Winter Hits Pheasant Range Hard
Pheasants Forever 2010 Winter Update
Source: pheasantsforever.org
Published: Apr. 01, 2010
Spring is finally here and not a minute too soon; upland bird hunters can now disregard the misses, defeats and "almost got 'ems" of last fall- it's yesterday's news. On the other hand, we will not soon forget the winter of 2009-2010 that reared its ugly head and will likely contribute to decreased pheasant numbers for this hunting season.
This poses the ultimate question- How do we establish productive pheasant habitat after such detrimental months? The PF answer - creating better winter cover and more nesting habitat can mitigate the effects of tough weather.
Winter Habitat
As pheasants face the trials and tribulations of winter, thermal cover is the key ingredient to carry them through the cold months. "We can't do much about the weather, but we can influence how much habitat is available for wildlife," said Kurt Haroldson, wildlife research biologist for the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. "Birds without access to secure winter cover and food suffer high rates of mortality. That means fewer hens available for nesting this spring, and fewer offspring in the 2010 fall population." Creating plum thickets, cattail sloughs, or evergreen shelterbelts is a great way to carry pheasants through the winter. Good winter habitat also carries healthy hens into their spring reproduction cycles, a vital part of overall populations.
Spring Habitat
To produce a healthy population of pheasants from year-to-year, nesting and brood cover should be a major consideration for private landowners and state agencies. Good nesting cover comes in the form of undisturbed grasslands, which is why programs like the federal Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) are very important to the overall health of national pheasant populations. "After the winter we just experienced, spring habitat becomes a major factor for pheasant populations," said Travis Runia, upland bird biologist for the South Dakota Department of Game, Fish and Parks. "Pheasants have very high reproductive potential when quality nesting and brood rearing habitat is available; this makes it possible for numbers to bounce back after particularly harsh winters."
2010 Winter Update: State-by-State
Iowa - Looking back on the winter months, Iowa set a new three-month record snowfall with 45.1 inches falling from December-February, and it was also recorded as the 19th coldest season in 138 years – bad news for the birds and the continuation of 3-year, downward trend.
Known for its native prairies and endless amounts of habitat, Iowa was once considered a powerhouse of the Midwestern hunting states. At present, bird populations have plummeted with the loss of critical wildlife habitat. "We are focusing on habitat through the continuous CRP programs in order to restore the Iowa pheasant population," said Todd Bogenschutz, biologist and Farm Bill coordinator for the Iowa DNR. "Iowa has documented that pheasant numbers can double in a single year provided that habitat is readily available. We had 1.97 million acres of CRP in the fall of 2007, and the Farm Service Agency reports show we have 1.62 million acres as of last October; this equates to 547 square miles of grassland habitat lost in two years, a very significant drop."
There's no getting around it, winter wreaked havoc on pheasant populations in Iowa. The DNR is expecting to report a rooster harvest last year of 250,000-300,000 birds, an extremely low number for a state with so much potential. "Given the severity of our recent winter, I don't think it's mathematically possible for our statewide population to increase in the year 2010," added Bogenschutz. "I expect our roadside counts to set a new record low this coming August. The outlook for 2010 really depends upon what kind of a nesting season we have, and how much habitat is available for pheasants to thrive."
Kansas - Winter brought with it more snow and cold than Kansans are accustomed to, but it wouldn't be classified as “severe”, according to the state's upland bird biologist Randy Rogers. Quail hunters will want to note that Kansas did suffer quail losses during the prolonged cold/snowy period in December and January, but nothing unusually high. But the winter did not have any unusual negative effects on the pheasant population. "Our breeding populations look generally good and are outstanding in northwest Kansas," Rogers said. “Generally, our habitat conditions remain reasonably good and the winter moisture has replenished our soil moisture which bodes well for upcoming habitat growth."
Minnesota - Winter in Minnesota for 2009-2010 will take a toll of pheasant populations; mid-December through mid-March, most of Minnesota's pheasant range was covered in deep snow that drifted to more than several feet. Adding to the difficulty of shelter and travel for pheasants, bouts of extremely cold weather made upland birds much more susceptible to exposure.
"Winter severity for pheasants can be measured by the length of time that deep snow persists. In Minnesota, the 2009-2010 winter seasons could be characterized as severe," said Kurt Haroldson, research biologist with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. "Deep snow buried grasslands and small wetlands which severely restricted access to waste grain, a primary food source for pheasants in winter. In addition, weather was especially bad in the southwestern part of Minnesota where pheasant populations are typically highest."
As March rolled around and snow melted throughout Minnesota's pheasant range, food and cover became increasingly available with the improved habitat conditions. Now that winter is over, landowners have turned their attention to nesting conditions for pheasants- the main determinant for fall populations. "The amount of nesting habitat in Minnesota has declined over the past few years due primarily to expiration of CRP contracts," added Haroldson. "Hopefully the general CRP signup coming this year will reverse the trend of declining grass (nesting) habitat in the state. The more grass habitat available, the greater the potential for pheasant population growth. We can expect a lower population in Minnesota for 2010, but it is too early to tell how much lower. A good nesting season would help make up for winter losses, and help add to a higher annual harvest for 2010-2011."
Nebraska – According to Peter Berthelsen, PF’s Senior Field Coordinator, the winter of 2009-10 was "the toughest winter in my 19 years in Nebraska from a wildlife standpoint." He said the negative impacts associated with the winter weather will be more pronounced as you move east and north in the state.
"Quail numbers, which were the highest in 20 years in 2009, will see a significant drop in 2010. The combination of extended periods of cold along with extended periods of snow cover produced devastating winter weather conditions for quail," Berthelsen noted. While last winter didn’t set records for cold or snowfall, the combination of how long we had snow cover and how long it was very cold combined to significantly impact wildlife numbers, he said.
Pheasant numbers will be impacted by winter weather conditions as well, but not to the same degree. The state's first big storm was in October and the snows just started to melt in early March. The winter was characterized by high winds, below freezing temps for days at a time and some below zero temps at night for several days. Expect decreased pheasant numbers in the northeast and central parts of the state.
CRP losses have been quite substantial. By 2012, the state could be below a million acres, although the 2010 signup might change that. Yet, in the next few months Nebraska will lose 179,000 CRP acres. Spring 2010 as of March 30 was looking good for pheasants and quail, with warm temps and dry skies; most of the snow is gone; and there has been some 60-70 degree weather of late. But, by April the birds will need some rain for plant and insect growth to fuel chick growth and survival. It is starting to get dry.
North Dakota - Despite initial thoughts about the 2009-2010 season, hunters can rest assured that pheasants made it through the cold months in North Dakota with minimal population losses. Normal conditions that persisted throughout much of winter will provide a chance for high yields of chicks in the nesting and brooding months.
"Winter conditions were close to normal, nothing like the winter of 2008-2009," said Stan Kohn, upland game management supervisor for the North Dakota Game and Fish Department. "Heavy snow came much later (late December) than in 2008, and this provided birds an opportunity to put on more weight going into the winter months. We have had few reports of "out of the ordinary" winter mortality this year; consequently, as of March 1st, our pheasant population is doing fairly well."
In light of this good news, a word of caution must be noted as North Dakota suffers from the same demon evident throughout the Midwest - large losses of CRP land. At the height of CRP, North Dakota had about 3.2 million acres which fueled their large bird populations. "Since 2008, we have slowly lost CRP acres in the state, many of which occurred in some of our better pheasant range," added Kohn. "Larger amounts of CRP acres coming out of contract in 2010 and 2011 will leave fewer acres for nesting and brooding birds. As these CRP acres are removed, sportsmen can expect to see a lower pheasant population in future years. As we keep stressing, habitat is the key to pheasant management.
South Dakota - Looking back on the winter of 2009-2010, weather for pheasants in South Dakota was anything but preferable. The first measurable amounts of snow came in early December, with the first major snowfall of 20+ inches occurring over the Christmas holiday. If that wasn't enough, the following weeks brought subsequent blasts of snow, wind, sleet and arctic air, which pounded the state throughout most of winter.
"There is no doubt that winter mortality was higher than normal this year," said Travis Runia, upland game bird biologist for the South Dakota Department of Game, Fish and Parks. "Fortunately, pheasants have very high reproductive potential when quality nesting and brood rearing habitat is available. With 500,000 fewer acres of nesting cover in the form of CRP available than 4 years ago, the potential for our pheasant population to bounce back from a harsh winter is decreased. Although harsh winters take their toll, the loss of CRP acres is a higher concern at this time."
Even in the face of winter brutality, the pheasant capital of world continues to do what it is best at- producing an astounding number of ringnecks from year-to-year. This abundance is directly connected to habitat production within the state. "The quantity of CRP is the largest driving force of South Dakota’s pheasant population," added Runia. "History has demonstrated the importance of undisturbed nesting cover, such as CRP, to pheasant populations. Unfortunately, changes in Farm Bill policy has resulted in loss of 500,000 of CRP in the last 4 years. An additional 500,000 acres of CRP are scheduled for expiration in the next 3 years. These landscape level habitat changes will likely result in a decrease in pheasant numbers. Although loss of habitat will likely continue for the foreseeable future, efforts are being made to mitigate the losses and assure all can experience world class pheasant hunting in South Dakota."
Good News on the Horizon
This year at Pheasants Forever's National Pheasant Fest 2010, Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack announced plans for a new CRP general signup, as well as increased acreage allotments for three CRP practices significant to wildlife. What this means for wildlife is that 32 million acres of valuable habitat (CRP cap authorized by the federal government) will be the goal for the program. "Considering the severity of this winter and sizeable number of acres set to expire from CRP this year, the Secretary's announcement is very welcome news for wildlife and hunters," said Dave Nomsen, Pheasants Forever & Quail Forever's Vice President of Government Affairs. "USDA's actions today will benefit birds tomorrow with newly allocated CP-33's, 37's, and 38's (SAFE) that became available on March 15, 2010."
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