BritChaser
Well-known member
It's out for 2025. Does anyone put any store in this "data."
Phez Crow Count Survey
- Thread starter BritChaser
- Start date
BrownDogsCan2
Well-known member
I think the 30 year graph is pretty accurate. But I wouldnt stay away from or make a special trip based only off of count.
Powderhorn Jim
Active member
It indicates a trend. Part of the total package of information you need to plan a hunt.
Carguy2Banker
Well-known member
Looking at the data, it appears that it contains some accuracy based on what I am seeing (and hearing in the mornings) in the counties surrounding me. However, the route in my specific county, was in an area that I feel had our lowest bird population as there it's not as much irrigation and/or the better habitat, therefore lower total crow counts overall. I'm sure it's all relative, so if that area improved, so did the "pocket" areas that have held most of the birds for many years. I'm expecting this year to be better than last, and last year was REALLY good!
Chessie 67
Well-known member
Isn’t the Crow Count more reflective of last season’s population? If the survey was conducted in July, probably not a lot of this year’s birds are crowing?
Yes it is. "The survey period was from April 25 through May 15, 2025." Also, "The Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP) collects breeding population data for pheasant(Phasianus colchicus) by conducting crow counts throughout the pheasant range in the state."
The crow counts and also the Bobwhite whistle counts are solely about measuring breeding stock going into breeding season. In other words it last year's population that made through the hunting season, the winter, and natural predation.
At some point before the season they'll release the "brood survey" and the "forecast". The brood survey is the scientific document that's based on post-breeding roadside observations: "Dates for the 2024 summer brood survey were from July 20 – August 31 (6 weeks)." So they probably just wrapped up the brood survey. It will be a while before they release it. I expect there to be some mention of heavy cover making it hard to see the broods.
The "forecast" is the marketing spin. I never pay much attention to that.
Carguy2Banker
Well-known member
My definition and use of the term:
When I come acrossed good hunting "pockets" I'm referring to an area that the birds are in close proximity to each other based on the huntable size of a field that is bordering a small grain food source, a nesting or roosting habitat and a source of water (growing wheat field), and gravel on a County road for digestion purposes.
These spots can be the same year after year and predictable if it's CRP with a consistent crop rotation on the boarding three sides of it. Less predictable is when a crop rotation creates a new area, or a change in farming practice. The biggest change has been in the leftover wheat stubble that is holding roosts and has all of the same surroundings mentioned above. Additionally, these areas were not affected by a localized hail storm or a farming practice during the nesting. Similar to a surrogator, the birds that hatched in these areas will attract other birds from a large radius thus creating a "pocket".
The biggest challenge is obtaining permission to hunt these when they change year-to-year.
The days of planning a hunt at the same places every year, multiple times per season, and expecting to have success, are memories. There are not that many birds or ideal accessible habitat compared to 5, 10, 30+ years ago.
When I come acrossed good hunting "pockets" I'm referring to an area that the birds are in close proximity to each other based on the huntable size of a field that is bordering a small grain food source, a nesting or roosting habitat and a source of water (growing wheat field), and gravel on a County road for digestion purposes.
These spots can be the same year after year and predictable if it's CRP with a consistent crop rotation on the boarding three sides of it. Less predictable is when a crop rotation creates a new area, or a change in farming practice. The biggest change has been in the leftover wheat stubble that is holding roosts and has all of the same surroundings mentioned above. Additionally, these areas were not affected by a localized hail storm or a farming practice during the nesting. Similar to a surrogator, the birds that hatched in these areas will attract other birds from a large radius thus creating a "pocket".
The biggest challenge is obtaining permission to hunt these when they change year-to-year.
The days of planning a hunt at the same places every year, multiple times per season, and expecting to have success, are memories. There are not that many birds or ideal accessible habitat compared to 5, 10, 30+ years ago.