D
deerman
Guest
We all know there are alot of coon.Coon love to eat eggs.The coon population may be out of balance with other animals.Just a thought.What do ya think?And I still think the darn hawks have some to do with it too.
50% Pheasant Decline
- Thread starter SWIABOONER
- Start date
-
- Tags
- None
B
Blind Sow
Guest
The following was sent out to us (conservation officers) and I assume biogists so we can respond to the public's questions regarding the pheasant population decline.
PUTTING IOWA'S PHEASANT DECLINE IN PERSPECTIVE
By Jim Wooley and Matt O'Connor
IT'S NOT GOING TO BE PRETTY
Iowa upland game populations are just terrible, but let's put this in perspective. We have had low numbers in Iowa before (1984 is a good example). The DNR response then and now is correct--holding tight on season length and bag limits, and rejecting calls to stock birds. Guess what? In just a short time following past crisis years, populations responded favorably. It will happen again this year. Folks need to stop obsessing on bad fixes to an unfortunate situation. No amount of feeding owls with game farm pheasants will solve this problem for us. We should stop the coffee shop prognosticating--and go hunting instead. Better habitat and favorable weather are the answers. Since we are a ways off from being able to fix the weather, let's do the one thing we can--improve our habitat situation. Put your energy into securing better conservation provisions in the new Farm Bill and we'll be a lot further ahead.
WEATHER EFFECTS
Iowa's cumulative snowfall this past winter (42+ inches) was the 3rd highest total in history. Many regions reported over 130 consecutive days with snow cover. The period from January through March had the 7th highest precipitation total in 129 years. Our pheasant populations got a double dose of severe weather and wet spring weather. One other thing--consider the number of times in the past 16 years we have had a good nesting season--maybe 2 or 3 springs.
PAST HISTORY
We have tested these levels before. This was Iowa's first really bad winter statewide since the early 1980's. In 1982, pheasant numbers fell 51%. By 1984, the were down 70% from the 1981 highs. Those weren't fun times either, but the populations recovered. Numbers this year average 30% lower than 1984, the previous low. However, several parts of the state have been at substantially lower numbers in the past thanthey are right now. In those areas in past years, with no adjustment in seasons or supplemental stocking, populations recovered on their own just fine given favorable weather.
IT'S A REGIONAL PROBLEM
Misery loves company. It's a bad year across the entire upper Midwest. Other states are not adjusting their seasons either. That's because they know it will have no effect on future populations.
*Minnesota posted a 50% decline in pheasant numbers.
*South Dakota's statewide index is 20% lower than last year (eastern SD reported declines up to 75%).
*Nebraska counts are 20% lower than last year, and the statewide index is 11.4 birds/30 miles--22% less than Iowa.
*Kansas pheasant counts are 26% lower than last year (all time lows) and quail counts are 65% lower than last year.
STOCKING, PREDATORS AND SEASON CLOSURES
(1) Traditional stocking with game farm stock has not worked in recent memory. That hasn't changed--not matter how good it feels when you open the box to let them go. Trap and transplant of wild birds would have some applicability in areas that are completely devoid of pheasants, and which are cut off from surrounding populations. There aren't many areas like that. And, besides--who, in a year like this, will allow an agency to come in and trap their birds for relocation to another state?
(2) Killing predators ignores the problem of habitat and weather. Hawk numbers dropped this winter after tough weather moved them south, and it's hard to lay much blame at their doorstep. A few misinformed folks think it's okay to take out frustrations on hawks. They are wrong. The feeling is misplaced, the act is irresponsible, and it's illegal. The behavior reflects very poorly on real sportsmen--something that those unthinking sportsmen are not.
(3) Closing the season would just be silly. It would, in fact, be symbolic of only one thing--a complete ignorance of wildlife biology. Does anyone remember the Iowa-Minnesota pheasant study that tracked populations for 20 years along the border? Minnesota had much more restrictive seasons, yet populations behaved identically in both areas. Pheasants fre the most conservatively hunted game bird in North America--we just harvest males. Iowa will still harvest between 550,000-750,000 roosters this fall, the second highest in the nation--exceeded only by SD. Hunters will see half of what they saw last year, but we still have huntable populations. Hunter pressure will regulate itself. There won't be much competition this fall--most folks won't be leaving home to come here.
PHEASANTS FOREVER FOCUSES ON POSTIVE ACTION
PF's work in Iowa over the past 16 years in putting close to $15 million into habitat on the ground, made a difference this past winter and spring. Things would have been worse without the work of PF chapters. Was there ever a year that so graphically underscored the need for winter food plots next to heavy impenetrable cover?
PUTTING IOWA'S PHEASANT DECLINE IN PERSPECTIVE
By Jim Wooley and Matt O'Connor
IT'S NOT GOING TO BE PRETTY
Iowa upland game populations are just terrible, but let's put this in perspective. We have had low numbers in Iowa before (1984 is a good example). The DNR response then and now is correct--holding tight on season length and bag limits, and rejecting calls to stock birds. Guess what? In just a short time following past crisis years, populations responded favorably. It will happen again this year. Folks need to stop obsessing on bad fixes to an unfortunate situation. No amount of feeding owls with game farm pheasants will solve this problem for us. We should stop the coffee shop prognosticating--and go hunting instead. Better habitat and favorable weather are the answers. Since we are a ways off from being able to fix the weather, let's do the one thing we can--improve our habitat situation. Put your energy into securing better conservation provisions in the new Farm Bill and we'll be a lot further ahead.
WEATHER EFFECTS
Iowa's cumulative snowfall this past winter (42+ inches) was the 3rd highest total in history. Many regions reported over 130 consecutive days with snow cover. The period from January through March had the 7th highest precipitation total in 129 years. Our pheasant populations got a double dose of severe weather and wet spring weather. One other thing--consider the number of times in the past 16 years we have had a good nesting season--maybe 2 or 3 springs.
PAST HISTORY
We have tested these levels before. This was Iowa's first really bad winter statewide since the early 1980's. In 1982, pheasant numbers fell 51%. By 1984, the were down 70% from the 1981 highs. Those weren't fun times either, but the populations recovered. Numbers this year average 30% lower than 1984, the previous low. However, several parts of the state have been at substantially lower numbers in the past thanthey are right now. In those areas in past years, with no adjustment in seasons or supplemental stocking, populations recovered on their own just fine given favorable weather.
IT'S A REGIONAL PROBLEM
Misery loves company. It's a bad year across the entire upper Midwest. Other states are not adjusting their seasons either. That's because they know it will have no effect on future populations.
*Minnesota posted a 50% decline in pheasant numbers.
*South Dakota's statewide index is 20% lower than last year (eastern SD reported declines up to 75%).
*Nebraska counts are 20% lower than last year, and the statewide index is 11.4 birds/30 miles--22% less than Iowa.
*Kansas pheasant counts are 26% lower than last year (all time lows) and quail counts are 65% lower than last year.
STOCKING, PREDATORS AND SEASON CLOSURES
(1) Traditional stocking with game farm stock has not worked in recent memory. That hasn't changed--not matter how good it feels when you open the box to let them go. Trap and transplant of wild birds would have some applicability in areas that are completely devoid of pheasants, and which are cut off from surrounding populations. There aren't many areas like that. And, besides--who, in a year like this, will allow an agency to come in and trap their birds for relocation to another state?
(2) Killing predators ignores the problem of habitat and weather. Hawk numbers dropped this winter after tough weather moved them south, and it's hard to lay much blame at their doorstep. A few misinformed folks think it's okay to take out frustrations on hawks. They are wrong. The feeling is misplaced, the act is irresponsible, and it's illegal. The behavior reflects very poorly on real sportsmen--something that those unthinking sportsmen are not.
(3) Closing the season would just be silly. It would, in fact, be symbolic of only one thing--a complete ignorance of wildlife biology. Does anyone remember the Iowa-Minnesota pheasant study that tracked populations for 20 years along the border? Minnesota had much more restrictive seasons, yet populations behaved identically in both areas. Pheasants fre the most conservatively hunted game bird in North America--we just harvest males. Iowa will still harvest between 550,000-750,000 roosters this fall, the second highest in the nation--exceeded only by SD. Hunters will see half of what they saw last year, but we still have huntable populations. Hunter pressure will regulate itself. There won't be much competition this fall--most folks won't be leaving home to come here.
PHEASANTS FOREVER FOCUSES ON POSTIVE ACTION
PF's work in Iowa over the past 16 years in putting close to $15 million into habitat on the ground, made a difference this past winter and spring. Things would have been worse without the work of PF chapters. Was there ever a year that so graphically underscored the need for winter food plots next to heavy impenetrable cover?
SWIABOONER
PMA Member
I have been helping a friend combine corn the last two days. We have done around 130 acres and we have only seen two pheasants. We have seen a lot of doves though. No deer yet, but we haven't got to the good fields yet so I hope it gets better.