Deer Season is on the Horizon – and Where You Find Deer, You’ll Find Pheasants Too

Monday, August 16th, 2010

This big bruiser likes CRP grass just like pheasants do - and with deer bow season coming, you'd do well to hunt CRP habitat.

While pheasant season is still a ways off, the month of September is just around the corner and that means whitetail bow season for many states.

Have you ever been pheasant hunting a big Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) field, or other upland haunt for that matter, and come across deer? Happens to me all the time. PF members, after all, hunt whitetail second only to pheasants.

It’s no accident pheasants and deer are found together – the two share a common habitat: grasslands. Deer love hiding out in those big CRP fields  – and munching on the food plots often planted in or near CRP! It is very secure habitat for them.

PF members won’t be surprised, then, to know that seven of the top 10 Boone & Crockett Club (2000-2009) record book whitetail states, including PF’s home state, are in the pheasant range.

State and No. of B&C Record Book Whitetails

1. Illinois (539)
2. Wisconsin (464)
3. Iowa (349)
4. Kentucky (312)
5. Ohio (309)
6. Missouri (285)
7. Kansas (257)
8. Saskatchewan (256)
9. Indiana (241)
10. Minnesota (193)

If you want to keep your deer herd strong, and of course, the pheasants, be sure to encourage your elected officials to support the CRP and other federal Farm Bill conservation programs – and join Pheasants Forever today!