Tufff Conditions

[brittboy]

I picked a county in NE Colorado to check out this year. Started in the south and worked my way north. Spent two days so far and about 8 hours actually driving the county roads in one of the "best" counties out there. The best cover I've found is what I considered marginal in the past. In two days of looking, I've seen one bird flying into a farmers windbreak; that's it.
Even the windbreaks don't have the weed growth and underbrush to provide good winter cover. They could get better if the tumble weeds blow in but all the tumble weeds I've seen are not the round weeds I've seen in the past. They are really scawny.
I will be out there again tomarrow to check out the other part of the county I haven't been thru yet, but it doesn't look good so far. My biggest concern is the cover. When a blizzard blows thru, I wonder where the bird will go. From what I've seen so far, there is the potential for a major crash this winter.

 

[jflewis88]

Same story...

I also did a little scouting last week and found similar results. Lots and lots of CRP that's been hayed, very little cover left for the birds. Even in the tree belts, the grass isn't nearly as thick as in the last couple years.

I'm more bummed for the farmers that were forced by mother nature to make the difficult choice to hay the CRP. They don't like doing it and I don't like that they had to.

The birds will recover in the next couple years, no doubt. The American farmer has a much less predictable future.

I would like to see a lot more cover for the birds and a lot more roosters to shoot - but even more, I'd like to see more water for the farmers that so desperately need it.

Fingers crossed for a good wet winter and spring, leading to a solid crop next year and better conditions for everyone in 2013...

 

[double trigger]

I picked a county in NE Colorado to check out this year. Started in the south and worked my way north. Spent two days so far and about 8 hours actually driving the county roads in one of the "best" counties out there. The best cover I've found is what I considered marginal in the past. In two days of looking, I've seen one bird flying into a farmers windbreak; that's it.
Even the windbreaks don't have the weed growth and underbrush to provide good winter cover. They could get better if the tumble weeds blow in but all the tumble weeds I've seen are not the round weeds I've seen in the past. They are really scawny.
I will be out there again tomarrow to check out the other part of the county I haven't been thru yet, but it doesn't look good so far. My biggest concern is the cover. When a blizzard blows thru, I wonder where the bird will go. From what I've seen so far, there is the potential for a major crash this winter.

Thanks for the scouting report, I have not been out to do any yet. In two days of scouting in one of the best pheasant counties and only seeing one bird, that is dismal. Are they still in un-cut corn (of whatever corn crop is left)?

When I read these types of reports I have to wonder if it is wise to even have a season this year, or have an abbreviated season. I know you can't 'stockpile' pheasants but if there are that few out there they should be left for seed for next year's population - and hope for better conditions. I know it would suck to have no season (and realistically the DOW isn't going to do this anyway) but I'm more concerned about the longer-term population and would sacrifice a season if that is what it took.

Anyway, if the pheasant numbers turn out to be as bad as your scouting trip shows most people might try it once on opening week-end and then not go again - except for the die-hards of course

Good luck

 

[small munsterlander owner]

think it mite just be you guys are not seeing birds due to lack of cover like the birds are someplace other then write off the roads & out of EZ viewing???

i was under the impression that NE CO had a grerat year of pheasant hunting & great age class of birds last season??? also you guys had a mild winter but a dry spring so maybe some chicks didnt make it but how did all the pheasants die off from last season??? the cut n of CRP would & could impact the brood production but would hurt last yrs solid age class of birds???

maybe some are spoiled from your last few bumper seasons of pheasant hunting??? same story from CO to SD CRP been cut & not seeing any birds???

the die hards are still killing birds thow???

 

[retrvrman]

It is all relative. It will come down to whether you have access to private land or not and how the weather fairs during the season. All the WIAs I would imagine will be pounded pretty hard. We shall see...

I know this much, guys will be posting their last years pics on the forum just for giggles and grins and call them this year kills

Good times,

Greg

 

[jflewis88]

think it mite just be you guys are not seeing birds due to lack of cover like the birds are someplace other then write off the roads & out of EZ viewing???

i was under the impression that NE CO had a grerat year of pheasant hunting & great age class of birds last season??? also you guys had a mild winter but a dry spring so maybe some chicks didnt make it but how did all the pheasants die off from last season??? the cut n of CRP would & could impact the brood production but would hurt last yrs solid age class of birds???

maybe some are spoiled from your last few bumper seasons of pheasant hunting??? same story from CO to SD CRP been cut & not seeing any birds???

the die hards are still killing birds thow???

,

All valid points, SMO, but while out scouting I did check with a number of landowners to get their take on this year's bird population. General consensus was that we have 50-60 percent fewer birds this year. Several farmers told me that the first brood died off in large numbers due to drought. Some of them did report seeing second broods later in the summer, which is good.

Very few pheasants ever see a third year, so the natural die-off of adult birds from the last two seasons would also be impactful to this year's numbers. I assume that the drought took its toll on adult birds in much the same way it did this year's chicks. The cover is much, much thinner so all the birds would have had less cover from predators.

Long and short, it's not going to be a banner year. Not trying to be a doomsayer, just relating the info I picked up from folks that are in the thick of it.

 

[brittboy]

I was once a Die Hard

Go get em Bro !! Just don't get frustrated at the lack of shooting and take a "hope it's a Rooster" shot and drop a hen. We need all the hens next year. And try not to walk thru cover. The more we trapple down, the less is left for the birds.
Me and my 2 1/2 yr old Britt will be out there this year. He came on like gang busters last year. Got to get him out and maybe we get a rooster or two.
Good Luck !!

 

[dead pheasants forever]

Thanks for the scouting report, I have not been out to do any yet. In two days of scouting in one of the best pheasant counties and only seeing one bird, that is dismal. Are they still in un-cut corn (of whatever corn crop is left)?

When I read these types of reports I have to wonder if it is wise to even have a season this year, or have an abbreviated season. I know you can't 'stockpile' pheasants but if there are that few out there they should be left for seed for next year's population - and hope for better conditions. I know it would suck to have no season (and realistically the DOW isn't going to do this anyway) but I'm more concerned about the longer-term population and would sacrifice a season if that is what it took.

Anyway, if the pheasant numbers turn out to be as bad as your scouting trip shows most people might try it once on opening week-end and then not go again - except for the die-hards of course

Good luck

Over on the KS forum they were saying it's best to shoot as many roosters as possible in a bad year with bad cover. With less food and carrying cover to support the population, each extra rooster might mean one less hen makes it. You only need one (very happy) rooster in the area to breed all the hens.

On the bright side, maybe all this bad news will keep the fair weather hunters home. It seems like everything's been way overhunted the past couple years, with the birds getting too much pressure and education. So maybe we'll have fewer birds that are easier to kill?