I think Steve’s post on what Pheasant’s Forever thinks of predator elimination is telling. It’s something I’ve always believed, if the birds have food and cover, baring regional and local diseases, they will do fine despite predators. It certainly holds true on the property I hunt.
Quotes from the Pheasants Forever article…
“Bottom line: Through the addition and management of habitat, we not only decrease the impact predators have on existing nests, but also increase the number of nests and population size in the area. This management comes at a fraction of the cost of other predator reduction methods.”
“Predators will continue to eat pheasants and their nests, but weather and habitat conditions will drive population fluctuations.”
Habitat and feed is key in addition to weather conditions. The main reason for the loss of ruffed grouse in parts of the Northeast is the decline of habitat. Grouse need young forests and brushy areas to survive. Making matters worse, the mosquito borne West Nile Disease has had an impact as a one two punch on the diminishing grouse populations.
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