Numbers are in: Up, Up, Up

Duckslayer100

Founding Member
Founding Member
Joined
Aug 11, 2015
Posts
4,611
Likes
189
Points
293
Location
ND's Flatter Half
I get that when you're at zero, the only way to go is up. but I'm still excited. I think this at least gives hope for this fall and maybe more falls to come.

gnf-logo.png

[h=1]Pheasant, Sharptail and Partridge Numbers Up[/h]

Mon, 09/09/2019


North Dakota’s roadside surveys conducted in late July and August indicate total pheasant, sharp-tailed grouse and gray partridge numbers are up from last year.
State Game and Fish Department upland game biologist RJ Gross said the survey shows total pheasants observed per 100 miles are up 10% from last year. In addition, broods per 100 miles are up 17%, while the average brood size is down 5%. The final summary is based on 275 survey runs made along 101 brood routes across North Dakota.
“This was the first year in a while that we’ve had good residual cover to start the year, and good weather for nesting and brood-rearing,” Gross said. “In the southwest portion of the state, which is our primary pheasant district and most popular hunting area, local populations are slowly improving."
Gross said hunters should not overlook pheasant opportunities in northwest and southeast North Dakota. “Two good years of chick production should translate to more birds for hunters to pursue,” he said.
Statistics from the northwest indicate pheasants are up 49% from last year, with broods up 75%. Observers recorded five broods and 39 pheasants per 100 miles. Average brood size was six.
Results from the southeast show birds are up 32% from last year, and the number of broods up 27%. Observers counted six broods and 51 birds per 100 miles. The average brood size was six.
Statistics from southwestern North Dakota indicate total pheasants were down 7% and broods observed up 2% from 2018. For every 100 survey miles, observers counted an average of six broods and 41 pheasants. The average brood size was five chicks.
The northeast district, generally containing secondary pheasant habitat with lower pheasant numbers compared to the rest of the state, showed two broods and 15 pheasants per 100 miles. Average brood size was four.
Sharptails observed per 100 miles are up 113% statewide from 2018, and partridge are up 58%.
Upland game management supervisor Jesse Kolar said sharptail numbers are still roughly 50% below 2012-15. “However, we observed slight increases in all metrics this year during our surveys, especially in counties east of the Missouri River where we observed the highest numbers of grouse per 100 miles since 2013,” he said.
Brood survey results show statewide increases in number of grouse and broods observed per 100 miles, and in average brood size. Observers recorded 1.7 sharptail broods and 13.6 sharptails per 100 miles. Average brood size was five.
Although partridge numbers have shown a slight increase, Gross said the majority of the partridge harvest is incidental while hunters pursue grouse or pheasants. Partridge densities in general, he said, are too low to target. Observers recorded 0.5 partridge broods and 6.8 partridge per 100 miles. Average brood size was 10.
The 2019 regular pheasant season opens Oct. 12 and continues through Jan. 5, 2020. The two-day youth pheasant hunting weekend, when legally licensed residents and nonresidents ages 15 and younger can hunt statewide, is set for Oct. 5-6.
The 2019 grouse and partridge seasons open Sept. 14 and continue through Jan. 5, 2020.



 


Captain Ahab

Founding Member
Founding Member
Joined
Apr 22, 2015
Posts
10,528
Likes
442
Points
418
Location
Timbuktu
I heard Mars has a lot of upland birds. It would be in the blue platers best interest to build a rocket ship and head there

If you told 'sconnies that there was a lake there brimming with walleye and perch with no limits, the descendants of Larry Smith would have a rocket boat built to carry copious amounts of guys wearing blaze orange overalls so fast it would make your head spin.
 


KDM

Founding Member
Founding Member
Joined
Apr 20, 2015
Posts
9,650
Likes
1,582
Points
563
Location
Valley City
Sweet!!!! 10% increase of 2 birds. It should be about 6 years before I see ONE more pheasant in my area. Yikes, sounds kind of like deer tags...... Seriously though, it's nice to hear of an uptick to any critters population. Goofy ditch chickens......
 

Allen

Founding Member
Founding Member
Joined
Apr 24, 2015
Posts
10,474
Likes
1,485
Points
553
Location
Lincoln, kinda...
It'd be difficult to say with a straight face that I've seen more birds this year than last. Last year sucked for birds at my place and at this point it looks like this year will suck as well. Guess I'll be making the drive to Pembina.
 

FishFinder97

★ Legendary Member
Joined
Apr 24, 2018
Posts
335
Likes
9
Points
95
Location
ND
Last year was tough hunting in the SE part of the state, we found some pheasants all season but still not as many around as 2016. Saw one covey of sharptails and a few singles last year they are really down. More turkeys hatched around here this year than there has been in a while though.
 


Duckslayer100

Founding Member
Founding Member
Thread starter
Joined
Aug 11, 2015
Posts
4,611
Likes
189
Points
293
Location
ND's Flatter Half
we will take the pheasant hunters you guys get all the duck boat dudes haha

We already do! You smart sumbitches capped your NR duck hunters numbers a while back and all the rest come here for some damn reason. Makes no earthly sense.
 

NDSportsman

Founding Member
Founding Member
Joined
Apr 26, 2015
Posts
3,248
Likes
383
Points
313
Location
East Central ND
I mean it's a positive but doubt we'll even notice this year. Hope for a mild winter and early warm spring.
 

wby257

Founding Member
Founding Member
Joined
Jun 5, 2015
Posts
877
Likes
2
Points
161
Score. Now the foreign invaders can come in full force to rape and pillage


Yep thats what we do best, Plus the bow hunting been great for us nonresidents. Few more weeks and get after the waterfowl and Pheasants.
 

Rut2much

Founding Member
Founding Member
Joined
Apr 24, 2015
Posts
2,496
Likes
66
Points
278
Location
Devils lake
I just hit one driving the other day, think we should decimate the population for a couple decades..:;:duel
 

SDMF

Founding Member
Founding Member
Joined
Apr 24, 2015
Posts
10,908
Likes
620
Points
438
It'd be difficult to say with a straight face that I've seen more birds this year than last. Guess I'll be making the drive to Pembina.

You shut your mouth when you're talking to me!
 


Recent Posts

Friends of NDA

Top Posters of the Month

  • This month: 159
  • This month: 134
  • This month: 118
  • This month: 109
  • This month: 105
  • This month: 87
  • This month: 83
  • This month: 76
  • This month: 75
  • This month: 74
Top Bottom