1,2,3+ year old pheasants

[PheasantWhisperer]

Agreed. I thought it was a second year bird.

[scott county vizsla]

My first ten years of pheasant hunting in eastern Iowa (ages 8-18) were spent almost exclusively hunting private ground that nobody else had access to, the last ten years have been spent primarily on public land. When hunting private land about half of the birds we shot weren't in their 1st season and it seemed like at least a couple birds per year that were in their 3rd season, really long tail feathers and spurs. Since switching to public land I don't think I've shot one bird of that age, probably 85% are first year birds. And of course the numbers of birds shot per year has gone way down... Farming practices have changed so much in my life, hard to fathom what hunting was like when my dad was young.

[BleuBijou]

Here is a couple I shot in 2012 in Kansas. With the drought 98% were older birds and had these 2 mounted.

[A5 Sweet 16]

Here is a couple I shot in 2012 in Kansas. With the drought 98% were older birds and had these 2 mounted.

Long ones. Had I shot them, I'd think MAYBE 3rd year birds, but probably not around these parts. Do you happen to recall if the spurs were that dark when you shot them? Have they been painted? Just curious.

[1pheas4]

They are painted Those are 3rd year birds. The spurs are too long plus they have elongated, very fine points. 2nd year birds don't have spurs like that.

I have 3-3+ year old birds here now. A fourth that I'm on the fence on so I'll call him a 2nd year bird but I'm guessing he's in his third season.

Their spurs vary in color. One is all dark from the base to the tip, one is starting to hook to the side, two are straight. One has a light base, dark center, light tip, another has dark base, dark center, light tip.

[small munsterlander owner]

Long ones. Had I shot them, I'd think MAYBE 3rd year birds, but probably not around these parts. Do you happen to recall if the spurs were that dark when you shot them? Have they been painted? Just curious.

I agree with blue bijou 2012/2013 seasons during drought I bagged three 3 year old + birds like the spurs in his pic on public land in SD along I-29 corridor I killed 2... I've never hunted Sioux falls SD area but I'm sure there are 3 year old birds left around your hunt areas...

Youngest dumbest birds die 1st... Once u get late season wear there is noticeably less roosters Alive is when most old roosters get bagged with long spurs last few roosters I seen in MN late Dec public land were huge like 1pheas4 described long wigleing tails huge size & had hard time even flushing plus way way smart not all them get killed by hunters yearly...

[Preston1]

Some roosters and some hens live longer than average. The longer they manage to escape predators and stay alive the wiser they become. The old biologists would call those critters "woodwise".

This is the problem we have, and this is not criticism of anybody or anything, its just an observation. Some people believe everything they read is the absolute truth.

In the link below the writers from this organization should explain to the reader that in information given is only statistical averages and may not play out exactly that way all the time in every area.

https://www.pheasantsforever.org/Hab...ant-Facts.aspx

In the section on Facts, I have heard of people who use that information to shoot perfectly healthy wild hens and roosters in the spring time (during turkey season) because they were outside of the so called pheasant range, with no corn in the area. Or they feel, if I don't get that pheasant the predators will. Believing the pheasant only have a shot life span (less than 1 year) based on the information they have read.

I also disagree with 90% of what the above organization says about stocking pen raised pheasant. Wilder strains of full grown, well feathered, pen raised pheasant can, once released in good nesting cover habitat, fortify and build up the present wild population. And also help expand the wild pheasant range.

Around 16 states currently release healthy full grown pen raised pheasants into the wild.
All wild pheasants in this country came from pen raised birds.

[1pheas4]

I've seen many pen raised pheasants that have zero chance of surviving in the wild, others that seem to have what it takes to survive in the wild as long as they have the habitat, food, water they need.

Plus, I think the quality of pen raised birds are heading in the right direction. A number of breeders seem to be breeding a hardy, wilder, lighter, smarter bird. Don't get me wrong, by seasons end they still tend to get used to humans and everything else dangerous to their health, but we are seeing a better quality bird. With some of these birds it's becoming difficult to tell the difference between the wild birds and the pen raised birds as they flush.

McFarlane, Kellenberger, Sullivan, and Windy Ridge all have a great bird. Especially early fall when they still have their natural "wild" traits to them.

[btomlin]

How many years for this bird we got yesterday. I've shot turkeys with less....probably gonna need to tenderize.

[A5 Sweet 16]

Definitely a stew or crock pot bird!! I'd think those are likely in their 3rd season. Shot in Iowa? Public or private land?