# Helping Pheasants



## Flyfishn247 (Oct 2, 2007)

I have been out a few time this year and have harvested a couple roosters, but it isn't like it used to be. When I started hunting pheasants 20 years ago, my dad, brother and I never failed to come home with less that 4 rooster on each outing, and this is in Utah County. I partially blame all the development over the last 20 years to the sharp decline in population, but I think a big part of it has to do with lack of management by the DWR. The only thing they tried was to shorten the hunt in Utah County. There is so much more that could be done.

I remember a few years back, you had to purchase a "upland game stamp" in order to hunt upland game. I think the DWR should do something similar and have a "pheasant" stamp. Charge $5 - $10 and have all of the money go towards increased management. Work with organizations like Pheasants Forever. Some management ideas could include the following:

1. Plant pheasants after the hunt ends. I am no biologist, but if they were to plant pheasants at a ratio of 5:1 of hens and roosters, I think we could see a boost in population. 

2. Predator control. Use some of the funds as bounties for predators which directly affect pheasants (racoons, skunks, foxes, etc.) from November until March. Have collection points for the carcasses and allow fur traders to purchase the fur at a discounted rate which will bring some funds back in for additional management.

3. Spread seed on public lands. Have a wild mixture of seed that would provide feed for pheasants (wheat, corn, maize, milo, etc.) and spread it out on some of the wetlands, WMAs and other public lands in the State. Much of it wouldn't need to be cultivated, but by spreading it by use of a helicopter or crop duster or whatever method necessary during early spring, some of the seed would take root and possibly start a long term supply of feed for the birds.

4. Use some of the funds for additional walk-in access to private lands. One thing I have observed about a lot of the posted private land, it is never hunted, not even by the land owners. They post it because of the many disrespectful hunters out there. If there was some added compensation and security, there would likely be more land owners open up to the public.

Well that is my proposal. I know we will probably never see pheasants like we did 20 years ago, but I would like to see more in years to come. I just hope that the DWR could see past the big game in this State and do more to manage our upland game, primarily pheasants.


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## one hunting fool (Sep 17, 2007)

they started a $5.00 habitat stamp that was set up just for Pheasant and there habitat. then they put in on every license as part of the fee. now it is just absorbed into the economics of the budget. I understand that a lot of the fees got to walk in access. No knocking the walk in access its great. But what are they doing to promote pheasant habitat staying habitat? I do not see promotion of varmint culling or bounties? In order to get a good Pheasant hunt you need to control the number of animals including humans eating them. otherwise you are dropping pennies into a bottomless well with nothing to show for it except fat fox’s and raccoons


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## luv2fsh&hnt (Sep 22, 2007)

I am not against helping the pheasants however I believe the DNR would just funnell the funds into big game programs.These folks,while they do work hard,have a dismal record when it comes to managing small game. The only successful small game program I recall here is the reestablishment of wild turkeys.This effort has been extremely succesful but I believe that success has more to do with the WTF than the DNR. In fact I think the WTF put up all the funding for the turkey planting that has happened.The DNR to their credit did capture and trade a few elk to Kentucky for 200 turkeys which were planted at the Middle Fork WMA.


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## Bret (Sep 7, 2007)

Yes, but all funds would need to be transparent to the public and *absolutely*
dedicated to benefit the ring necked Pheasant
Thanks,

Bret


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## TEX-O-BOB (Sep 12, 2007)

There is no way you will EVER have pheasants like we did back in the good ol days. *NEVER*

Reason 1, No habitat. Utah once was an agg state, but not any more. Houses, developments have replaced many farm lands. The acreage it would take to create such habitat does not exist. 
Reason 2, Farming practices. Farmers are using every inch of the land they have to get the yields they need to survive. The last thing they want is land sitting idle for habitat for pheasants. The CRP program in this state is minimal at best and without CRP and I mean MILES of it, you've got ZERO habitat.
Reason 3, Predation. There are more *****, foxes, skunks, badgers, birds of prey, and good old feral cats these days than you can shake a stick at. Pheasants raised in the wild or released into the wild are doomed, most will be Vermin Poo in less than 6 months.
Reason 4, The DWR doesn't give a rats crack about pheasants and even if you did raise the money for them they would spend it on something else.

*It's a lost cause!!!*


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## Dukes_Daddy (Nov 14, 2008)

I would support a program modeled after the one in Idaho where birds are planted and you have the option to buy tags that allow a certain number of birds killed.  The DWR has several areas where birds could easily be planted.


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## TEX-O-BOB (Sep 12, 2007)

Dukes_Daddy said:


> I would support a program modeled after the one in Idaho where birds are planted and you have the option to buy tags that allow a certain number of birds killed. The DWR has several areas where birds could easily be planted.


Put and take. Just like the planter rainbows in our fisheries. Good idea. The only idea that would actually work. Now just convince the DWR to pry their little money grubbing hands from around all the money earmarked for what they actually care about. 400 inch bulls.


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## Flyfishn247 (Oct 2, 2007)

I agree Tex, the DWR could care less about pheasants and even if they were to start to care, it sure as heck won't be like it used to be. But I believe there is room for significant improvement. Most all development has occurred in 4 counties, Utah, SL, Weber and Davis. Even with all the development, there is still quite a bit of land that can be hunted. I live in south Utard county and I have tons of places to go, ideal pheasant habitat at that, and I have yet to hunt anywhere with one hunter near me (I think most hunters around here have just given up).

I still think the biggest problem facing pheasants which would be the easiest to resolve is a reduction in predators. I came across a den of foxes in the Payson area in March/April that had two adults and seven cubs. This was near some farm land and only about 200 yards from a subdivision. Over the course of those two months, I found 12+ dead pheasant carcasses plus numerous cats, chickens, pigeons, you name it outside the multiple dens these foxes were in. I wanted to take the ol' .22 out and do some clean up, but I try to keep most of my actions on the right side of the law nowadays. I told a friend about them who traps a lot, but nothing ever came of it. Everywhere I hunt down here I find nothing but fox scat and **** prints in the mud with an occasional pheasant. I feel that if more incentive was given to get out and kill these vermin, we would see a slight rebound in no time. 

Tex, next time you head out "North" to chase phez, I would be more than willing to pay my share in gas to tag along. Hell, I will even bring my dog, she's no GSP, but she is a Golden Retriever with a lot of potential.


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## TEX-O-BOB (Sep 12, 2007)

FF247, I hear ya.

I have been a pheasant Nazi since I was 10. I would go out with my BB gun and try to walk them up and shoot them until I turned 12 then I would hunt them every day of the seson around my Murray home back in the late 70's and early 80's. Along about the time I turned 21 the pheasant hunting in this state had deteriorated to the point where I'd lost my passion for it. I had high-speed trained dogs and no pheasants to run them on.

In 1986 a friend of mine who was in the Army stationed at Fort Douglas invited me to go back to Nebraska with him to hunt pheasants where he grew up. I was hooked. It was only one year into the CRP program and already there were more pheasants than they had seen in the Midwest since the 60's. I've been making the trip back to the Midwestern states to hunt pheasants now for 23 years. Some years I'll even sneak in two or three trips. I've hunted Kansas, Nebraska, Both Dakotas, Iowa, and Montana. I've got my favorite places, but one truth still remains. ALL of the pheasant states have great habitat, and MILES of public lands open to sportsmen. The state agencies provide you with a land atlas so you can find these places and after a little road work you can find great hunting. I usually go for a week when I do it and spend around $500-$800 per trip. Don't go back without a GOOD dog, and don't expect to find roosters under every bush. You still have to HUNT to kill your birds but the hunting is unmatched anywhere.

Do your homework, get the time off from your J.O.B. and go hunt birds where the ARE birds.

Cheers,

Tex


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## one hunting fool (Sep 17, 2007)

Put and take would work... at getting fatter fox. Wild birds behave different that pen raise birds even when released. The CRP program that Tex talked about is only half the real problem. CRP needs to burn ever few years of be cut to bring its full potential last year up north we lost about 1000 acres to fire and this year it is thicker than ever. And for the first time in forever you hear Pheasants flying out of it in the morning. And I see sharpies all the time.
Last year all I saw there where grasshoppers. This year I shot 3 yotes in 1 hour tell me you can't see the changes just in that statement. No yotes if there’s no food. Now we kill them all the time.
Besides why would the DWR put money into pheasants they get everyone to buy hunting licenses without the effort. It’s a lost cause they don’t care.


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## xxxxxxBirdDogger (Mar 7, 2008)

I would love to have a put and take situation on the WMA's and Walk-In areas. I'd gladly help support the effort with more than just money. I'd volunteer time as well.


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