Pheasant update

[Labman]

Talked to my cousin in Gregory county this morning. He said he's never seen more pheasants. There all over he said, even in his yard on the farm, and he's got 3 dogs running around there. That was great to hear. I was really afraid they lost alot of birds.

We also had a small lake back there, that within the last 2 years, the dike or whatever had broken and all the water drained out, it was all gone. They rebuilt the dike and he said he's never seen the lake more full than it is now. So that was great to hear. The lake is actually on their land also, and I grew up fishing on it for bass mostly.
So, just some encouraging news to share...........

 

[henhenROOSTER!!!]

@Labman - that's what I like to hear, even if it ain't somewhere I can get at em'! :thumbsup:

 

[UGUIDE]

Labman, that is good to hear. I was also encouraged to hear it was the first snowless march for many since 1860. Wildlife needed that and it will be a big help.

A lot of the block of CRP that were filled in but not heavily dirfted will provide good besting as that old duff grass is not matted flat but standing up nicely like it was frozen in time from late fall.

 

[Labman]

Just like last year, there was alot of corn in when we were back there for the pheasant opener. We did really well even with all the corn that was in. The pheasants tended to hang out in the switchgrass type stuff surrounding the corn fields. I've been seeing more and more grouse back there each year also, so we always get 5-6 grouse. My parents live in NE now, she just told me yesterday that she has overheard some farmers that are now taking corn out of the fields. Is that corn still usable after this long? I'm not an expert on farming, although I did grow up helping farm, but not much with crops.

 

[UGUIDE]

My parents live in NE now, she just told me yesterday that she has overheard some farmers that are now taking corn out of the fields. Is that corn still usable after this long?

Yes, it just starts drying down again like in the fall and if they can get in the field they can combine and take to elevator. You certainly can run into quality issues and they will dock you at the elevator accordingly (or worse yet the stuff may not be marketable at all if it is moldy which a lot of it was even last fall in the NE). One article I read about spring harvest was the corn looked more grey than the nice yellow it usually is.

 

[ford]

Glad to hear the birds wintered well down there. Around the area I hunt we are seeing great numbers so the habitat must have done its job.