Where do pheasants go to survive the cold?

goldenboy

goldenboy

Well-known member
Okay, tomorrow morning it is going to be -24 degrees at my house. Where do the pheasants go when it is that cold? What is the best habitat for them to survive when the cold hangs on so long here in Minnesota? The snow is deep, the drifts are hard, food is scarce or buried. Anybody know the best shelter belts or ways to keep birds alive in these deep freezes?
 
Where they have the best cover where they do not have to travel very far to get great food and easy food. Cattle operations usually have shelter belts and feed corn, that is why they are there. Hope they do well!!
 
I've always found them in "thick" cattail marshes this time of year.
 
Thermal is key. Even snow can serve as an insulator between a roosting pheasant and the cold temps. Thick grass and cattails are all good. Willow whips are good for birds to walk around to forage for scarce food sources.

If someone want's to feed birds, willow whips are a good place to lay out some grain (if it's legal in your state). Hunting season is over so baiting isn't a concern. The point is to keep birds from exposing themselves to the elements and predators.

If this winter keeps up the way it's been going, things may not come out so good this spring. Those of you planted food plots should give yourselves a pat on the back. It could make a big difference come spring time.;)
 
The combination, deep snow and prolonged cold is a killer. Not only the pheasants, turkeys and deer.
I saw a large old Tom that flew off the cattle yard and clearly had a frozen leg.
The wild turkeys are really taking a beating up here.

Cold days aren't so bad as long the intervals between cold and warm up are short.
This Winter sucks!

Out of the wind with plenty of close by food.

Predators have it rough too. To cold for hawks, Horned owls and eagles are active.
Foxes, Coyotes and wolves that have parasite problems are goners. :)
 
Back in the "good old days" the pheasants, quail, huns, all used abandoned homesteads from the thirties, dust bowl days, to make a home. Now days, those have been eliminated, some were dangerous, an eyesore, and were probably taxed by the county! So you pay to have the eyesore! And we loose a 60x100 foot of critical habitat, along with the hedgerow along the west and north. Also the derelict machinery we used to use for a backdrop for pictures of the hunt. It's not co-incidence that wildlife artist focus on abandoned homesteads as a back drop, behind pheasants and quail flushing in the foreground. Finding huns in a grass around a homestead, or a piece of equipment is Hun hunting 101.
 
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where to go

pheasant do bury themselves in the snow just like grouse do. seen it many a time. one difference though is that grouse will feed in the trees and it is rare to see pheasants in trees and when there, they likely are not feeding... tough times but mostly i think it is not the cold that gets them

cheers
 
hay bales

I see it every year, the pheasants love the rows of round hay bales in fields or hay stacks along feed lots, they just squeeze in between the bales and huddle up. If there is cover the birds will be ok. Tough birds, just need habitat. viking
 
We plant shelters of evergreen trees mixed in with willows and similar trees. No matter how high the drifts get, they still have shelter. Leaving some corn next to the trees is also good.
 
Winters like this for you all up north is why some on this forum plant habitat and food plots. Some people I know have winter feeding programs that they do after the season. They try and take care of their passion and maybe their business. Bringing the birds into the breeding season in the best health possible pays dividends , even if it just to enjoy seeing and hearing the wildlife and not hunting. Kudos to everyone who lends a helping hand wherever you can .
 
I do food plots and barrel feeders but I think this winter in MN is going to have a high mortality rate for the pheasants. Next fall could be bad especially if we don't have a perfect spring for the hatch.
 
Sd, 3quarter, Bleu and Bts. You guys are right on. :thumbsup:

And some will tell you that Coyotes are beneficial to pheasants.
THIER WRONG!!
Yotes are devistating on Wintering pheasants.
Take EM out if you can. :cheers:
 
Looking at the main pheasant belt of SD and ND on the snow cover map it appears there is very little snow. I would say where there is lots of snow evergreen cover is the best with some type of food source in close proximity. My dad has been feeding a flock of 17 behind his house, I think without his help these birds would be goners.
 
Yeah Western ND had some snow early but a period of thawing weather a couple weeks ago melted down most of it. Is been below normal cold in W Dakotas and E MT but Pheasants don't have to spend a lot of time feeding when there's little or no snow. Makes it a lot easier to handle the cold when feeding is easy and available.
MN pheasants will survive where there's good cover and food.
Cattle yards and stack yards, grain bins are great places for pheasants to flock up during these cold and snowy times.
 
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