Buck Hollow Sporting Goods - click or touch to visit their website Midwest Habitat Company

The stats support what many have already seen regarding our winged feathered friends

IowaBowHunter1983

IowaBowHunter1983

Well-Known Member
Staff member
Pheasant population up 37%. This is pretty cool to see. I would have to think the improved CRP plantings are making a big difference along with efforts of a lot of management minded folks like those found on this site. It is rare anymore if I go for a drive and don't see at least one pheasant, a handful of quail and about a million rabbits. Pretty neat.

http://www.iowadnr.gov/insidednr/socialmediapressroom/newsreleases/vw/1/itemid/2938
 
The things you said along with the mild winters, and decent nesting seasons weather have created a great chance for the pheasant populations to rise a bit
 
I grew up hunting pheasants and am very excited to see pheasants every time I'm at the farm as you said
 
I have heard and seen more quail this Summer. Same one or two pheasants though. Coarse I attribute it to the weather. Mild dry Spring nesting period, until end of May.
 
We planted 68 acres of CRP on the farm 5 years ago. The results we're immediate. That fall it turned into a pheasant sanctuary.
If you plant it, they will come!
 
Related but contrary to that, the neighbors CRP contract ran out and they planted this year. All the birds scooted over to my cover!
 
I am loving seeing the additional quail and pheasants this year. I was grading the lane on my farm last night and I had these three quail running down my driveway.

 
Right on brother!
I've seen more quail than ever before and healthy amount of pheasants.
MY PART: :) HA...
I'm enrolling approximately 250 acres in pollinator mix (whatever cap is) & letting some guys get coons, coyotes, possum, etc.
In NW Iowa, my wife's grandpa... He's farmed to the creek banks & dozed out every tree or brush that's grown up for the last 30 years. BREAK THROUGH... From my constant, never ending discussions.... I'VE WORE HIM OUT!!!! ;) (surprise!!! HA!). He's enrolled the most erodible areas along a creek into CRP starting this year!!! 40 or so acres will be put in native grasses and then add to some wind breaks we got planted with shrubs & Cedars & Stuff. Gonna be KILLER! It's a tiny fraction of our landscape but I'm chipping in!
 
I have a lot of quail this year too and pheasants look good as well. If you build it, they will come. :D
 
Keep up the good work! :)

I had a trail camera picture with 14 pheasant in one frame last fall. Amazing.

Getting a lot more bobcat pictures too though.....I wonder if the DNR will take the cap up from 1 at somepoint.....at least in southern Iowa. Shoot I saw one prowling around my CRP about a month ago in the middle of the day. I think in Missouri you can shoot one bobcat a day during their season...?
 
arm said:
Related but contrary to that, the neighbors CRP contract ran out and they planted this year. All the birds scooted over to my cover!
Click to expand...

Gonna have fenceline hunters for sure, taking advantage of them going between food and cover.

IowaBowHunter1983 said:
Keep up the good work! :)

I had a trail camera picture with 14 pheasant in one frame last fall. Amazing.
Click to expand...

Me too...oh wait, that was turkeys and it was 16. But I did see about 8 or 9 hen pheasants on the road one day and a couple rooster sightings while in the stand. Looked like fat guys too!
 
IowaBowHunter1983 said:
Getting a lot more bobcat pictures too though.....I wonder if the DNR will take the cap up from 1 at somepoint.....at least in southern Iowa. Shoot I saw one prowling around my CRP about a month ago in the middle of the day. I think in Missouri you can shoot one bobcat a day during their season...?
Click to expand...

I'd be all for it! Never a problem catching multiple cats in western IA each fall/winter. There are plenty of them.
 
Fewer acres getting planted to roundup ready seeds. As the trend continues the population will continue to improve. I have always blamed GMO farming for the pheasant decline. :) I really think I am right on this
 
Last edited:
Pheasant decline and rebirth

I have a theory about the decline of pheasants.

I think turkeys are the main culprit. Combined with poor breeding conditions and the turkey explosion, and no one can deny there has been a major turkey explosion, has caused the decline in pheasants.

In the last 2 years i have stopped bush-hogging the perimeter of my farm and have increased the amount of turkeys killed by allowing multiple friends access to hunt spring turkeys. I dont care about access in the spring, it does not effect the fall deer hunting. I have seen a dramatic increase in the pheasant and quail population, heck we even shot a couple woodcock!

Certainly, this is not a scientific study, but just a observation from an interested third party. The bottom line is this... I have more pheasant and quail and more happy friends who turkey hunt....that can't be bad - can it?
 
Good luck forestryguy - I cut my teeth on Iowa pheasants and wouldn't change that for the world.
 
Hanyak said:
Good luck forestryguy - I cut my teeth on Iowa pheasants and wouldn't change that for the world.
Click to expand...

Thanks. Hopefully get the dog out and he will take hunting pheasants well, rather than waterfowl. I am pretty much giving up chasing the waterfowl and going after more consistent game.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Bottom