Wild vs planted pheasants, wow....

[BRoth82]

Around 1,000 - 1,200 or so and a mix of hens and roosters. I just do it to help him out.

 

[duckhunt]

I'm curious...what does Iowa have in terms of land for in state or out of state pheasant hunters? A buddy suggested I look at Iowa during one of my school breaks for pheasants, but I know nothing about it.

Look around on the Iowa DNR website. Under the hunting tab there is a hunting atlas that shows public land.

 

[Keep'er Movin]

Look around on the Iowa DNR website. Under the hunting tab there is a hunting atlas that shows public land.

Thanks...I'll take a look. Appreciate the tip.

 

[BrentD]

I'm curious...what does Iowa have in terms of land for in state or out of state pheasant hunters? A buddy suggested I look at Iowa during one of my school breaks for pheasants, but I know nothing about it.

We have a small amount of public land. VERY small, and an even smaller amount of walk-in land. After that, it is all private. Also, all private, posted or not, cannot be trespassed, unlike some other states, where you can trespass to hunt unless posted or told (verbally) otherwise.

 

[Wild Bill]

How many states are now releasing birds on public land for hunting? I have heard about South Dakota and Nebraska doing this. Wyoming has for a long time. I don't know about others. I THINK it is fairly limited in SD and NE, but I would like to know more from those with data.

I'm not exactly sure what goes on in SD, if its their actual G&F doing the stocking or if just private entities doing it all like the big lodges and shooting preserves. Def tons of pen-raised birds getting dumped in that state tho.

RJ was throwing that BS claim out a few weeks ago.
SD GFP 100% does not plant any birds in the state.
There are plenty of folks who will get chicks in the spring and raise them until they're grown enough to survive and then release them for the season on their own property. Obviously, there are plenty of preserves that release birds to keep their operations going.
Do some of those birds survive and venture out to be shot by everyday public land hunters? Sure, but very few, in my opinion. Those birds are dumb and typically very reluctant to leave the areas they were released, as the folks that spend the money to buy them and release them typically have some pretty good habitat for them as well.
Here is the 2024 Pheasant Management Plan for your viewing. Nothing about the state releasing birds.

https://gfp.sd.gov/UserDocs/Management_of_Pheasants_Final.pdf

 

[cwitherow]

One of my favorite hobbies is pheasant hunting. Primarily the Dakotas, Montana and Minnesota. Late season hunting is the most fun in my opinion. You need about 4-6 inches of new snow, a good dog, and a good pair of boots. I just love hunting the thickest willow/cattail swamps I can find. Will be out in ND in a few weeks.

Watching my dog work in a couple inches of snow is nothing short of beautiful.

 

[Schaaf]

Here in MONTANA, we do Prison Cocks for Kids every year

 

[Wild Bill]

Here in MONTANA, we do Prison Cocks for Kids every year

huh?

 

[CRJR45]

Here in MONTANA, we do Prison Cocks for Kids every year

A little context please ????

 

[Flynarrow]

Phelon Pheasants was the brainchild of our idiot Montana Legislature majority who diverted a couple of million of wildlife management dollars to give prisoners something to do after the state prison lost their dairy contract. The majority party in the legislature stated this program would give youth encouragement to hunt. The cost to sportsmen for every bird in the bag is astronomical and few youth actually participate. Mostly these phelon pheasants only feed coyotes and avian predators within a few days after release.

Instead of this wasteful, biologically indefensible program, these dollars could instead be spent on pheasant habitat enhancement programs that would produce more wild birds for all sportsmen over a far longer term.

Another example why Legislatures should be chastized for getting involved in wildlife "management".

 

[marshman]

How many states are now releasing birds on public land for hunting? I have heard about South Dakota and Nebraska doing this. Wyoming has for a long time. I don't know about others. I THINK it is fairly limited in SD and NE, but I would like to know more from those with data.

In the Northwest, Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and Montana do.

 

[Don Fischer]

I've never been big on pheasant, But, love chukar. Used to find a pheasant or two chukar hunting and never passed on one. Back then it seemed the only pheasant that ran out, the dog was to far off of or the cover was simply to light. Have had pheasant hiding in heavier cover withing a few feet of the dog and were a bummer to kick out. Then noticed birds out ten or more yards were likely to run if I got close to the dog. Found with quail a bunch would wild flush quite a bit but small covey's and singles would hold great. Use to go in and flush and if a big covey's

s got up mark all I could them go after them. Broken up covey's just seem to hold better. The spookiest birds for me were huns. bit worse than pheasant pointed to far off. My springer did better on pheasant but he stayed in gun range and would drive the birds out. L think my favorite bird was grouse. They just seemed to hold better than other birds and were bigger birds. Especially liked the Blue Grouse.

 

[Don Fischer]

In the Northwest, Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and Montana do.

I was stationed at Adair AFB 1966 to about 1970 and there was a pheasant hatching area run by fish and game then on the site. Oregon been planting a long time! The guy's working there told me that a few birds would do well in the wild and actually become wild and breed out there but the vast majority of planted birds would be predator food sometime in the first week turned loose. Have seen stocked pheasant that had been turned loose and they were actually stupid. I think if they were raised different they would fair better in the wild. To much people around while in the hatchery. When I had bobwhite's here for my dogs their food and water was added to from outside behind a wood wall and part of their food scattered through the wire over the wall. I suspect bobwhite raised in recall pens and turned loose often do well in the wild also. I used to have brush piles with food and water in my pasture for bobwhite I released, Kept them around pretty well and brush pile kept predators at bay. Only added food and water after dark. Raise a game bird like a chicken and it will act like a chicken!

 

[Don Fischer]

RJ was throwing that BS claim out a few weeks ago.
SD GFP 100% does not plant any birds in the state.
There are plenty of folks who will get chicks in the spring and raise them until they're grown enough to survive and then release them for the season on their own property. Obviously, there are plenty of preserves that release birds to keep their operations going.
Do some of those birds survive and venture out to be shot by everyday public land hunters? Sure, but very few, in my opinion. Those birds are dumb and typically very reluctant to leave the areas they were released, as the folks that spend the money to buy them and release them typically have some pretty good habitat for them as well.
Here is the 2024 Pheasant Management Plan for your viewing. Nothing about the state releasing birds.

https://gfp.sd.gov/UserDocs/Management_of_Pheasants_Final.pdf

I was just thinking. Around here we used to have a lot of pheasant but a local rancher was raising them and turning them loose. Lot of them went wild and survived really well. That rancher died long time ago and no one else raised them and turned them loose anymore. Damn few pheasant left here. Used to be a lot of them about 15mi from here on the John Day River. But the rancher lost his place and BLM tool over. BLM leased out the best pheasant cover I've ever seen to a local rancher to plow up and grow carrot seed. When the lease expired he had to replant it and he did but now it's mostly thistle and no pheasant to be found.