Laying down some corn for a hard winter?

C

crockett

New member
Out here in Nova Scotia the pheasants have been have a terribly hard winter. Every time we get snow it has been followed by rain/freezingrain and then back to quite cold temperatures, so there are multiple layers of very hard crusty snow covering everything. It all fell so wet and heavy that it flattened down all kinds of cover. Anyways, I was out this morning looking around my favourite cover and saw where they are overwintering in under the spruce trees, and wondered if it would be helpful to them to toss some buckets of corn in under those trees until things start to thaw out. Does anyone know of any risks to this from past experience? Might it attract other animals that might be a problem for them? Is there risk of it going moldy if we get we weather and causing problems? Should I just leave them alone to sort themselves out? BTW, these are wild birds. Any feedback is appreciated.
-Croc
 
Put the corn out. It will help them survive tremendously. I do it every year. some times you may get some deer. but if they winter or yard somewhere else they shouldn't be a problem, just don't put it out untill they have moved to those areas earlier in the year for next year I mean. then they don't find the corn useualy, If you are in the heart of deer land or they get to it right away they will just keep coming back and eating all the corn for you so you can put a fence around it to keep em at bay. the pheasants will flutter over it. No other critters useualy but a few mice squirls other birds ect. no big deal.
 
Crockett,
What part of Nova Scotia are you from? I have relatives in a few areas there. New Glasgow, Antigonish, Annapolis valley, and Cape Breton. I went to visit an aunt that lived in Moncton when I was still in high school (a long time ago) and noticed there were pheasants in the area. I was surprised to see them...didn't realize there were birds in that part of Canada.

Hope the birds in your area make it through the winter, it's been a long winter here in Michigan as well. We don't have the bird numbers anymore like we used to but you do see an occasional bird now and then.

Scott
 
Scott5019 said:
Crockett,
What part of Nova Scotia are you from? I have relatives in a few areas there. New Glasgow, Antigonish, Annapolis valley, and Cape Breton. I went to visit an aunt that lived in Moncton when I was still in high school (a long time ago) and noticed there were pheasants in the area. I was surprised to see them...didn't realize there were birds in that part of Canada.

Hope the birds in your area make it through the winter, it's been a long winter here in Michigan as well. We don't have the bird numbers anymore like we used to but you do see an occasional bird now and then.

Scott
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Hi Scott,
I live in Halifax - right in the city, but my heart is in the Annapolis Valley. I can be there in about an hour from my door - I think that my car can go there on autopilot! I LOVE that area. The big Fundy tides are a waterfowl heaven if you know how to work around them safely and have a good dog that can handle the mud and currents (and an understanding wife you will wash the dog every Saturday evening for three months!). There are lots (by Canadian stardards) of wild pheasants up that way as well, but getting access to land is not that easy. Many of the landowners are hunters themselves, or have relatives who are, so it's not that easy for guys from away to get an "in". Your relatives don't have a pile of land full of pesky pheasants do they???? ;) The good thing is that the 'dykelands' are available. These were tidal mud-flats that the Acadians claimed as farmland by building extensive systems of dykes to hold back the tides. Because they are farmed by a cooperative system, it is impossible to know who to get permission from, so the "understanding" is that anyone can hunt them, as long as you don't block the roads with your car and don't hunt near anyone working a field. These get hunted pretty hard - opening morning looks like a pumpkin patch with all the orange coats working the area, but at least it give guys like me somewhere to go. This is my third season of pheasant hunting, so I'm starting to build a bit of a relationship with a couple of farmers, and I am hopeful that this will lead to more spots. I actually just drove a couple hundred kilometers yesterday morning dropping off "thank-you" cards in mailboxes everywhere that I have permission to hunt. I'm hopeful that this gesture will be remembered when I go back in the fall to re-affirm my permission to hunt the land, and I will also be asking if they can "recommend" me to any of their farmer buddies. Anyhow - sorry - I'm WAY off topic here! lol!
When I head up New Glasgow and Antigonish way it's usually for salmon fishing, but I haven't been going in recent years because the runs have not been that good. This past fall the runs were all up, so if they look good again this year maybe I'll get back up there to drag a few flies across deep dark pools... I also love getting up to Cape Breton any time that I can - usually for hiking trips. Great people up there - some of the most hospitable and friendly folk I have ever met. I've been applying for a moose license (draw system - about 1/30 chance) up there for a few years, but no luck yet. I feel bad for upland hunters who live in New Brunswick - you would not have been allowed to hunt those pheasants that you saw in Moncton - they don't have a season in that province. What a heartbreaker THAT would be!
Sorry to hear that your local bird numbers are down. Our numbers were down a bit this past year, and this hard winter has me worried, so I'm trying to do what I can - at least on a local scale. I'm taking the afternoon off today and heading withi 50 lbs of corn to help them out.
-Croc
 
Crockett,
You live in a great area of Canada. We took a family vacation to visit our relatives a few years ago and had a great time. We ate seafood until we couldn't eat anymore. Did some brook trout fishing while we were there and it was fantastic. Drove around the Cabot trail and saw several moose, they sure are impressive up close! Good luck on getting a moose tag.

Our bird numbers have dropped way off, there is some pockets of birds but nothing like it used to be. I've made a few trips out west, Kansas and South Dakota, and it is amazing just how many birds are out there. The past couple years in SD have been incredible. Took my two boys out there last fall and they had a blast. Their first time out there and they can't wait to get back. Kinda spoiled them for hunting around here. We picked up a lab pup while we were out there and am looking forward to getting him out there next season. I will hunt him around here in Michigan but it just doesn't compare to the birds out west.

Let us know how the birds made it through the winter.

Scott
 
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