Pheasants Forever News

2010 Kansas Pheasant Hunting Forecast - Sep. 13, 2010
Forecast: Kansas pheasant hunters bagged 746,000 roosters last year - up approximately 10 percent from 2008 - and tops in the nation this side of South Dakota. Despite a colder and snowier winter than normal, it wasn't enough to impact pheasant populations. In fact, spring crowing counts were up one percent. Jim Pitman, small game coordinator with the Kansas Department of Wildlife & Parks, says the best pheasant hunting will likely be in northwest and west-central Kansas, but southwest Kansas should be very good too. Pitman is expecting numbers in northwest Kansas to be similar to last year or slightly improved, which will put the population at or above the 20-year high, while expectations are for a bit of a dip in portions of north-central Kansas due to heavy rain and hail that hit that region. The pheasant population in northeast Kansas will also likely be down due to deep snow cover for a good chunk of last winter and heavy rain during the nesting period this summer. Kansas' full August roadside survey results will be released in mid September. Season Dates: November 13 through January 31, 2011 Daily Bag Limit: 4 Possession Limit: 16 Field Notes: Kansas' popular Walk-in Hunting Access Program contains lands in CRP, native rangeland, wheat or milo stubble and riparian or wetland areas, with many of the approximately 1 million acres in the program providing excellent upland hunting opportunities.

2010 Michigan Pheasant Hunting Forecast - Sep. 13, 2010
Forecast: Improved pheasant production was anticipated in Michigan from last year, though not enough to drastically alter the annual 100,000 bird harvest in the state. The most recent data shows that more than 50,000 Michiganders still pursue ringnecks annually. Season Dates: Varies, consult regulations Daily Bag Limit: 2 Possession Limit: 4 Field Notes: Upland enthusiasts should note this is the first time in a decade and a half that the state will have a sharp-tailed grouse hunt in a restricted area of the Upper Peninsula. Combine that with traditionally strong ruffed grouse and woodcock hunting to go with pheasants, and Michigan has a mix of upland birds that keeps hunters going year after year.

2010 Minnesota Pheasant Hunting Forecast - Sep. 13, 2010
Forecast: Despite it's worst winter in nearly a decade, Minnesota's August roadside survey remains unchanged from 2009, when hunters harvested more than 400,000 roosters. According to Kurt Haroldson, wildlife biologist for the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Farmland Population and Research Group, hunters can expect a harvest around that mark in 2010. The winter of 2009-10 was the most severe period for much of the farmland region in 10 years, which did cause some pheasant mortality. Spring nesting conditions were excellent early, but declined in June. And Minnesota lost 21,000 CRP acres from its pheasant range from 2009, but increases in enrollment of other farm programs and acquisition of public lands exceeded CRP losses. The 2010 pheasant index (62.8 birds/100 miles driven) was similar to 2009, but the hen index portion of the survey was 28 percent below the 10-year average. Overall, considering the severity of the past winter, pheasant hunters and state biologists were pleasantly surprised by the numbers this year. The best opportunities for harvesting pheasants likely will be in the southwest where observers reported 104 birds per 100 miles of survey driven. Hunters also will find good harvest opportunities in the central and west central regions, where observers reported 76 and 70 birds per 100 miles driven, respectively. Season Dates: October 16 through January 2, 2011 Daily Bag Limit: 2; changes to 3 on December 1 through end of season Possession Limit: 6; changes to 9 on December 1 through end of season Field Notes:In an effort to get a hunting walk-in access program off the ground in Minnesota, the state DNR has requested $2.7 million in federal "Open Fields" funding to establish a pilot program in the southwest part of the state.

2010 Missouri Pheasant Hunting Forecast - Sep. 13, 2010
Forecast: Severe winter weather in northern Missouri and heavy spring rains have likely hampered survival and production in Missouri's primary pheasant range, says Beth Emmerich, agricultural wildlife ecologist with the Missouri Department of Conservation. Severe winters and three consecutive unseasonably wet springs continue to reduce survival and reproduction for pheasants in Missouri. The 2010 August Survey illustrated this downward trend with a statewide count of 0.32 pheasants per 30-mile route - down 50% compared to 2009. And while the northwest portion of the state typically has the highest pheasant populations, the 2010 index was 0.32 pheasants per route (83% lower than 2009), while the northeast portion of the state checked in with the higher pheasant count at 0.42 pheasants per route. Overall, a poor to fair outlook for pheasant hunters in Missouri. Season Dates: Varies by zone, consult regulations Daily Bag Limit: Varies by zone, consult regulations Possession Limit: Varies by zone, consult regulations Field Notes:Missouri has nearly 32,000 acres enrolled in the Conservation Reserve Program's upland bird habitat buffers initiative. Technically referred to as Conservation Practice 33, Missouri trails only Kansas and Illinois in acreage enrollment for this practice that works to establish habitat along field borders and edges.

2010 Montana Pheasant Hunting Forecast - Sep. 13, 2010
orecast: Montana is such a big state that an entire overview doesn't do it justice. That said, generally milder winter conditions coupled with moderate spring conditions have Big Sky country as a top-10 pheasant hunting destination this fall. Rick Northrup, game bird coordinator with Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, reports that northwest Montana will be similar or lower in bird numbers compared to last year, as recurring moisture and cold conditions are keeping numbers below average. North-central Montana was about 60 percent below average in pheasant harvest last year, and hunters there should expect some improvement. Central Montana, in and around Judith Basin County, experienced a late snowstorm around the first of May which was severe enough to kill adult birds. The greater Billings area received moderate spring conditions, and average or above average bird numbers should be found there. The area from Havre to Glasgow, north of Missouri was up last year but will be closer to average this year. Eastern Montana north of Glasgow and to the North Dakota line should see improvement in pheasant abundance from last season, but still below average. The region North of Interstate 94 to Fort Peck Reservoir and Sidney was the recipient of good spring conditions, and a rebound in numbers is expected there. Finally, southern Montana south of Interstate 94 to the Wyoming border was 26 percent above average harvest last fall, and similar numbers are expected this year. Season Dates: October 9 through January 1, 2011 Daily Bag Limit: 3 Possession Limit: 9 Field Notes: Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks has new upland hunting information, and with some seasons (Hungarian partridge, Sharp-tailed grouse) now open, it may be time to check the state's upland game birds hunting guide.

2010 Nebraska Pheasant Hunting Forecast - Sep. 13, 2010
Forecast: Severe winter weather in parts of Nebraska and above average rainfall this spring impacted pheasant populations in parts of the state, with the overall rural mail carrier survey showing a 4 percent decrease. But where pheasants are most abundant - the southwest and Sandhills regions of the state, this year's survey showed healthy jumps. Statewide, the pheasant abundance index was similar to 2009. Increases in abundance were up in the Sandhills (up 21 percent), southwest (up 13 percent) and central regions (up 3 percent) - and these are the top three regions in terms of overall pheasant abundance. The southeast, northeast and Panhandle regions were all down more than 20 percent. Top counties in Nebraska should be Wheeler, Cherry, Thomas, Blaine, Phelps, Hitchcock, Red Willow and Hayes. Season Dates: October 30 through January 31, 2010 Daily Bag Limit: 3 Possession Limit: 12 Field Notes: Pheasants Forever's National Pheasant Fest 2011, the nation's largest event for upland hunters, comes to the Qwest Center in Omaha, Nebraska on January 28-30, 2011.

2010 New York Pheasant Hunting Forecast - Sep. 13, 2010
Forecast: The upcoming pheasant hunting season in New York is expected to mirror the last few seasons, checking in around 55,000 pheasant hunters and a harvest of 125,000 birds. With much of the state reverting to forest land, and low participation in Farm Bill conservation programs, most New Yorkers take advantage of the state's put-and-take pheasant hunting. The best wild bird hunting in the state is located in the Lake Plains region just south of Lake Ontario between the cities of Syracuse and Buffalo. This area contains some of the best agricultural/grasslands in the state. Despite limited quality habitat, the hunter participation numbers show a strong pheasant hunting tradition carries on in the Empire State. Season Dates: Multiple zones - consult regulations Daily Bag Limit: 2 statewide; 4 on Long Island Possession Limit: None statewide; 30-bird season limit on Long Island Field Notes: Last fall, New York adopted a new Management Plan for Ring-necked Pheasants, which includes maintaining a wild pheasant population in the Lake Plains of western New York.

2010 North Dakota Pheasant Hunting Forecast - Sep. 13, 2010
Forecast: North Dakota was expected to check in around a 500,000 pheasant harvest last year, and exceeded that with a 650,000 bird take. And though crowing counts were down six percent this spring, overall nesting conditions improved by June across many parts of the state this spring and early summer, which should give NoDak pheasant hunters plenty of optimism heading into fall. Although more snow fell this winter as compared to last, pheasants pulled through very well and populations were stable as spring approached. There were snow showers into May this spring, but as pheasants prepared to sit on nests, conditions were good. With a wet spring and many rain showers, North Dakota greened up quickly. Rain and hail showers at the peak of the hatch likely washed out some nests and will tame numbers in the southeast part of the state, though there will be pockets of excellent habitat and birds. Results from North Dakota's annual August roadside survey notwithstanding, it looks like the southwest region of the state will retain its status as a perennial pheasant power, followed by the northwest region. The south-central and central regions will check in about the same as last year. Season Dates: October 9 through January 2, 2011 Daily Bag Limit: 3 Possession Limit: 12 Field Notes: Habitat and hunting access will be under the microscope in North Dakota the next couple years. In 2011 and 2012, approximately 50 percent of the state's CRP acreage is slated to expire. Many of the 1 million P.L.O.T.S. (Private Land Open to Sportsmen) acres in the state are also enrolled in CRP, so CRP losses have the potential to negatively impact the amount of places to hunt.

2010 Oregon Pheasant Hunting Forecast - Sep. 13, 2010
Forecast: Cooler and wetter than average weather persisted through nesting and early brood rearing in 2010. And while that likely hampered initial reproductive efforts, re-nesting efforts appear strong and habitat conditions are very good, according to Dave Budeau, upland game bird coordinator with the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. That means harvest should equal or exceed last year, when 6,857 hunters put 33,722 Oregon pheasants into their game vests. As usual, the majority of pheasant hunters should direct their compasses to the Columbia Basin and northern Malheur County. Of note is the fact that Oregon's Willamette Valley is the birthplace of pheasants in the United States. In fact, the Owen Denny Chapter of Pheasants Forever pays homage to the U.S. Ambassador to China who first introduced the king of game birds to America. Season Dates: October 9 through December 31 Daily Bag Limit: 2 Possession Limit: 8 Field Notes: To help public hunters navigate vast opportunities, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, with support from the National Shooting Sports Foundation and the Oregon Wildlife Heritage Foundation, has created the Oregon Hunting Map. The map features more than 100 public areas, letting visitors know details about them and what species they'll find.

2010 Pennsylvania Pheasant Hunting Forecast - Sep. 13, 2010
Forecast: Though wild pheasants have vanished across most of Pennsylvania's landscape, thousands of pheasant hunters and the state haven't lost interest in the bird. Hunters and their dogs get their field time in through the state's put-and-take hunting. More importantly, with the help of Pheasants Forever, the Pennsylvania Game Commission is working to restore self-sustaining and huntable pheasant populations in suitable habitat by establishing Wild Pheasant Recovery Areas (WPRAs). The goal inches closer to reality, as part of the Central Susquehanna WPRA is on track toward having a sustainable population of wild pheasants. The Pike Run and Somerset WPRAs have also continued to show signs of success. Season Dates: Varies, consult regulations Daily Bag Limit: 2 Possession Limit: 4 Field Notes: At 205,432 acres, Pennsylvania leads the nation in Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) enrollment. Not only are these acres helping soil and water quality, but they're also the backbone habitat to the Wild Pheasant Recovery Areas in the state.