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How human and natural driving forces affect pheasants and pheasant hunting in South Dakota. December 22, 2008 | Laingen, Christopher.
Introduction
The percentage of Americans who actively participated in hunting declined 7 percent from 1960 to 2005 (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 2008a, b, c, d). During the same time the number of pheasant hunters in South Dakota increased by over 34 percent (South Dakota Game, Fish, and Parks 2008b). Even during the fall of 2001, just one month after September 11, the number of out-of-state hunters who traveled to South Dakota increased from the previous year (Woster 2001a). Many changed their travel plans from flying to driving, but still made their October pilgrimage.
In 2002, for the first time since 1919, non-resident hunters outnumbered residents, and this gap continues to widen each year. In 2007, 103,231 non-South Dakotans (13 percent of the total state population) came to the state to hunt pheasants. Pheasant hunting is to South Dakota what golfing is to Scotland, with companies offering all-inclusive hunting trips to workers and clients (Shouse 2003). Business deals are struck in a field of switchgrass by men dressed in blaze orange as frequently as they are on a tee box (Merry 2003). South Dakota, along with other surrounding states such as North Dakota, has reaped the economic benefits of its large pheasant population (Bangsund, Hodur, and Leistritz 2004). Each year, the growing number of non-resident hunters contributes nearly $180 million to the state's economy (South Dakota Game, Fish, and Parks 2008a) (1).
The ring-necked pheasant (Phasianus colchicus) was first successfully introduced into the U.S. in the Willamette Valley of Oregon in 1881. It took hold in South Dakota in 1908 when three pairs brought from Oregon were released near Redfield, SD, the self-proclaimed "Pheasant Capital of the World". Today, pheasants can be found from California to Maine and from Texas to southern Canada. In 2007, South Dakota led the way in estimated harvested birds with over 2 million, a suitable proxy for bird abundance. Rounding out the top six states were North Dakota (907,000), Kansas (887,000), Minnesota (655,000), Iowa (632,000), and Nebraska (437,000) (Pheasants Forever 2008).
Thousands of hotels, motels, rented houses, and spare bedrooms are booked solid each year in anticipation of the opening weekend of pheasant hunting in some of the larger cities and towns of eastern South Dakota, especially in areas frequented by both resident and nonresident pheasant hunters. The differing patterns of where resident and non-resident hunters hunt is mostly a reflection of South Dakota's population distribution. Many of South Dakota's 781,000 residents do not stray far from home and hunt along the Interstate 29 corridor. While non-residents also hunt these areas, most frequent the east-central towns of Chamberlain, Pierre, Aberdeen, Redfield, Presho, and others. Pierre and Aberdeen have airports that service larger hubs such Minneapolis and also have adequate hotel space and restaurants to serve the needs of the non-residents. Additionally, these areas are also home to many of the privately run pheasant hunting lodges that are used mostly by the nonresident hunters.
Many of these towns have erected shrines to celebrate this coveted bird. The world's largest pheasant (Figure 4) can be found perched atop the Dakota Inn Hotel in Huron, South Dakota. The world's second largest pheasant (Figure 5) is found in the town of Gregory, which at the beginning of the current pheasant boom in 1992, Fortune Magazine declared "The Ground Zero of Pheasantdom" (Farnham 1992).
References to pheasants abound in South Dakota: giant birds on hotels, billboards along highways, advertisements in outdoor magazines, and even school mascots like the fighting pheasant of Parker High. One image, however, epitomizes the importance of the pheasant to South Dakota more than any other. When residents were asked to vote among five designs for South Dakota's commemorative quarter, the one chosen not only portrayed Mt. Rushmore, an American icon, but also an Asian native - the ring- necked pheasant.
Boom and bust cycles in pheasant populations have been common in South Dakota. During the mid-1900s good weather and abundant habitat brought populations to record highs (Trautman 1982). Early cropland retirement programs of the 1930s and 1950s/60s have also influenced population cycles (Edwards 1994). These programs, coupled with favorable weather, were responsible for record numbers of pheasants in the 1940s years that may never be eclipsed. More recently, the impact of the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), which also coincided with milder weather and habitat-friendly land use practices, has created another boom in pheasant population and hunting in South Dakota (Ryan, Burger, Kurzejeski 1998). Historically, when populations suffered severe declines, it was likely a response to changes in both land use and weather (Labisky 1976; Trautman 1982).
Introduction
The percentage of Americans who actively participated in hunting declined 7 percent from 1960 to 2005 (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 2008a, b, c, d). During the same time the number of pheasant hunters in South Dakota increased by over 34 percent (South Dakota Game, Fish, and Parks 2008b). Even during the fall of 2001, just one month after September 11, the number of out-of-state hunters who traveled to South Dakota increased from the previous year (Woster 2001a). Many changed their travel plans from flying to driving, but still made their October pilgrimage.
In 2002, for the first time since 1919, non-resident hunters outnumbered residents, and this gap continues to widen each year. In 2007, 103,231 non-South Dakotans (13 percent of the total state population) came to the state to hunt pheasants. Pheasant hunting is to South Dakota what golfing is to Scotland, with companies offering all-inclusive hunting trips to workers and clients (Shouse 2003). Business deals are struck in a field of switchgrass by men dressed in blaze orange as frequently as they are on a tee box (Merry 2003). South Dakota, along with other surrounding states such as North Dakota, has reaped the economic benefits of its large pheasant population (Bangsund, Hodur, and Leistritz 2004). Each year, the growing number of non-resident hunters contributes nearly $180 million to the state's economy (South Dakota Game, Fish, and Parks 2008a) (1).
The ring-necked pheasant (Phasianus colchicus) was first successfully introduced into the U.S. in the Willamette Valley of Oregon in 1881. It took hold in South Dakota in 1908 when three pairs brought from Oregon were released near Redfield, SD, the self-proclaimed "Pheasant Capital of the World". Today, pheasants can be found from California to Maine and from Texas to southern Canada. In 2007, South Dakota led the way in estimated harvested birds with over 2 million, a suitable proxy for bird abundance. Rounding out the top six states were North Dakota (907,000), Kansas (887,000), Minnesota (655,000), Iowa (632,000), and Nebraska (437,000) (Pheasants Forever 2008).
Thousands of hotels, motels, rented houses, and spare bedrooms are booked solid each year in anticipation of the opening weekend of pheasant hunting in some of the larger cities and towns of eastern South Dakota, especially in areas frequented by both resident and nonresident pheasant hunters. The differing patterns of where resident and non-resident hunters hunt is mostly a reflection of South Dakota's population distribution. Many of South Dakota's 781,000 residents do not stray far from home and hunt along the Interstate 29 corridor. While non-residents also hunt these areas, most frequent the east-central towns of Chamberlain, Pierre, Aberdeen, Redfield, Presho, and others. Pierre and Aberdeen have airports that service larger hubs such Minneapolis and also have adequate hotel space and restaurants to serve the needs of the non-residents. Additionally, these areas are also home to many of the privately run pheasant hunting lodges that are used mostly by the nonresident hunters.
Many of these towns have erected shrines to celebrate this coveted bird. The world's largest pheasant (Figure 4) can be found perched atop the Dakota Inn Hotel in Huron, South Dakota. The world's second largest pheasant (Figure 5) is found in the town of Gregory, which at the beginning of the current pheasant boom in 1992, Fortune Magazine declared "The Ground Zero of Pheasantdom" (Farnham 1992).
References to pheasants abound in South Dakota: giant birds on hotels, billboards along highways, advertisements in outdoor magazines, and even school mascots like the fighting pheasant of Parker High. One image, however, epitomizes the importance of the pheasant to South Dakota more than any other. When residents were asked to vote among five designs for South Dakota's commemorative quarter, the one chosen not only portrayed Mt. Rushmore, an American icon, but also an Asian native - the ring- necked pheasant.
Boom and bust cycles in pheasant populations have been common in South Dakota. During the mid-1900s good weather and abundant habitat brought populations to record highs (Trautman 1982). Early cropland retirement programs of the 1930s and 1950s/60s have also influenced population cycles (Edwards 1994). These programs, coupled with favorable weather, were responsible for record numbers of pheasants in the 1940s years that may never be eclipsed. More recently, the impact of the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), which also coincided with milder weather and habitat-friendly land use practices, has created another boom in pheasant population and hunting in South Dakota (Ryan, Burger, Kurzejeski 1998). Historically, when populations suffered severe declines, it was likely a response to changes in both land use and weather (Labisky 1976; Trautman 1982).
