Pheasants and CRP and Timber

[cyclonenation10]

Curious to get everyone else's thoughts on whether or not timber ground next to CRP seems to have a negative correlation with bird numbers. In my experience, timber around CRP means there are generally just less birds around than an otherwise identical piece of CRP without timber around. I've noticed this in areas very close by (within a few miles of eachother) as well as areas much further apart. For example, NE Iowa is predominantly hills, river bottoms, and timber with ag land surrounding. There is ALOT of CRP in certain areas, but just not all that much for birds. Head west in the state, and that same amount of CRP seems like it can hold exponentially more birds. I can't help but think it has to do with predators.. am I missing anything?? Is this consistent with what others have seen?

In recent years, I've definitely been a huge proponent of the thought "where there is habitat there are birds". THis pretty well holds true for most areas, if there are high quality grasslands around, there will be pheasants. My main question is, how come some it seems that these high quality grasslands around timber just do not sustain the bird numbers that I generally see on a otherwise identical piece of ground without timber around? Is there really that big of a difference in predation?

 

[A5 Sweet 16]

I have not noticed this correlation. Whether around timberland or not, what I've noticed is that if there's nesting cover, loafing cover, winter cover, & food, there will be pheasants. If winters are harsh, they NEED some trees, whether it be thickety stuff, cedars, a big old shelterbelt. They get out of the elements in those trees during the day, feed if food's nearby, & feel safe from most predators, especially raptors. But if those trees aren't somewhat near the other covers they're using, they don't do as much good.

 

[McFarmer]

Our CRP next to deciduous trees has fewer birds than I think it should. Evergreens and shrub trees seem to be a plus. Raccoons and such like the trees.

 

[remy3424]

Those timbers have pros & cons. The deciduous tree are perches for raptors to hunt from. Given a choice, I would avoid planting deciduous tress when creating pheasant habitat. I did plant a row of white oaks in the middle of a shelter belt. They will grow slooooow, and it will take half a century before they are taller than the cedars and other conifers and very useful to the raptors. I will cut down rouge deciduous trees, even the willows in waterways get hinge cut to keep them close to the ground. But as A5 states, those neighboring timbers will be used in those winter blows and pheasants will roost in them at other times also We are lacking many sizible timbers in my immediate area.

 

[ehudgens]

I have always done better with CRP in wide open areas. In my opinion, timber attracts more predators of all kinds, coyotes, raptors, raccoons, and skunks.

 

[gimruis]

Virtually all of the habitat I hunt in Central MN has some form of timber present. I hunt a lot of tree lines all season and stands of pine in the winter and they both hold birds.

The area I hunt is the very northern range of pheasants and the very southern range of the heavy timber line from northern Minnesota, with a blend of agriculture present too. There is very little grassland to be honest, other than small patches here and there. The advantage of having trees is that rarely do farmers tear them out like they might with other habitat.

Some people have this notion that the only habitat that can support a reproducing population of pheasants is one that has sprawling, open fields of grassland. That notion is false and I have proven it every hunting season for the past 23 years.

On a side note, wild turkeys need big trees because that is where they roost. I'm all for having a population of wild turkeys around too.