New Low

[1GB]

0th the # of birds - that's just the macro-realities of people vs. pheasants. When the freeways were built in the eastern states, they unleashed a huge march of people from BIG urban areas into farm country, slicing, dicing, and hacking up large expanses of pheasant country into useless bits. There is a direct relationship between the building of freeways in high population(eastern) states to the massive decline in bird #'s during the mid-sixties.

Umm, the relationship between the pheasant population and freeways is simply that it was ths 60s. Didn't the soil bank program not last longer than the 60s or so? Also, I feel it necessary to comment, though I hate the "slicing and dicing" just as much as many others on this forum, that the areas of the cities in Detroit have more pheasants than many other areas of southern MI. Why? Letting the land grow wild with weeds is key IMO. Not cutting down or cropping every acre of land is what is necessary. I'm sure that the poor eating cats and raccoons probably helps too.

 

[GSP]

True, but there are no people left in the D.

 

[RK Special K]

Soil bank ended in 1963 and was a bigger part of the problem in western states but hurt the east significantly too. I will add that, unlike western states, states like Michigan are quick and aggressive to re-forest the "sliced and diced" land which also rubs pheasants the wrong way. What grass was left, turned into woods. If Michigan was left to its own devises, it would turn into a better and better ruffed grouse state.

 

[blackcloud27]

I hate to see Iowa DNR putting money into stocking birds... As has already been mentioned, the money should be put towards habitat. It's best done right the first time, rather than playing with releasing pen-raised birds.

Predators can only be considered the culprit if there isn't sufficient habitat. Sure, they still kill their fair share, but it's very minor with the correct habitat. Birds need plenty of grassland space and dense thermal cover. Just realize I'm not sticking up for birds of prey or varmints.

hi just want to clarify a point. the iowa DNR is not stocking birds or paying for birds. they are allowing private land owners to stock or release birds on thier own property only. birds must come from a hatchery that is approved by the DNR to insure they are healthy. i'm from iowa and use to be on the state NWTF board. land values have soared for all types of land. hard for groups to buy much habitat when land values doubled and revenue down at fund raisers.

 

[hunter94]

not picking on Iowa, but seems like a weak offer from game and fish, spend your own money to put out birds of your own to hunt? not much different from going to a preserve and essentially this does nothing to address the problem. really, much ado about nothing.