Pheasant numbers could be low for hunting season in N.D.

[tikkalover]

BISMARCK, N.D. - An update for hunters, pheasant numbers could be way down as a result of drought conditions. Peak hatching season for pheasants is mid-June when there had been almost no rain for more than a month.
The first 10 days of a chicks life are the most important and they need insects to eat.
“Without moisture that doesn't complete their life cycle, so there's very few insects, therefore chick survivability will be very low,” said RJ Gross, upland game management biologist.
The North Dakota Game and Fish is still conducting their brood survey so the will have more information on pheasant numbers in mid-September, but biologists say the worst area for the drought outlined some of the densest pheasant populations in the state located in southwest North Dakota

 

[zoops]

Kind of a double (triple?) whammy after the rough December/January we had, plus most of the grass will be hayed. Guess we'll see

 

[Kickemup]

There are no birds left in my area better schedule your hotel rooms now before pembina fills up.

 

[8andcounting]

There are no birds left in my area better schedule your hotel rooms now before pembina fills up.

Kinda like deer herd after winters of 07 08 and09 and still record tag numbers ��

 

[riverview]

There are no birds left in my area better schedule your hotel rooms now before pembina fills up.

that is why our motel in Pembina is called the red rooster. the best hunting is right on the Canadian border.

 

[5575]

:;:cheers

 

[Duckslayer100]

I imagine it will be a stark contrast to recent hunting seasons. It's funny that nobody in the Outdoor biz has picked up on it. Hardest drought in the state is the famed SW area of Connanonball, Regent, etc. Methinks certain guides/outfitters are hoping the word doesn't get out??

 

[Vollmer]

I've been driving around, scouting, a lot lately, and I see almost NO pheasant around here.

 

[dean nelson]

I've been driving around, scouting, a lot lately, and I see almost NO pheasant around here.

Me either....shit pot of baby turkeys though!

 

[Flannel]

Going to be a very tough year. May have to hold off buying that new semi auto til its worth it next season!

 

[DirtyMike]

Wrigley is going to get out with her sister....don't hold out on us kickemup

 

[3Roosters]

Yard birds galore this year, I'm thinking

 

[MarbleEyez]

I've seen 3 clutches of chicks all year. And that's including everything we saw while putting up hay around our best bird spots. It's kind of depressing to say the least. It going to take several good hatch years to rebound. Good thing I'm planting all my tree rows now, they'll be ready for all the birds in 7 years when number get back up!

But the plus side of this is after all the blue-platers come out and walk all day to miss 2 birds, I doubt they'll be making a return trip.....

 

[johnr]

Zero birds left in the SW part of ND.
Central South Dakota is the destination if you are wanting to shoot a bunch of roosters.

 

[Bfishn]

This is why I shoot geese instead.

If only you didn't have to get up at 2am and set out a trailer full of decoys to shoot something i don't want to eat, goose hunting would probably be pretty fun. I need to find somebody who does all the work before and after so I can just lay there and shoot and then go home and watch football

 

[Lou63]

running a blade I spend a lot of time on gravel roads and I have seen a few grouse with young, a few partridge with young and no pheasants with young and very few adults. had 2 does cross the road this morning with no obvious fawns around
wildlife took a big hit up here in the northwest corner.

 

[SDMF]

that is why our motel in Pembina is called the red rooster. the best hunting is right on the Canadian border.

Summbitch! Tried to get a reservation for opener and they're already full. Screw you guys, I'm going to buy a MN license and hunt public land between Benson and Montevideo MN.

 

[BDub]

Less birds means less hunters. Sounds good to me. This will separate the real hunters from the blue light specials..

 

[Ristorapper]

rumor is the Cannonball company doesn't even operate this year. Will wait and see for myself when we go to the SW and look the crp over for noxious weeds in late September. Only saw one single hen pheasant this spring when we hit the weeds with spray.

Plenty of pheasants in my back yard this year until the blade came in and scraped all the habitat away. Bastages!! All for the sake of development. My backyard will now be a retention pond for runoff. I can hear the skeeters already!!

 

[Duckslayer100]

Less birds means less hunters. Sounds good to me. This will separate the real hunters from the blue light specials..

Maybe a few, but actually it will mean a few less hunters chasing around even fewer birds on fewer acres of public land. Methinks the pressure won't change a lick -- at least from our perspective.