Pheasant Opener
- Thread starter beaker
- Start date
kansasbrittany
Banned
Only 4 days!?! And here I thought 10 weeks was too short
Talk about a short season where a guy needs to get all the days afield he can! Oh well, I bet it makes scheduling time off from work a little less daunting b/c ya know damn-well which days to take.....ALL OF 'EM!
1pheas4
Moderator
Does New Mexico have wild pheasants in other areas besides Bosque del Apache?
If you get any can you post some pics?
Nick
New Mexico have wild pheasants along the counties (Curry and Roosevelt just to name a few) that border the western edge of the Texas Panhandle, all center pivot irrigation on both sides. On the Texas side the border counties southwest of Amarillo (Deaf Smith, Parmer and Bailey) in normal weather years have good wild pheasant populations.
In a dry year like 2013, I believe a short season is good, with less stress on hens during the chase of the few wild roosters.
All the the roosters in that area look like the average ringneck pheasant but they also have a little of the White-Winged pheasant genes in them because the White-Winged pheasants were also released the those area in the early 1960's, but after 50 years the ringneck look (phenotype) took over, but the white wing gene gave that area a tough wild and wary pheasant.
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1pheas4
Moderator
Preston, someone was telling me the Bianchi pheasant population in Bosque Del Apache all started with only 6 imported pheasants. Do you know if this is true or not?
Around twenty years ago I had small booklet from the New Mexico DNR that gave the accurate and complete story of the White-Winged pheasants (P. C. bianchi) aka Afghan Whitewing pheasant is what they called them years ago.
I am sure if you called the New Mexico DNR they could find a copy of that booklet.
I recall the they started off with a small number of pure imported Bianchi (White-Winged Pheasant) maybe 8 or 9. But they were not easy to raise like traditional game birds. They would frequently flush and injure themselves in the pens.
That wild and alert behavior paid off in the real wild world full of meat eating predators that they have along the Rio Grande river where many of the Bianchi pheasants were released. From that small group they carefully built up large brood stock. From the that brood stock I think they released close to 10,000 White- Winged pheasants in New Mexico. Don't quote me on that but that is what I recall reading.
beaker
New member
Well the season is over and finding birds this year a little tough to say the least; we did not come home with any pheasants but the dogs handled admirably and we did move a few coveys of quail.
I have a picture of a white wing pheasant that I harvested last year; I'll see if I can dig it up and post. that bird was taken in the southeastern NM near the Pecos River
about Bosque del Apache, there are pheasants on the NWR, they "look" to be a white wing variant, we see them on occasion when visiting the refuge.
I have a picture of a white wing pheasant that I harvested last year; I'll see if I can dig it up and post. that bird was taken in the southeastern NM near the Pecos River
about Bosque del Apache, there are pheasants on the NWR, they "look" to be a white wing variant, we see them on occasion when visiting the refuge.
Beaker, I am glad that you brought up the Pecos River, I forgot about the White-Winged (Bianchi) pheasants along that river valley.
Truly wild pheasants don't always obey man made precepts on where they should or should not live. The wild white winged pheasant (some crossed with ringnecks) have also expanded their range southward along the Pacos River into the Texas side of the river.
The fact the the Bianchi White-Winged pheasants have held their ground and expanded in that tough country along Pacos River for 50 years (with no help) is a testament to the perseverance and tenacity of the original wild-trapper pure White Winged (Bianchi) pheasants released in the early 1960's.
The Pacos River drains into the lower Rio Grande River on the Texas and Mexico border.
Truly wild pheasants don't always obey man made precepts on where they should or should not live. The wild white winged pheasant (some crossed with ringnecks) have also expanded their range southward along the Pacos River into the Texas side of the river.
The fact the the Bianchi White-Winged pheasants have held their ground and expanded in that tough country along Pacos River for 50 years (with no help) is a testament to the perseverance and tenacity of the original wild-trapper pure White Winged (Bianchi) pheasants released in the early 1960's.
The Pacos River drains into the lower Rio Grande River on the Texas and Mexico border.
1pheas4
Moderator
Breaker that is really neat!!! Thank you for posting your photos. If you ever get another wild Bianchi in New Mexico and want to get him mounted give me a call. I'll pick up on the shipping costs. I would love the opportunity to mount one of those bad boys before they all cross breed with other ringnecks:cheers:.
Nick
. If you ever get another wild Bianchi in New Mexico and want to get him mounted give me a call. I'll pick up on the shipping costs. I would love the opportunity to mount one of those bad boys before they all cross breed with other ringnecks:cheers:. Nick
1pheas4
Moderator
Beaker, I hope you don't mind me bringing your thread back to life, but I was wondering if you hand any luck (pheasants) this past season in NM? If so, do you have any photos of your birds?
Nick
Nick, you might find these photos of wild New Mexico pheasants interesting. These photos were taken within the last two and a half years.
We know that every third ringneck pheasant rooster along the middle to upper Rio Grande river valley is "ringless" because of the strong influence of the White-Winged pheasant or Bianchi pheasant gene. This is especially true near Bosque Del Apache area.
Most people that see these wild pheasant along the Rio Grande simple think that they are regular ringneck pheasants. But in the roosters with full rings you can still see the strong Bianchi genes. look at the links below:
http://www.corbisimages.com/stock-p...0/a-greenheaded-pheasant-in-bosque-del-apache
http://stevecreek.com/ring-necked-pheasant-at-bosque-del-apache/
http://steveandjudystravelblog.blogspot.com/2011/08/ring-necked-pheasants.html
Those wild Rio Grande pheasants have expanded their range over the years into the suburbs of Albuquerque, NM. Those wild pheasants look like regular ringneck but they have that wary/alert genes of the Bianchi pheasant and roost in trees to avoid predators. Look at the links below:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/lvfeltz/8654977889/
http://www.123rf.com/photo_4418892_ringneck-pheasant-cock-at-rio-grande-nature-center.html
We know that every third ringneck pheasant rooster along the middle to upper Rio Grande river valley is "ringless" because of the strong influence of the White-Winged pheasant or Bianchi pheasant gene. This is especially true near Bosque Del Apache area.
Most people that see these wild pheasant along the Rio Grande simple think that they are regular ringneck pheasants. But in the roosters with full rings you can still see the strong Bianchi genes. look at the links below:
http://www.corbisimages.com/stock-p...0/a-greenheaded-pheasant-in-bosque-del-apache
http://stevecreek.com/ring-necked-pheasant-at-bosque-del-apache/
http://steveandjudystravelblog.blogspot.com/2011/08/ring-necked-pheasants.html
Those wild Rio Grande pheasants have expanded their range over the years into the suburbs of Albuquerque, NM. Those wild pheasants look like regular ringneck but they have that wary/alert genes of the Bianchi pheasant and roost in trees to avoid predators. Look at the links below:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/lvfeltz/8654977889/
http://www.123rf.com/photo_4418892_ringneck-pheasant-cock-at-rio-grande-nature-center.html
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1pheas4
Moderator
Preston, as always thank you for sharing your knowledge on the subject (and links). They have a good looking bird out there! Though I have to say, and you may agree, there's some sadness watching the Bianchi bloodline's fade away over the years.
Of all the U.S. states--as far as I know--NM was the only state which had a wild population of pure, true pheasants. On a positive note, they have pockets of wild pheasants!
Nick
Of all the U.S. states--as far as I know--NM was the only state which had a wild population of pure, true pheasants. On a positive note, they have pockets of wild pheasants!
Nick
Paul Harvey, was one of my favorite radio guys, he had his "Rest of the story" segments.
This is the rest of the story on the Bianchi pheasants. Under the guidance of the
"Foreign Game Bird Introduction Program" in the late 1950's and 1960's wild and more adaptable strains of the true pheasants (ringneck type) were brought in to expand the wild ringneck population. These true pheasant included Japanese, Korean, Persian and Bianchi (Afghan Whitewing pheasant). Those new and wild strains were never intended to stay pure. But only to add agility, wary/alertness and adaptability to the ringneck gene pool.
In New Mexico, pen raised ringneck pheasant were first released in 1916 and the Bianchi pheasants were added to the low sparsely ringneck population in the early 60's. The Bianchi pheasants were like a super charge to the wild pheasant population because the Bianchi pheasants instinctively knew how to avoid predators.
Years ago they had this old theory that the ringneck pheasants would not hatch in warm or humid areas or areas poor in calcium. I don't know how they came up with that theory because at the time in the 50's they had wild ringneck pheasants in the California and Mexicali, Mexico.
Thirty-seven years I spoke with the top game biologist in Texas, he explained in me that under the program they brought in three pheasant strains in to expand the wild pheasant range the white winged (bianchi pheasant) the pure Persian (Iranian) pheasant (the pure Persian is just as wary/alert as the pure bianchi) and the Korean ringneck pheasant.
They never intended for these pheasants to stay pure they only wanted to add alertness and expand the wild pheasant range.
Fifty to sixty years ago if you lived south of I-40 (old Route 66) in the Texas panhandle and you wanted to see and hunt wild pheasant you would have drive 700 miles to South Dakota to find them.
Illinois in the 1960 also received pure Japanese pheasants for Wabash county. See article:
http://ilacadofsci.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/061-54-print.pdf
If those wilder strains of pheasants can make living and reproduce along the Rio grande river, the Canadian river and the Pecos river they can make a living in other areas void of wild pheasants like farming country of Kentucky and Tennessee.
This is the rest of the story on the Bianchi pheasants. Under the guidance of the
"Foreign Game Bird Introduction Program" in the late 1950's and 1960's wild and more adaptable strains of the true pheasants (ringneck type) were brought in to expand the wild ringneck population. These true pheasant included Japanese, Korean, Persian and Bianchi (Afghan Whitewing pheasant). Those new and wild strains were never intended to stay pure. But only to add agility, wary/alertness and adaptability to the ringneck gene pool.
In New Mexico, pen raised ringneck pheasant were first released in 1916 and the Bianchi pheasants were added to the low sparsely ringneck population in the early 60's. The Bianchi pheasants were like a super charge to the wild pheasant population because the Bianchi pheasants instinctively knew how to avoid predators.
Years ago they had this old theory that the ringneck pheasants would not hatch in warm or humid areas or areas poor in calcium. I don't know how they came up with that theory because at the time in the 50's they had wild ringneck pheasants in the California and Mexicali, Mexico.
Thirty-seven years I spoke with the top game biologist in Texas, he explained in me that under the program they brought in three pheasant strains in to expand the wild pheasant range the white winged (bianchi pheasant) the pure Persian (Iranian) pheasant (the pure Persian is just as wary/alert as the pure bianchi) and the Korean ringneck pheasant.
They never intended for these pheasants to stay pure they only wanted to add alertness and expand the wild pheasant range.
Fifty to sixty years ago if you lived south of I-40 (old Route 66) in the Texas panhandle and you wanted to see and hunt wild pheasant you would have drive 700 miles to South Dakota to find them.
Illinois in the 1960 also received pure Japanese pheasants for Wabash county. See article:
http://ilacadofsci.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/061-54-print.pdf
If those wilder strains of pheasants can make living and reproduce along the Rio grande river, the Canadian river and the Pecos river they can make a living in other areas void of wild pheasants like farming country of Kentucky and Tennessee.
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