Pheasants surviving the winter in South Dakota

[Jeff Sweeter]

A couple pics of pheasants on my farm I've been feeding this winter.We have had quite a bit of snow and most of the food sources are covered,so I've been sharing some of my shell corn with them hoping they survive.My dog Katie watching the pheasants out of our patio door wishing it was still hunting season. Counted almost 100 the day of this photo. Jeff

[Jeff Sweeter]

Shure wish you would let me out so I could chase them!

[CraigThompson]

I’ve never pursued pheasants other than pen raised birds from tower shoots and walk up afters . Is it the norm regulation everywhere that isn’t a tower shoot or preserve hunt that it’s cockbirds only ?

[Harold Lee Pickens]

Jeff, was wondering how the birds were faring after the recent heavy snows. I was there hunting in mid January around Huron. There was alot of snow then, but the winds had blown the snow off of alot of fields and there would be lots of pheasants out looking for corn. It was hard to find a place to pull off the road the snow was so deep then. They sure are hardy birds, but I'm sure you are helping out their survival.
Craig, yes only cock birds may be shot in states that have wild bird populations, and you will flush 10 hens for every cock bird you see, and the cocks will flush further out.

[Jeff Sweeter]

Hello Harold, the fields around me have had possibly a foot of snow cover for over a month.Not until recently has there been some open spots melt away.Ive talked to several neighbors and fellow hunters who have been out putting shellcorn here and there along country roads where they have seen birds looking for food.I have never seen these numbers of birds in our area in my lifetime.They seem to be wintering very well.Just hope we can avoid an ice storm yet as that is usually pretty hard on them.The cattail areas where they have been roosting are completely full of snow.Some evenings there will be quite a few flying up in my trees to roost at night.A lot of nesting area in South Dakota,CRP ground was cut for hay last summer because of the dry weather,drought,we had.Normally they allow you to cut 50% of a field for hay,feed.Last year they let everyone cut the whole field.It will take till June at least to have cover tall enough for the birds to hide in and nest.I farm and know animals need to be fed but I think it equally important to have habitat for wildlife.I left several 10 to 20 acre grass areas with cattails near by and put in several food plots in those areas also.We also sowed an additional 25 acres down to grass and enrolled it in the CRP programs Unfortunately the USDA will not let me plant a food plot in that area without paying fines and penalties. May have to put a feeder out there next winter. Jeff

[Jeff Sweeter]

Hi Craig, as Harold said you are only allowed to shoot the roosters.Limit is 3 a day unless you are hunting on a preserve. Preserves are required to release additional pen raised birds on a percentage of birds harvested to keep numbers up.Limits are higher on some preserves depending on how much you want to spend.I met a guy this winter who has been raising several hundred a year and when they get about big enough to butcher he just opens the pen gate and let's them go.He commented they are quite thick on his yard for a couple weeks.I have a chance to get some birds from him this summer to release into the wild.I know lots of farmers in the area that have some good grass,CRP areas to release them in with hopes of getting permission to hunt there later this fall.I released some half grown birds several years ago in a good spot and there were lots more birds in that area for several years.I heard last fall that the GF&P would also purchase and release some birds to landowners if they had a adequate spot.I haven't checked into that yet.Jeff

[Dan Steingraber]

Hello Harold, the fields around me have had possibly a foot of snow cover for over a month.Not until recently has there been some open spots melt away.Ive talked to several neighbors and fellow hunters who have been out putting shellcorn here and there along country roads where they have seen birds looking for food.I have never seen these numbers of birds in our area in my lifetime.They seem to be wintering very well.Just hope we can avoid an ice storm yet as that is usually pretty hard on them.The cattail areas where they have been roosting are completely full of snow.Some evenings there will be quite a few flying up in my trees to roost at night.A lot of nesting area in South Dakota,CRP ground was cut for hay last summer because of the dry weather,drought,we had.Normally they allow you to cut 50% of a field for hay,feed.Last year they let everyone cut the whole field.It will take till June at least to have cover tall enough for the birds to hide in and nest.I farm and know animals need to be fed but I think it equally important to have habitat for wildlife.I left several 10 to 20 acre grass areas with cattails near by and put in several food plots in those areas also.We also sowed an additional 25 acres down to grass and enrolled it in the CRP programs Unfortunately the USDA will not let me plant a food plot in that area without paying fines and penalties. May have to put a feeder out there next winter. Jeff


God bless you Brother.

[Harold Lee Pickens]

Yes, that is a great thing that you are doing for the wildlife. I noticed alot of the CRP had been baled. I hunt in SE SD, and already have cabin rented for next January. January is really tough hunting, there are no easy birds then, but I dont mind working hard for them. I can still walk all day, and "legs kill birds". We hunt mostly WPA's, GPA's and CREP ground. These require non toxic shot--I have fired 1 lead load in 2 years of hunting there.

[Jeff Sweeter]

Thanks Harold. The cattail patchs that I saw birds landing in had to be 4 ft deep with snow here in Jan.I didn't venture out in it.They must be able to get down underneath them and find their way out again somehow.I think you would have had to ride a Buffalo or something similar to get to them.I had plenty good hunting earlier in the season.I have it pretty easy as I can walk from my place to good pheasant cover.

[Dean Romig]

I’m sure pheasants are as resourceful as ruffed grouse as I’ve had them burst up from beneath the snow the morning after a snowstorm in my youth some sixty years ago.

This picture is from two weeks ago in Vermont when a friend who was out snowshoeing when this grouse made good his thunderous escape.


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