Pheasant Killer storm coming

From the sounds of it, you folks in South Dakota and Minnesota are in for a bad storm. Not only would I like to see the birds make it through, I hope everyone out there stays safe in their travels for the holidays. Here in Michigan we get storms, we just don't get many blizzards like the one that's heading your way. Take care.

Scott
 
To all my Friends and Relatives in my old stomping grounds, I hope and pray you all come through the Blizzard safe and sound...........Bob
 
On many occasions during ice storms, I've come across dead pheasants half buried, head first, that appear to have nose dived into the snow and ice. Explanation?
 
From what I've heard and saw a few times. they sit facing into the wind to keep the wind from getting under their feathers and hence when we get the freezing rain it freezes onto and plugs their airways and they simply tip forward dead. I saw a group of roosters 8 to be specific on the edge of an abandoned grove that I had permission to hunt and I attempted to sneak up on them the morning after an ice storrm (pre-dog days) when I got to them all 8 were dead with frozen heads, Sad day that was! Just my 2 cents.
 
Flush 'Em Hard Rocky said:
12 inches already with another 12 inches to come. The birds are going to struggle.
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It's going to be bad. I'm sure a million pheasants in SD alone will perish in the next three days, maybe more.

The hunting Preserves will be especially hit hard because the pen raised birds will be virtually wiped out, even those still in the pens will be at great risk.

This storm is a reminder why we must plant certain types of trees to help protect not just the environment but also wildlife.
 
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I hope in another 5 or so years all the Ponderosa pine, BH spruce, and colorados are big enough to offer help. We planted a crap load of those things along with Several hundred lilac and redtwig dogwood. They are getting to be about head high now. But for this storm they offer little help.
 
Interstates are shutting down at 7PM

The DOT is shutting down Interstate 29 across the state and Interstate 90 from Sioux Falls to the River this evening at 7PM. We are not going to have a "mild winter" this year and the pheasants are going to take a big hit in a lot of areas. Fortunately some areas will have sufficient cover to carry most of the birds over and some areas with unharvested corn fields will be a big help. Those areas with marginal winter cover will suffer big losses because the pheasants will be forced into the elements. I have a 5 acre shelterbelt that was planted in 1995 and 1996 that will be saving a lot of birds. I'm sure its a full house tonight.
 
FCSpringer said:
I hope in another 5 or so years all the Ponderosa pine, BH spruce, and colorados are big enough to offer help. We planted a crap load of those things along with Several hundred lilac and redtwig dogwood. They are getting to be about head high now. But for this storm they offer little help.
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I've read that Russian Olive trees were a good one to use for wind breaks for wildlife. Springer, what's your thought on these.
 
Ten inches on the ground already with 45 MPH winds and much more on the way. Blizzard conditions until Saturday afternoon. Weather service is now saying that this storm will be the worst since 1962.

It's going to take a strong pheasant in good habitat to survive this one.
 
On the Russian Olives. My farm in Idaho has hundreds of them. They are good quail cover and the pheasants use them in bad storms. Pheasants can live on the "olives" pretty well in the winter.

On the other hand farmers hate them. They proliferate like mad. They have long tough thorns that will go in an inch or more in a dog or person and I have a several deep in my hands and legs that broke off and formed hard lumps. Worst of all, they will puncture almost any farm vehicle tire, and sometimes automobile tires. Really hell on atv tires. I am not sure I would introduce them in new areas, even though I tolerate them because they are good for the birds.
 
Along the Yellowstone River in Eastern MT there are groves of Russian Olives.
Very good for wildlife, lots of seed, Sharptail and Pheasants thrive on these in the toughest weather.
Often you will see pheasants and sharptail in the trees feeding.
I don't know if there's a better tree for these gamebirds.
 
Another down side to Russian Olives is the fact that they take a lot of water from the ground and may be hard on native vegetation. They do not live long in some locales. The sharptails really like them in winter.
________
FAKE WEED
 
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In Idaho Russian olive need a water source, and so are limited to irrigated areas (they love ditchbanks) and riparian areas. They will take a lot of water. In Idaho they grow into good size trees (I have some that are 24' to 30" in diameter at the base). The large trees are not what the birds need. If you cut them they will produce a lot of sprouts, the roots will survive, and a good thick brush will develop which is what the quail and pheasants need in bad weather. Wild rose is better bird cover, but harder to grow where I live. One other issue is that they do not have a strong root structure and tend to blow over. Do not let them get large next to buildings.
 
In Colorado russian olives are considered a noxious plant and cannot be sold anymore.
 
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keskam said:
In Colorado russian olives are considered a noxious plant and cannot be sold anymore.
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Realy? I wonder why that is. Certainly wont plant them if they are trouble. But water here they could never run out. the soil is so heavy and below that 3' is solid clay oozing with moisture. Even on dry years like this It's hard for our grass to brown too bad. Is that the only reason they don't like them?
 
marsingbob said:
On the Russian Olives. My farm in Idaho has hundreds of them. They are good quail cover and the pheasants use them in bad storms. Pheasants can live on the "olives" pretty well in the winter.

On the other hand farmers hate them. They proliferate like mad. They have long tough thorns that will go in an inch or more in a dog or person and I have a several deep in my hands and legs that broke off and formed hard lumps. Worst of all, they will puncture almost any farm vehicle tire, and sometimes automobile tires. Really hell on atv tires. I am not sure I would introduce them in new areas, even though I tolerate them because they are good for the birds.
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Curious... if they are so hard on us humans, dogs, and equipment.. how is it that the birds tolerate them so well?
 
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