ShopPosts Tagged ‘Pheasants’
Pheasants in the Winter Months
Wednesday, February 1st, 2012
Habitat is the key for pheasants in winter and all year long.
During the coldest month of the year, January, pheasants require twice the energy they burned in October. Yet with adequate habitat, their body fat content can be at its highest in January.
Pheasant bio-energetics requires the birds have three cover types to help survive the coldest of winters. The cover types are roosting, loafing, and food cover. Winter habitat includes grass cover for roosting at night, trees and shrubs to loaf in during the day, and food.
The purpose of each is to reduce the pheasants’ vulnerability to predators, to reduce the birds’ energy requirements, and to increase the body fat content of hens for spring nesting. For each 160 acres, 5 acres should be set aside to provide each of these covers. The relationship of theses covers to each other is also important. Ideally, each cover requirement should be located next to the other, or at most, one quarter mile apart.
With the first deep snow or ice storm, people start to worry about pheasants starving. Keep in mind though, that death due to starving during inclement weather is extremely rare if they have adequate winter habitat. The importance of habitat year-round is paramount to pheasants.
The Big Spur Blog is written by Jesse Beckers, Pheasants Forever’s Regional Wildlife Biologist for North Dakota. If you have a pheasant habitat or pheasant biology question for Jesse, email him at JBeckers@pheasantsforever.org.
VIDEO: U.S. Sen. Klobuchar Addresses PF
Monday, January 23rd, 2012
U.S. Senator Klobuchar understands the value of conservation, including programs like the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) and the Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP). Since 2006, when she became the first female U.S. Senator from Minnesota, she has fought for the sportsmen and women of Minnesota and across the nation. She comes from a family of hunters, anglers and conservationists and she’s fought hard to uphold those traditions in Washington, D.C.
We are very much looking forward to working with Senator Klobuchar in crafting a strong conservation title in the upcoming 2012 Farm Bill.
Here is Senator Klobuchar addressing Pheasants Forever’s 2012 Minnesota State Convention in a video message:
The D.C. Minute is written by Dave Nomsen, Pheasants Forever’s Vice President of Government Relations.
Meet My First Bird Dog!
Saturday, December 31st, 2011
The quest for "Sprig," the author's first pup, was chronicled in Pheasants Forever's "My First Bird Dogs" series.
The serious search for “My First Bird Dog” began at Pheasants Forever’s National Pheasant Fest* earlier this year. Initially, I’d zeroed in on an English springer spaniel, but after seeing my first-ever English cocker spaniel up close and personal at National Pheasant Fest, I knew. And just before the holiday break, I picked up “Sprig,” a lemon and white female field-bred English cocker, from Thunderstruck Gundogs in Balaton, Minnesota – my first bird dog!
*Speaking now from personal experience, Pheasants Forever’s National Pheasant Fest & Quail Classic is the must-see event for bird dog owners or soon-to-be owners. While I didn’t purchase a pup on the spot, I gained first-hand info from an exhibiting professional dog trainer and his valuable reference on a quality breeder closer to my home. This year’s show is in Kansas City on February 17, 18 & 19.
An English cocker is the perfect fit for me: A close-working dog – check; adept in the grasslands and wetlands – check; a small breed that’s sized for my small apartment – check; and good looking to boot – check. The breeder, Mark Mercie, said, in his experience, he found females a bit easier to work with, so I heeded his advice. In fact, in the six-month lead up to getting Sprig, Mercie took many questions from Kaily, my significant other, and I on an all-too-regular basis – I can’t overstate how important this was to us. We picked her up at her seven-week mark, and didn’t have to dangle a pheasant wing or practice puppy psychology as she was the only female in the litter.
As I type this, Sprig is sound asleep on my lap. An hour before, she was treating the flesh of my hands as a chew toy. These are the highs and lows of puppy ownership, but she’ll age so quick – my day is her week, seven times faster than me – that doing anything other than simply enjoying this time is silly.
The “My First Bird Dog” series will now shift gears to the training process, with sights set on the pheasant hunting opener in 2012. The thought of this teething, 6-lb. peanut ever flushing and retrieving a pheasant is a near-foreign concept right now, with dog training like a foreign language. My puppy passport has been punched – know any good translators?
Previous “My First Bird Dog” posts:
- Introducing “My First Bird Dog”
- What I’m Looking For
- Gun Dog Experts’ #1 Piece of Advice
- Just Show Me the DOGFAX
- Why Attend a Hunt Test or Field Trial?
- What Was Your First Bird Dog?
- Stuck Between Two Litters
- Rationalizing the Sticker Shock
- Best Bird Dogs for an Apartment
- When everyone’s a Dog Expert
Anthony’s Antics Afield is written by Anthony Hauck, Pheasants Forever’s Online Editor. Email Anthony at AHauck@pheasantsforever.org and follow him on Twitter @AnthonyHauckPF.
PF Long Life Members
Friday, December 30th, 2011
Pheasants Forever Life Members, from left, Marco, Mateo and Emilia.
Pheasants Forever Life Member John Surma from Kountze, Texas thinks very highly of Pheasants Forever’s wildlife habitat conservation mission, enough that he’s purchased PF Life Memberships for his niece and nephews. Five-year-old Mateo, and two-year-old twins, Marco and Emilia, were gifted Life Memberships, and the trio proudly wear their Rudy the Rooster (PF’s youth mascot) stocking caps. No matter where life takes these youngsters, they’ll always receive the Pheasants Forever Journal!
For more information about Pheasants Forever Life Membership – at any age – visit www.pheasantsforever.org/join.
Field Notes are written and compiled by Anthony Hauck Pheasants Forever’s Online Editor. Email Anthony at AHauck@pheasantsforever.org and follow him on Twitter @AnthonyHauckPF.
Iowa’s Three Rivers PF Chapter Keeps Hope Alive
Wednesday, December 14th, 2011
Humorist Mark Twain once said, “the news of my death has been greatly exaggerated.” Well, after a visit with the Three Rivers Pheasants Forever Chapter in far northwest Iowa’s Lyon County, news of the total demise of pheasant hunting in the Hawkeye State is equally exaggerated. Iowa pheasant hunting has taken a beating of late, and it certainly isn’t what it used to be, but you can still bag a limit in places, which several of us did last week.
Here in Minnesota (I work at PF’s national office in the Twin Cities), hunting late season in Iowa used to be as big a tradition as the Vikings losing the Super Bowl. Iowa’s pheasant season once extended well after Minnesota’s closed. Since those days, however, Iowa pheasant habitat and hunting has generally declined in most areas – like many other states.
Northwest Iowa’s Three Rivers Chapter has worked hard to preserve quality habitat and they’ve still got quality pheasant hunting because of it. Here is some of the chapter gents after a hunt last week with Pheasants Forever Journal Editor Herwig. Kneeling from left are Larry Wibben, Dustin Timmerman and Craig Van Otterloo; standing from left are Sean Grotewold, Tim Dammann and Jeff Schram.
But, let’s not dwell on the negative just now. Rather, I’d like to report the folks at the Three Rivers chapter have worked hard to improve their public lands and the birds have survived. We hit only one public site where we saw no roosters, but there were hens. We probably bagged half our 11 birds on public land and the other half at two private sites. We missed some birds and saw more roosters flushing long along with numerous hens.
Our hunting conditions were great: a few inches of snow to tamp down the grasses, but not enough to bog down your feet; temps in the 20s so both hunters and dogs could walk long and hard and remain comfortable; and the habitat was great…diverse and tall in places for the birds to hide and stay warm, while other areas were more open for easier walking. It
was also great to see beaver sign along the creeks, deer, Hun tracks, short-eared owls, bald eagles and many fur-bearer sign.
We also hunted through a unique and thriving oak and walnut planting done by agency partners with chapter help to benefit deer, turkey, waterfowl and non-game species alike. I can see why this chapter is successful. At a get-acquainted dinner the night before our hunt, 25 folks showed up to meet the PF editor. This chapter is organized and motivated. Thanks to Pheasants Forever’s Western Iowa Regional Representative, John Linquist, for arranging my visit with the Three Rivers Chapter.
Lastly, I visited an impressive and growing project taking place on either side of the northwest Iowa-South Dakota border where about 700 acres have been protected so far. The interesting thing is both states are pushing for the area, which includes a very large and ancient native American site, to be expanded and protected as either a national monument or park. Thanks to Craig Van Otterloo, chapter habitat chair and Lyon County Conservation Board director, for giving me a tour. Stay tuned to Pheasants Forever Journal next year for more details on this exciting project.
The Nomad is written by Mark Herwig, Editor of the Pheasants Forever Journal and
Quail Forever Journal. Email Mark at MHerwig@pheasantsforever.org.
New Indiana PF Member Wins Rooster Road Trip Citori
Tuesday, December 13th, 2011
David Schager joined Pheasants Forever during PF’s Rooster Road Trip 2011 last month. The Carmel, Indiana resident’s name was randomly selected as the grand prize winner from the online event’s membership drive for a Browning Citori 12 gauge shotgun.
David Schager, a new Pheasants Forever member, proudly shows off his new Browning Citori, which he won by following along and becoming a member during PF's Rooster Road Trip.
Pheasants Forever’s Rooster Road Trip 2011 visited five states in five days, including lands that Pheasants Forever has played a significant role in opening up to public access; either through land purchase, restoration or legislation. The effort focused on how important pheasant hunters that are Pheasants Forever members are to creating and improving publicly accessible habitat.
Special thanks to Browning, one of the sponsors of Rooster Road Trip 2011, for providing Browning PF hats to those who joined Pheasants Forever during the event, and the grand prize. Congratulations David, enjoy your new shotgun, and thanks to you and all members who signed up during the Rooster Road Trip for supporting Pheasants Forever and wildlife habitat conservation.
If you’d like to join Pheasants Forever, the nation’s leading upland conservation organization, visit www.PheasantsForever.org/Join. No organization does more to improve wildlife habitat for pheasants and quail, and we can only do it with your support.
Field Notes are written and compiled by Anthony Hauck Pheasants Forever’s Online Editor. Email Anthony at AHauck@pheasantsforever.org and follow him on Twitter @AnthonyHauckPF.
Pheasants Forever Projects on Rooster Road Trip 2011
Friday, November 18th, 2011
We’ve been able to put rooster in our game bags in all five states on Pheasants Forever’s Rooster Road Trip 2011, hunting only public land in a year when pheasant numbers are down dramatically. Not coincidentally, these gamebirds came off lands that were either initially purchased by Pheasants Forever or had help from Pheasants Forever upland habitat improvement projects.
Anthony Hauck, PF's Online Editor, left, and Ryan Diener, PF Farm Bill Wildlife Biologist with a Kansas WIHA rooster.
Kansas
Just northeast of Oberlin, Kansas, is a property that was cropped as recently as a decade ago. The local Sunflower Pheasants Forever chapter won the lease agreement, and planted native warm season grasses, as well as some food plots and small trees and shrubs. The area has been enrolled in the Kansas Walk-In Hunting Area (WIHA) program (#149), and management will continue with summer prescribed burning and native grass restoration.
Nebraska
The goal of the state’s CRP-Management Access Program (CRP-MAP) is to improve upland habitat and provide public access for walk-in hunting. CRP-MAP is funded jointly by the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission from Nebraska Habitat Stamp funds and grants from Pheasants Forever chapters across the state. The program is being restructured and transitioned into the Open Fields and Waters program.
Local PF chapter contributions have helped upland habitat at Iowa's Schnepf Wildlife Management Area.
Iowa
The Venenga Wildlife Area near Little Rock in Lyon County was actually the first donated property Pheasants Forever ever received in Iowa, and is open to public hunting. The Schnepf and Swalve Wildlife Management Areas near Ocheyedan have Blizzard Buster food and winter cover plots contributed by the Osceola Pheasants Forever chapter.
South Dakota
More than 50,000 acres are already enrolled in South Dakota’s new Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) in the James River Valley. Private landowners have signed a lease agreement to protect habitat and open the areas to public hunting. Every CREP contract has been worked on by a Pheasants Forever Farm Bill Wildlife Biologist, thanks to “The Habitat Organization’s” unique partnership with the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Minnesota
Eight Minnesota Pheasants Forever chapters, plus individual and corporate donations through Pheasants Forever’s Build a Wildlife Area program, helped purchase the Roger M. Holmes Wildlife Management Area in Douglas County. The 1,017 acre unit features grasslands, wetlands and timber that provide habitat for pheasants, wild turkeys, waterfowl and many nongame species.
As seen on just the 5-day Rooster Road Trip 2011, Pheasants Forever continues to be the driving force for upland conservation. Thanks for your support of Pheasants Forever and wildlife habitat conservation, and if you’re not yet a Pheasants Forever member, consider joining PF today.
Follow Pheasants Forever’s Rooster Road Trip 2011 at www.RoosterRoadTrip.org, on Facebook , YouTube, and Twitter (#rrt11).
Anthony’s Antics Afield is written by Anthony Hauck, Pheasants Forever’s Online Editor. Email Anthony at AHauck@pheasantsforever.org and follow him on Twitter @AnthonyHauck.
Minnesota Preview – Day 5 of the Rooster Road Trip
Friday, November 18th, 2011
Friday, November 18th – Minnesota
Pheasants Forever’s Rooster Road Trip 2011 concludes today in Minnesota. It’s the 35th day of Minnesota’s pheasant hunting season, and we’ll be hunting in the west central part of the state, including Stearns and Douglas Counties.
Shooting Hours: 9AM to Sunset
Daily Limits: 2 rooster pheasants per day / 6 in possession (changes to 3 and 9, respectively, on December 1 through the remainder of the season)
Minnesota PF chapters, like the Wright County PF group, have been actively in public land purchases for almost three decades.
Public Hunting Land
Minnesota Pheasants Forever chapters have put a premium on purchasing lands for permanent public protection, and the Rooster Road Trip will be checking a few of these out. Last year alone, Pheasants Forever in Minnesota participated in 14 land acquisitions totaling 1,312 acres (all land acquisitions are accomplished in partnership with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and/or the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and opened to the public for hunting and outdoor recreation), and the organization expects to eclipse that mark in 2011.
Nonresident Licensing
Minnesota’s nonresident small game license is $84.50 and is good for the entire season. Residents age 18-64, and all non-resident hunters, must have a Minnesota Pheasant Stamp validation. The $7.50 pheasant stamp – Pheasants Forever’s first organization goal which came to fruition – is required of all Minnesota pheasant hunters. Since 1983, stamp sales have generated more than $15.5 million for habitat enhancement efforts on both public and private lands in the pheasant range of Minnesota.
Pheasants Forever’s Impact in Minnesota
Pheasants Forever Chapters: 77
Pheasants Forever Members: This will be today’s Pheasants Forever trivia question on Facebook
Quail Forever Members: 103
Habitat projects completed by Pheasants Forever in Minnesota: 24,277 wildlife habitat projects
Total habitat acres improved by Pheasants Forever in Minnesota: 214,812 acres
My Minnesota Memories
Born and raised in Minnesota, this is where the bulk of my pheasant hunting has taken place. I bagged my first rooster here, and hope decades from now to bag my last one here too (not that I’m in a rush). This won’t happen for me or other hunters from my generation without the continued support of Pheasants Forever.
Follow Pheasants Forever’s Rooster Road Trip 2011 at www.RoosterRoadTrip.org, on Facebook , YouTube, and Twitter (#rrt11).
Anthony’s Antics Afield is written by Anthony Hauck, Pheasants Forever’s Online Editor. Email Anthony at AHauck@pheasantsforever.org and follow him on Twitter @AnthonyHauck.
One Dirty Rooster Road Trip Truck
Thursday, November 17th, 2011
Thanks to everyone for following along with Pheasants Forever’s Rooster Road Trip 2011 so far. We’ve put on over 2,000 miles in pursuit of public land pheasants, and hit the dirt back roads to some phenomenal Pheasants Forever wildlife habitat projects. And getting there is half the fun:
A dirty truck, the mark of any good Rooster Road Trip.
Follow Pheasants Forever’s Rooster Road Trip 2011 at www.RoosterRoadTrip.org, on Facebook ,YouTube, and Twitter (#rrt11).
Anthony’s Antics Afield is written by Anthony Hauck, Pheasants Forever’s Online Editor. Email Anthony at AHauck@pheasantsforever.org and follow him on Twitter @AnthonyHauck.
South Dakota Preview – Day 4 of the Rooster Road Trip
Thursday, November 17th, 2011
Thursday, November 17th – South Dakota
Pheasants Forever’s Rooster Road Trip 2011 rolls into “The Pheasant Capital” that is South Dakota for the fourth day of the five-day public land pheasant hunt. It’s the 34th day of South Dakota’s regular pheasant hunting season, and we’ll be hunting in the central to northeast part of the state.
Shooting Hours: 10AM to Sunset
Daily Limits: 3 rooster pheasants per day / 15 in possession
Pheasants Forever's Farm Bill conservation program work has led to 50,000 acres of conserved habitat in eastern South Dakota, acres that are also open for pheasant hunting.
Public Hunting Land
With state Walk-In Areas and Game Production Areas, and federal Waterfowl Production Areas, South Dakota has more than 1 million acres available to public land pheasant hunters. Despite this gaudy number, South Dakota Pheasants Forever chapters are working harder than ever to create publicly accessible, protected habitat as even South Dakota has experienced significant losses in habitat acres and a subsequent plunge in bird numbers. In addition to contributing to land acquisitions, PF chapters have helped fund Pheasants Forever Farm Bill Biologist positions, which have led to 50,000 acres enrolled in the state-sponsored Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) in the James River Valley. These acres are protecting pheasant nesting habitat and opening additional lands to upland hunters.
Nonresident Licensing
A nonresident small game hunting license is required. For $110, you are allowed to hunt two 5-day periods. In case you’ve never been to South Dakota, here’s a bit of clarification on these periods: For the first 5-day period, you will obviously select the dates of your hunt. If you aren’t sure of your second 5-day period dates, or if you’ll be back, the standard recommendation is to select the last 5-day period the calendar system will allow, the reason being you can always move your 5-day hunting periods up (earlier in season), but never back (later in season). If inclement weather or a spur-of-the-moment road trip cause plans to change, you’ll be ready. Also, if late season pheasant hunting is your thing, consider purchasing your license on or after December 15th, as this allows you to use your first 5-day period for that particular hunting season, and your second period in the following hunting season.
Pheasants Forever’s Impact in South Dakota
Pheasants Forever Chapters: 34
Pheasants Forever Members: That is today’s Pheasants Forever trivia question on Facebook
Habitat projects completed by Pheasants Forever in SD: 17,920 projects
Total habitat acres improved by Pheasants Forever in SD: 220,688 acres
My South Dakota Memories
I’ve been visiting South Dakota for annual pheasant hunting trips since I was a teenager, almost all of them December, late-season hunts – some of the coldest days of my life, and at the same time, some of the warmest. Any self-respecting pheasant hunter owes it to themselves to visit South Dakota at least once in their lifetime . . . or perhaps once a year.
Follow Pheasants Forever’s Rooster Road Trip 2011 at www.RoosterRoadTrip.org, on Facebook , YouTube, and Twitter (#rrt11).
Anthony’s Antics Afield is written by Anthony Hauck, Pheasants Forever’s Online Editor. Email Anthony at AHauck@pheasantsforever.org and follow him on Twitter @AnthonyHauck.
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