for the farmer. AGFC has programs but I dont feel that they are very proactive and have the farmer and wildlife both married together. I have been a member of Pheasants Forever up here in Kansas, established food plots for upland birds, turkeys, and deer. The soil is better up here but I would love for them to jump on board and help accelerate the whole process. Also, the turkey population has declined back home in Arkansas because more farmers are harvesting hay for cattle. Due to the unfortunate timing of the first hay cutting coinciding with turkeys nesting destroys their chances for maximum re-production. Also new practices such as rotary mowers vs sickle mowers destroy the hens nest.
 
You guys have a lot of good worthwhile information.
Some things I've learned about pen raised and released pheasants.
They can make it and raise broods.
It's tough though. 1st of all they have got to be big enough to run and fly well.
2nd your release site has got to have the best cover and best feed/water in your area. Otherwise the pheasants will just leave.
3rd release them by opening the pen and let them wonder out on their own. Never!! take them in you hands and release them, their scared to death of you and everything.
4th, Keep a few birds in a cage within the cover area and the released birds will more likely hang close.
5th, Where there's a predator problem nothing works. REALLY! all is lost. Predators are survivors the pen raised birds are easy pickings. You've got to wage war on the predators.
 
Predators

I agree, that the predators must be minimal. It is that delicate balance of having enough to balance the rodent population. The bad thing is that raptors take their toll on the population. There is no one over them. I never realized how many field mice and rats were in my field until I was brush hogging a 22 acre field. I was wanting the raptors then. It was unbelievable.
 
I wondered about that too, I stuck out several of those box traps that just pile em up. With them around out in the field, It has helped as far as how many end up in the garage and so on, so I think that works good. I have pulled around 20 out of traps several times. We do get some hawks but htey don't seem to stick around much. The one thing I want to make easier to controll with out preditors, is pocket gophers. Man thats work. I am going to try those propane gopher blasters this summer.
It kinda seems the moral of this whole story is that if one wants to manage some pheasants on any level, "It's Work". one thing leads to another.
 
If you were to get these officials 1 on 1 in private most would talk predators.
They simply cannot speak in public about affective means of controlling raccoons, skunks, foxes and such. You would be talking leg hold traps and killing to control not relocating. Political correctness very much comes into play here. Ain't saying right or wrong, just the way it is. The DNR and pro pheasant organizations would quickly come under fire from the media and animal rights groups. You will never hear control predator talk among officials.
So, we work on habitat good for all wild critters. As long as the habitat is good for types of wildlife predators included all is well with the public in general. Good habitat within the pheasant range will hold pheasants. Nests destroyed before hatch the surviving hens will nest again usually some successfully.
Hawks take a bird at a time making the rest of the brood more wary. always been plenty of hawks in pheasant country,and not been a major factor in pheasant populations.
 
mnmthunting said:
If you were to get these officials 1 on 1 in private most would talk predators.
They simply cannot speak in public about affective means of controlling raccoons, skunks, foxes and such. You would be talking leg hold traps and killing to control not relocating. Political correctness very much comes into play here. Ain't saying right or wrong, just the way it is. The DNR and pro pheasant organizations would quickly come under fire from the media and animal rights groups. You will never hear control predator talk among officials.
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I definitely agree. I think that they focus on things that the general public would be supportive of and would have a positive impact on pheasant numbers. Getting rid of predators like the high fur prices did years ago would definitely have a positive impact as well, especially as habitat becomes more and more fragmented as land is bought and sold.
Hawks take a bird at a time making the rest of the brood more wary. always been plenty of hawks in pheasant country,and not been a major factor in pheasant populations.
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I disagree that hawks are only a drop in the bucket, but then again I don't live in pheasant country. As much as I like seeing hawks from time to time, I see more than enough and it'd be nice if the food chain kept going up above them.
 
Along a similar habitat situation, our church is going to lease about 25 acres next year for a dove hunt. There are a group of guys that also enjoy upland hunting. What could we plant that would serve both purposes? My goal is to have enough cover to put out some pheasants and quail later in the year without them running . Also we would need to plant something to attract doves. This has been a natural place for dove in the past and there is a wild covey of quail close by. I would like to plant something that grows 4 to 5 feet tall and then when we cut it, leave some strips or blocks for upland hunting. I hunt in a sorghum field now and the birds run too much in that. The tract of land has woods and thickets on the north and east side and is mowed pasture to the west and the church property is to the south. The property is close to highways and the church, but there is enough buffer zone for dog and shooting safety. We don't have a wild pheasant population or many quail, so my goal is have a place for a controlled hunting area. The tract of land was in soy beans this year. Ideas appreciated on what to plant and how to cut it.
 
Siberian Hay Millet.
A warm weather crop should do good in TN. We plant it after the 1st of June, soil needs to be 60+. 3-4 feet tall with large foxtail seed head. Small seeds that doves flock in for when ripe. We don't have quail, I bet quail would thrive in the stuff.
Also makes for very good pheasant cover late Summer and Fall. Won't hold up to much snow.

A pic taken mid Aug 09.
P1010009-6.jpg
 
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