Are you serious, how is that mind blowing? Habitat is, and will always be, the #1 factor impacting pheasant (as well as other animal species) populations. Ask any wildlife biologist, expert, or hunter... or just anyone with common sense. Weather and predators impact the population as well... but do you know what pheasants use habitat for? To hide from predators, and to stay warm during harsh weather, among other things.
Pheasant hunting
- Thread starter JVAR
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Are you serious, how is that mind blowing? Habitat is, and will always be, the #1 factor impacting pheasant (as well as other animal species) populations. Ask any wildlife biologist, expert, or hunter... or just anyone with common sense. Weather and predators impact the population as well... but do you know what pheasants use habitat for? To hide from predators, and to stay warm during harsh weather, among other things.
Yes I agree, the part I said was crazy was blaming farmers for loss and destruction ofhabitat
Exactly. Loss of habitat is a huge factor. Every time a farmer clears out some more grass to plant a couple extra rows of corn, habitat is being destroyed that those birds would be nesting in the following spring.
With that being said, treating any one factor as "the cause" is ridiculous. Ecosystems are complex and subject to many variables. Loss of habitat is just one of many. Weather has been another huge factor over the past couple of years especially. I know in Illinois we've had cold, wet springs the past two years. That's not good for pheasants... or most any bird that nests on the ground for that matter. It's hard for populations to grow or remain stable if nesting attempts are failing because they're under water.
I grew up in SW Iowa hunting in the mid to late 90's. Back then it was easy to limit out if you had a dog and could shoot at all.
I pretty much gave up over the last 3-4 yrs because its not worth it to walk all day and see one or two birds IF ANY.
I'm trying to passify my killing urges by getting into duck and goose hunting. First year this year so we will see how it goes.
I pretty much gave up over the last 3-4 yrs because its not worth it to walk all day and see one or two birds IF ANY.
I'm trying to passify my killing urges by getting into duck and goose hunting. First year this year so we will see how it goes.
I will be going out to some family land in Western Iowa - couple afternoons on the family ground for old time's sake (likely no birds), and then to a preserve for some afternoon hunts. This will be my pup's first time out after pheasants!
I do have a couple of coyote's to bag on the family ground, so that will be something.
I do have a couple of coyote's to bag on the family ground, so that will be something.
That is a really good looking Vizla. I know what you guys are saying about SW Iowa. I have family ground I hunt too near Winterset and I used to do really well there. It does not get much hunting pressure. We used to hammer the pheasants and bag a few quail too. I have not seen a quail there for years. We stopped hunting birds there and just deer hunt.
This is the primary problem IMO. There are Hawks all over, too damn many of them. If we could shoot them again it would make an immediate impact.
I mean both red tails and eyes. SHOOT EM
My grandpa always says the best way to catch a hawk is to put a leghold on a fence post and then cover the pan in tinfoil or some fabric that blows around and they will swoop in and get caught in the trap. I guess how they use to do it when everyone had chickens that the hawks would kill.
He doesnt always says it but when he is speaking on that topic.
Pheasant #s are down and the deer #s are down too. I sat in a stand this past weekend and in the past few years you would see at least 15 deer, only saw 3. They are way down but the Governor isnt going to do anything about it. But on the bright side turkey #s are on the rise.
How did everybody do? I am depressed! I hunted all private land today in North Central Iowa and only saw 9 birds and bagged two. We quit at 1230. We had 4 German Shorthairs and my German Longhair Pointer, so I don't think we missed two many birds. They said on the news last night that the projected pheasant harvest is supposed to be 200,000. This is down from 1.1 million ten years ago. Sad!
They are around here also, turkeys I'm talking about. Saw another big group of about 20 this afternoon. We hunt them in the fall too, have filled 1 tag have 2 to go.
Wow! Good job. I have only heard of one other person getting their limit today and I have a lot of friends that hunt. Some of the land we hunted was near Morris near Belmond/Clarion and there wasn't much shooting. My buddy with the Shorthairs went to SD last week and said the numbers were down there too, but managed to get his share of birds.
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Check out the road count maps from the Iowa DNR.
http://www.iowadnr.gov/portals/idnr/uploads/Hunting/map_game_distribution.pdf?amp;tabid=1604
Yeah, not worth dropping the coin for a license since I don't have a dog. I started hunting around Mason City when I moved there in 2007, but after the 2008 flood, it pretty much decimated the population.
http://www.iowadnr.gov/portals/idnr/uploads/Hunting/map_game_distribution.pdf?amp;tabid=1604
Yeah, not worth dropping the coin for a license since I don't have a dog. I started hunting around Mason City when I moved there in 2007, but after the 2008 flood, it pretty much decimated the population.
I want that job......driving around making pheasant road counts. I hear the benefits are pretty good.....pretty good meaning basically free health care when the rest of us pay for it plenty.