I drove back across Kansas yesterday from Cimarron, NM. Saw several pheasants run or fly across the road in front of me. Looks to be another good year.

I recall a time when the "garden state" of New Jersey had wild pheasants in the plentiful farmland that abounded here more than 45 years ago. Today it's a put and take proposition for wildlife on crowded state wildlife management areas and there are just too many winged and 4-footed predators to allow for any holdovers from year to year.

Native quail were everywhere as well in the southern portions of the state but are rarely found today.

Here in Northern Virginia I have seen our grouse and quail disappear and at the same time a large increase in the hawk family, not to mention eagles. I believe that the hawks have wiped out our quail. A neighbor is attempting to introduce quail and has had some success. He says that one must provide massive ground cover in the form of tangles, brush and near-by food plants which are close to cover and include open ground. This is not easy with our thick growing fesque grasses which are too dense for the quail. David

My uncle still has a small farm in Maryland. Along with his neighbors, we had access to some fine wild bird hunting going back 30 years. Plenty of native quail and pheasants then. Today, you won't find a pheasant anywhere on what land is left there that hasn't been turned into housing down there. We also used to hunt Virginia for quail but there are not many left. Lots of predators though.

My uncle has plenty of tangles of brush on his property and he continues to try and introduce some quail each year so he has something for his Setter to work, but they seem to succumb to the predators rather quickly.

The Barred Owl and the Goshawk appear to be the greatest threat to the grouse population in Vermont where I do 90% of my upland hunting. The (roughly) ten-year cycles of Ruffed Grouse and other small game can probably be attributed to the increase in numbers of predators when these game birds are approaching their population apex. Then, as their numbers decrease drastically because of predation, the populations of predators decrease consequentially allowing the gamebird's populations to increase again.

Ditto
 

Ten to fifteen years ago I hunted some private property not far from Winchester Va. More grouse then one can imagine. This roughly 100 acre plot of land often yielded 25 flushes in two or three hours of walking around. Mind you, most of that was done without dogs, there were that many birds. We continued to work at the habitat. Lots of wild grapes were fertilized. Autumn Olives were planted, apple trees, food plots. Larger trees were cut down to increase young sprouts etc. Bottom line, is the birds continued to decline.

At the present state, we flushed four of five birds the whole season last year. We only shot at two and missed (probably a good thing). Our dogs are limited to put and take at a local preserve. Not the best, as they deserve better.

That's why we have wandered out west and to other parts of the country. This year I'm taking an old dog (two if you count me) and a young pup to Maine in October to bird hunt. I know it won't be fantastic, but no doubt we will get into more birds then her for sure.

I say it's predators more then anything else. I just can't think of anything else, as it sure isn't habitat IMO.

PS. A picture of my old dog (younger then) taken in ND. This was a 100 bird in the air at the same time day.

http://pic60.picturetrail.com/VOL172.../355608489.jpg

Hawks are not that numerous as opposed to prey species and I would tend to think skunks,other members of the weasel family and raccoons are the main culprits.Ground nesting birds really get it from these predators, which are on the rise population wise, in many locales.I like birds of prey and they,after all, are killing to live as opposed to sport hunting for humans.Crows are another menace to all ground nesting birds. I have watched them many times raiding nests of ducks and other ground nesting birds. They, too, are just staying alive but their numbers need to be controlled as they have no problems adapting to human beings,something which cannot be said for most birds of prey.

Tom, where in Maine are you planning to hunt in October? Will you be using an outfitter or guide?

Neither sort of.
 

I'm hunting on a piece of private property located not far from Belfast Maine. I've hunted there off and on a few times and have done fair. Not many grouse, lots of woodcock. Wife and I and two dogs are headed up on the 10th of October and plan to stay the entire week. She's never been up there before and wanted to check it out.

Good to know Tom. A good friend owns 80 acres in Belfast and has offered to allow me to hunt there. He is also on very good terms with his neighbors on all three sides and they have sizable chunks of land too. That's coastal Downeast Maine and is known for it's woodcock numbers. Maybe I'll try it some year soon.