Your pheasant hunting experiences/bird numbers this past season?

[wv270wsm]

I'm as dumb as they come to upland bird hunting . But I'd guarantee most of the diminishing numbers of ring necks would come from hawks . I drive on average a 1000 miles a week with work between Wv Ohio and Pennsylvania and see dozens and I mean dozens of hawks along side the interstates . They are very hard on small game from birds to squirrels and rabbits . Two years ago I watched one along my driveway catch 2 young turkeys that were just a little bit bigger than a good sized chicken.
I completely understand they are a beautiful bird and have a place in the ecosystem but their numbers seem to have exploded in the last 20 years.

 

[Dirtmtrsports]

Jon, that stinks. What has the PA decimation been attributed to, the same issues as states with declining populations...habitat loss and weather conditions?

Habitat loss, weather, and west nile I believe.
The ruffed grouse here in PA are falling to the same fate.

Wild birds here in PA were as plentiful as previous years. By plentiful, I mean ZERO. Since I can't live without a springer or two underfoot, I'm forced to chase state stocked birds and preserve hunts from which I derive little pleasure aside from spending time outdoors with friends and family. The state is trying to reestablishing wild birds on several tracts of public and private land ranging from 17,000 to 97,000 acres which are closed to hunting except for a youth hunting day. Results are discouraging with only 35% of hens surviving beyond 12 weeks are introduction. My, how I miss the good old days.

Fellow PA hunter here with a 5 month old gsp. Its not an ideal situation here but its better then not having anything at all for the dogs to chase.

 

[Dirtmtrsports]

I'm as dumb as they come to upland bird hunting . But I'd guarantee most of the diminishing numbers of ring necks would come from hawks . I drive on average a 1000 miles a week with work between Wv Ohio and Pennsylvania and see dozens and I mean dozens of hawks along side the interstates . They are very hard on small game from birds to squirrels and rabbits . Two years ago I watched one along my driveway catch 2 young turkeys that were just a little bit bigger than a good sized chicken.
I completely understand they are a beautiful bird and have a place in the ecosystem but their numbers seem to have exploded in the last 20 years.

I couldn't agree more with this. They are very hard on the stocked birds here in PA

 

[wv270wsm]

Yeah I'll guarantee it. I drive up and down 79 basically every other day and I'll guarantee that I see just while driving through pa at least 20 . Right along the interstate for roughly 35 miles. Now granted our human tendencies (high speed vehicles) tend to make possible easy meals for them. But I'd bet money I don't see but at best half the ones that are there.

 

[HNDLDR]

I'm as dumb as they come to upland bird hunting . But I'd guarantee most of the diminishing numbers of ring necks would come from hawks . I drive on average a 1000 miles a week with work between Wv Ohio and Pennsylvania and see dozens and I mean dozens of hawks along side the interstates . They are very hard on small game from birds to squirrels and rabbits . Two years ago I watched one along my driveway catch 2 young turkeys that were just a little bit bigger than a good sized chicken.
I completely understand they are a beautiful bird and have a place in the ecosystem but their numbers seem to have exploded in the last 20 years.

That and around populated areas the domestic house cat can reek havoc on chick populations.

 

[Mallardhammer]

Had a good year in NE MT/NW ND. Substantially more birds than the last three years but not quite like the hay days of the area about 7-10 years ago. I'm local so was able to hunt about twenty five days and was fairly consistently getting limits up until about Christmas. Lots of grouse around and I saw more huns this year than I've seen in the last 5 combined. Lots of shooting and the dogs got a lot of work! Hoping for another good hatch

 

[remy3424]

I had a exceptional season, harvest total was 60. We had a tough winter, I fed over 100 gallons of corn once the snow got deep and the feburary deep freeze came. My old GSP did well and m buddies 3 ear old GSP read is turning into a good unting dog. Here are a few trail cam pics, these were after the big snows and the extreme cold snap.

 

[motrapper]

Need to do more predator control on skunks, racoons, yotes, some fox and bobcats and lots of bird of prey control.
When we have all in check we have banner years. Slack off a couple years and back to where did they all go?

 

[HNDLDR]

I had a exceptional season, harvest total was 60. We had a tough winter, I fed over 100 gallons of corn once the snow got deep and the feburary deep freeze came. My old GSP did well and m buddies 3 ear old GSP read is turning into a good unting dog. Here are a few trail cam pics, these were after the big snows and the extreme cold snap.View attachment 259361View attachment 259363View attachment 259365

View attachment 259358

Where abouts are you located Remy3424? Those are some awesome pics.

 

[remy3424]

That farm is in Cherokee County Iowa. It is in a quarter section that is out of production, mostly in CRP.

 

[HNDLDR]

Nice!

 

[Dirtmtrsports]

That's awesome that you have wild birds around. Pretty cool pics

 

[KurtB]

Had my 4 yr old Drahthaar and 1 year old out a bunch this fall. Walked a lot of miles and did pretty good. Numbers are down a bit where I am hunting but had plenty of action. This was my best weekend hunt with them. All wild birds. Did get my first prairie chicken so that was pretty cool and go into some Nebraska sharptails as well.

 

[remy3424]

You must get waaay off the the trail, carting around extra gas in the back. Nice line-up! Eat the chicken or mount it? Good lookin dogs.