Ranger Danger
Member
The following was included with the small game survey I just finished up. They said only one in ten participate in the survey and thought I'd share.
Effects of Hunting
Statement of the Effects of Hunting on Pheasant Populations
Kansas Upland Game Program
Kansas Dept. Wildlife, Parks, and Tourism
Extreme drought in 2011 and 2012 has impacted most of Kansas pheasant range where populations have traditionally been good to exceptional. Cover is reduced, which results in lower nest success and chick survival. The Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks, and Tourism (KDWPT) is extremely concerned about the impact of drought on wildlife, and specifically pheasants. So why would KDWPT leave pheasant season open during these conditions?
There are specific biological principles that show that harvesting male pheasants has no impact on future populations. This is the reason KDWPT biologists will not be recommending any changes to the pheasant season during this population decline. These principles are as follows:
• Female pheasants are by far the most important factor in terms of population growth and they cannot legally be harvested
• Harvesting males has little potential to impact population change because a single rooster can fertilize up to 10 or more hens in the spring
• The only way pheasant harvest (male only) could impact a pheasant population is to harvest more than 90% of the roosters in the population (resulting in not enough males to fertilize all hens in the spring)
• Research has shown that it is impossible to harvest more than about 75% of the rooster population, the intense hunting pressure needed for such high harvest rates results in “unharvestable” roosters that cannot be approached within gun range
• Even with areas of extremely high rooster harvest, males from less harvested areas simply fill in the gaps the following spring
• In years of population decline, hunter effort (i.e., hunting pressure) across the landscape declines
• If food or cover resources are limiting during the winter (e.g., extreme winter weather events), having fewer roosters in the population would leave more resources for hens. This could result in higher survival an better body-condition for remaining hens heading into the breeding season, which would increase hen reproductive potential and far offset any loss of male carry-over due to hunter harvest
To demonstrate, consider a fall population of 200 pheasants with a 1:1 sex ratio (100 roosters, 100 hens). For this population to be negatively impacted by harvest over 90 roosters would need to be harvested (1 rooster can breed 10 or more hens) so that there would not be enough roosters to cover all the hens the next spring. This level of harvest is unattainable. Even if a high percentage of roosters were eliminated males from adjacent areas that received less harvest would simply fill in the gaps. It is also possible that if winter food and cover resources were limited for this population removing more roosters would leave more resources for the remaining 100 hens to increase breeding potential the next spring.
As biologists and concerned sportsmen we can do nothing about the weather. We can provide the best habitat possible, which is usually the limiting factor (besides weather) for pheasant reproduction. The fact is that pheasant populations will continually cycle according to weather patterns and available habitat. We just happen to currently be in the downward part of this cycle. If good habitat remains, populations will come back when weather patterns are favorable. In Kansas, pheasant populations have historically gone from all-time lows to all-time highs in as little as 3 years, thus demonstrating the amazing ability pheasants have to rebound given good weather and habitat conditions
.
We thank you for your interest and concern for Kansas’ wildlife resources. We share this same passion!
Effects of Hunting
Statement of the Effects of Hunting on Pheasant Populations
Kansas Upland Game Program
Kansas Dept. Wildlife, Parks, and Tourism
Extreme drought in 2011 and 2012 has impacted most of Kansas pheasant range where populations have traditionally been good to exceptional. Cover is reduced, which results in lower nest success and chick survival. The Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks, and Tourism (KDWPT) is extremely concerned about the impact of drought on wildlife, and specifically pheasants. So why would KDWPT leave pheasant season open during these conditions?
There are specific biological principles that show that harvesting male pheasants has no impact on future populations. This is the reason KDWPT biologists will not be recommending any changes to the pheasant season during this population decline. These principles are as follows:
• Female pheasants are by far the most important factor in terms of population growth and they cannot legally be harvested
• Harvesting males has little potential to impact population change because a single rooster can fertilize up to 10 or more hens in the spring
• The only way pheasant harvest (male only) could impact a pheasant population is to harvest more than 90% of the roosters in the population (resulting in not enough males to fertilize all hens in the spring)
• Research has shown that it is impossible to harvest more than about 75% of the rooster population, the intense hunting pressure needed for such high harvest rates results in “unharvestable” roosters that cannot be approached within gun range
• Even with areas of extremely high rooster harvest, males from less harvested areas simply fill in the gaps the following spring
• In years of population decline, hunter effort (i.e., hunting pressure) across the landscape declines
• If food or cover resources are limiting during the winter (e.g., extreme winter weather events), having fewer roosters in the population would leave more resources for hens. This could result in higher survival an better body-condition for remaining hens heading into the breeding season, which would increase hen reproductive potential and far offset any loss of male carry-over due to hunter harvest
To demonstrate, consider a fall population of 200 pheasants with a 1:1 sex ratio (100 roosters, 100 hens). For this population to be negatively impacted by harvest over 90 roosters would need to be harvested (1 rooster can breed 10 or more hens) so that there would not be enough roosters to cover all the hens the next spring. This level of harvest is unattainable. Even if a high percentage of roosters were eliminated males from adjacent areas that received less harvest would simply fill in the gaps. It is also possible that if winter food and cover resources were limited for this population removing more roosters would leave more resources for the remaining 100 hens to increase breeding potential the next spring.
As biologists and concerned sportsmen we can do nothing about the weather. We can provide the best habitat possible, which is usually the limiting factor (besides weather) for pheasant reproduction. The fact is that pheasant populations will continually cycle according to weather patterns and available habitat. We just happen to currently be in the downward part of this cycle. If good habitat remains, populations will come back when weather patterns are favorable. In Kansas, pheasant populations have historically gone from all-time lows to all-time highs in as little as 3 years, thus demonstrating the amazing ability pheasants have to rebound given good weather and habitat conditions
.
We thank you for your interest and concern for Kansas’ wildlife resources. We share this same passion!
