# Bringing back wild pheasants in Utah



## #1DEER 1-I (Sep 10, 2007)

With what they DWR did, I just get a little frustrated sometimes, or most the times. Why spend money on releasing pen raised birds rather than use that money to get rid of the predators? What's the point in releasing birds that are just going to be eliminated by predators after a year? The raccoons and the skunks and the foxes and the coyotes must be taken out before there's any reason to release any birds. So why not put the money into that now, and release birds once the predator situation is under control? I try to do my part by putting out traps and getting rid of what I can, but a something bigger (DWR) is going to have to happen before the predators are under control. I wouldn't mind a 5 or 10 dollar upland game stamp if it would go to predator control. It's good to see them release birds and try to do something, but in the end the result will be the same as long as the problem still remains that created such few pheasants in the first place. 

As a side note. I don't need you people coming on and adding to this post about how much habitat has been lost and there's no way pheasants could thrive again. Thats bull, there are plenty of places in Utah that would still hold good numbers of pheasants if predators were controlled. The wasatch front is not the whole state everyone, there is habitat for pheasants (and deer) still out there despite what many of you might think. Most of the state besides the wasatch front haven't yet crept up into the foot hills and right against the mountain sides ruining all habitat. There is still plenty left for pheasants but there's simply too many predators to keep them going.


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## COWAN (Oct 7, 2012)

I agree. Predators are the biggest issue where I live. Why not put a bounty on magpies, crows, (like the old days) and any other predator out there? Utah needs to follow Idaho and release pheasants every year, Utah used to.


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## BPturkeys (Sep 13, 2007)

Well #1Deers, you might be right about habitat not being a factor, but what I would like to know is why is it that many states, N&S Dakota, Neb, Kanas just to mention a couple...have nice populations of birds? Do they not have preditors like Utah? Is there something special about Utah preditors that make them more effective pheasant killers. I don't have any answers...wish I did.


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

It's a LOT of things. One-eye you're heart is in the right place and I do feel your pain, but you're just not ever going to see it happen in this state. The DWR would first need to actually care about pheasants, (they don't,) and then they would have to implement other programs other than predator control for it to work. A CRP program, different farming practices, bird release and supplement programs, and then we'd have to get Mother Nature on board with ideal nesting weather and mild winters. It's just a lost cause and it aint never gonna get any better. That's just the way it is.


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## Dukes_Daddy (Nov 14, 2008)

Use Idahos program. Charge for 5 tags and turn birds loose in WMAs. It's not wild birds but cheaper and better hunting experience than the clubs. Need more tags buy more.


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## #1DEER 1-I (Sep 10, 2007)

maybe the difference is simple. Maybe its because their wildlife agency gives a **** about there being pheasants. This was a pretty good year for everything to do good with such a mild winter and yet it was as bad as ever.


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## USMARINEhuntinfool (Sep 15, 2007)

I actually like the fact that they release birds, it provides some good opportunity for the guys that don't have access to private property. Most of the birds get shot up on the opener I imagine. A few get eaten by predators and a few make it through to the next year. There is plenty that could be done. Predators are a huge issue I think, but habitat is also an issue. I'd like to see some money spent on predator removal by the sportsmans orgs, SFW, UWC, PF, DU and others. I would also like to see them step up and encourage farmers to leave the edges of their agricultural fields grown out, road shoulders, fence lines, and ditch lines left with some cover/habitat as well. A CRP program in some areas of the state could really produce some nice bird habitat. A lot could be done. Maybe you could recruit one of these orgs to come help you do a project on your favorite pheasant hunting area. The ball wont get rolling if you dont give it a kick.


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## utahgolf (Sep 8, 2007)

pheasant stamp???????


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## #1DEER 1-I (Sep 10, 2007)

I would be for it, if they would be able to bring back pheasants.


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## Packfish (Oct 30, 2007)

The DWR would first need to actually care about pheasants, (they don't,) and then they would have to implement other programs other than predator control for it to work. A CRP program, different farming practices, bird release and supplement programs, 
pretty much the truth. When I first came to Utah in 72- the bird hunting was incredible- I could limit out and still get to classes. Then the land owners decided to sell permits as a group- then they changed their farming practices and the birds declined- then they thought we'll just stock them and they will come back- sorry that's not how it works. the survival rate is well- I would rather have the odds of me surviving if I was in the way of Roseann Barr at a buffet line.


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## Fishrmn (Sep 14, 2007)

Concrete ditches, overhead sprinklers and clean farming have done more to reduce pheasant numbers than anything else. Weeds, ditch banks that don't get plowed or harvested, and puddles of water for the birds to drink out of are gone. So are the birds.


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## #1DEER 1-I (Sep 10, 2007)

Well guess what pheasants are a concern for me and many sportsmen an if there were a lot of birds as their used to be I would sometimes rather hunt them than a big game animal. Maybe the DWR should start helping us who pay for things and worry about the fact we still want pheasants rather than giving up on them. I believe that's what we pay them all for and we have an upland game coordinator. Not so they can spend millions for new vehicles every year and useless **** that dosent work.


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## Chuck (Mar 28, 2012)

aren't all pheasant's released birds anyway? Or did they naturally migrate here? What do you mean don't comment on habitat, that's the #1 issue. I think people like to use the predator issue as a scape goat and it's a way over played card.


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## #1DEER 1-I (Sep 10, 2007)

Because habitat isn't the #1 factor everywhere.... where I live and as well as many places in the state there are places for pheasants to live. I'll compile about 100 photos if you would like and send them to you proving there is still useful pheasant habitat in Utah, maybe not on the Wasatch front, where habitat has been lost due to people needing to live from mountain side to mountain side, but other areas of Utah aren't like that, and wild pheasants could still be seen in good numbers.


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## Fishrmn (Sep 14, 2007)

I'll bet every place that looks like pheasant habitat to you doesn't look like pheasant habitat to pheasants. There are very few places that have standing water (because of overhead sprinklers, pivots and concrete canals and waterways). There are very few places where the plows don't touch, leaving very few places where brambles, briars, and weeds provide protection.


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## #1DEER 1-I (Sep 10, 2007)

ill get u some photos on here so i cans show u places like this still exhist............ property right where i have cows have it. you dont think there are because of what you see.... i admit its changed but theres still enough habitat and enough during certain times that is left untouched enough for times when fields are cut.


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## Fishrmn (Sep 14, 2007)

If there are cows, there won't be pheasants. Cows don't watch where they step or where they poop. They smash eggs and kill hatchlings.


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## BPturkeys (Sep 13, 2007)

Come on Deers, face facts, Utah has VERY little prime Pheasant habitat. Oh sure, there are few little pockets of pretty good looking country, but really, when compared to real pheasant states, we have nothing! I don't know if you remember the "good old days" but I do, and I can tell you right now that Utah never had very many pheasants. With new farming practices, some habitat loss, and yes, more predators, we have slipped even. The question is, do we throw good money after bad in an effort to have a few pheasants to shoot, or do we spend our resources in other areas that have a better return for our buck. Say Chukars? Utah has great Chukar habitat. Deers, we all would love a huge thriving population of pheasants, but alas, it just ain't going to happen in Utah.


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## MKP (Mar 7, 2010)

I don't even look for pheasants anymore. The quail around here are doing far too well to bother with pheasants.


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## GaryFish (Sep 7, 2007)

1-I - aren't you down in the Sevier area? Hook up with the Pheasants Forever group down there and see what you can do. I'd agree with you that there are some good pheasant areas, but I wouldn't say there are a lot of them. You are talking about farm valleys which are almost exclusively private lands. Unless there is a motivating factor for a land owner to manage for pheasants, he won't. 

Pheasant hunting is my favorite kind of hunting. I'll take it over any big game hunting given the opportunity. I loved living in Montana and Nebraska for a few years just for that reason. Living in GOOD pheasant states, one comes to realize that Utah simply does not have adequate habitat to get there. And I know the areas you are talking about - many could be good pheasant areas. But those pockets are few and far between.

Just releasing more birds does little. Farm raised birds seldom survive more than a week once released. They are just stupid and die from starvation or dehydration. Seems like something like 1 in 20 released birds will survive more than 7 days. Its a tough one. 

I applaud your desire. I really do. But Utah is more likely to get a sustainable population of blue marlin than pheasants in the future.


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## #1DEER 1-I (Sep 10, 2007)

Quail are doing very well in our state. And that's one thing I have yet to understand. They live in the same areas, yes pheasants and quail do things quite a bit differently but where I'm at the quail population is exploding and pheasants are slowly disappearing into a thing of the past? Is it because there's no suitable habitat, well there seems to be plenty for the quail. Could it be the predators are desimating their eggs, chicks, and adult birds and the quail can better hide and keep there chicks and eggs from predators. Or is simply as you said a lost cause. Where I'm at with it is no, there isn't going to be a lot of pheasants but there could be many more than what we have today. I would be okay if I could at least see a few roosters and quite a few hens still along ditchbanks and fencelines. I actually saw a smart old rooster today, I had walked down a patch of sagebrush doing some things with a cow.... and after I was out of it he was about 150 yards away from me running got into the open and flew off, with that exciting churp a big wild rooster gives that gets your heart bumping. I do remember the good old days and no I'm not saying Utah ever had loads of pheasants but even in the last five years there are no pheasants in suitable fields and habitat that used to boast at least 10 or 15 jumps every year. The fields haven't changed all that much, in fact I've seen much more corn patches, grain patches, there are still ditchlines (both dirt and cement ditches) with cover waist high on both sides, sage brush patches that haven't changed over the five year period and yet the birds keep dissappearing and are dwindling until eventually there will be no more to see.... and to me that's very sad. Like I said a big wiey old rooster flying up with that churp and long tailfeathers can get my heart pounding as much as a nice 4 point buck in a rifle scope , a pheasants an amazing bird and definelty my favorite between all waterfowl and upland game. There's just something about that pay off that a pheasant is probably the smartest game bird there is, and being able to see and have chances at them is a very fun experience. That's why giving up on them, I'll never be able to come to terms with. I love pheasants and pheasant hunting, and it's been a hard thing to watch decline like it has.


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## GaryFish (Sep 7, 2007)

I'm with you. Nothing better than a cackling rooster busting from the weeds. Or walking an edge and having one fly up your pant leg.

It seems like most guys I know anyway, that are in to pheasants, just save their money for a trip somewhere else every year. Splitting gas, staying in local dive motels, and eating truck stop corn dogs for a few days in a Kansas or South Dakota quest for daily limits isn't a bad thing.


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## BPturkeys (Sep 13, 2007)

Deers, I think we all feel the same way you do about pheasants...nothin like jumpin a big old rooster, or for that matter just seeing one in the field. Perhaps that's where we are in Utah with pheasants...just look...no shooting. As Grayfish said, if you want to hunt pheasants, go to where there is a shootable population of birds and have a ball. Gee, did I just say maybe we should end pheasant hunting in Utah?

PS..quail are not like pheasants at all...you see some in the same places sometimes but that's about where it ends. Quail are very much like very fast little turkeys(and other ground birds)...but pheasants...no.


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## mjbarney12 (Feb 13, 2011)

*I'd sure like to know where all these quail*

are that you refer to...aside from being in mine and my neighbor's back yards. Those are the only places I've seen any quail in my entire life. I hear that the quail population is doing great around here but alas, it's always in urban areas that I see them.


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## nk1nk (Nov 15, 2011)

Garyfish is right guys save up and go to south Dakota for a hunt and south Dakota knows it, that's why they release up to 40,000 birds a year. Guys think they are shooting wild pheasants and the state rakes in tourism dollars. Utah doesn't do it because people won't buy into the idea of Utah having wild pheasant populations and spend there money here.

Nick


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## GaryFish (Sep 7, 2007)

I'm pretty sure its been a couple of decades since South Dakota Game and Fish stocked any pen raised birds. Private preserves stock about 450,000 birds every year for their private shooting clubs. But the State does not stock birds.

Here is an interesting article that hits on it.
http://www.dogsanddoubles.com/2012/07/s ... pheasants/


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## GaryFish (Sep 7, 2007)

Here is a really good article from Pheasants Forever that talks about stocking pen-raised birds to improve wild bird populations.
http://www.pheasantsforever.org/page/1/stocking.jsp


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## bigthree (Nov 28, 2009)

One of the things you can do to see if you have good habitat is the yard stick rule.Put a 3 foot yard stick in the ground and walk 30 yards a away. If you can see it,you do not have good enough habitat for hens to nest.Or hide from birds of prey.South Dakota has 3 things going for it. They shoot crows,they can spotlight with land owner,and the support from the fish and game.They do supplement hens in some areas if they have low hen counts. I'm all for bringing back the pheasants in Utah.


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## mountainrat (Sep 19, 2013)

I personally hit the pheasants hard every year. I find a few roosters here an there.. There is enough prime country for it but I dont think the dwr gives a hoot to improve the pheasant hunting. We have so many slews with prime pheasant habitat its unreal. Ask them to trap the ***** and fox in the off season and they say no. So what gives??


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## Bret (Sep 7, 2007)

I love that you all care about pheasants. I sometimes feel like the only one. We will never be SD or ND but I think we can do a heck of a lot better than we have. I think I have seen a big change in the attitude of the F&G about pheasants over the last year or so. I applaud any effort to try to increase pheasant populations. Any effort put forth will be substantially better than the zero effort we have had in the past.

I am one of the privileged few that still have decent pheasant hunts most every year in Utah. I wish everyone else could too. There is nothing like shooting a rooster over a wise old bird dog that has beat the long spurred running fool at his own game by pinning him with a stylish point against an edge. To me this is one of the best scenes in the outdoors, and its worth fighting for.

Thanks:? I'm not even into scratching my sharptail itch and ya'll have me itchin' for roosters...


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## mtnrunner260 (Feb 15, 2010)

Deer, 
I applaud your passion for sure. I really do.
But instead of bitching and moaning on here, which does absolutely nothing.
Set a meeting with the upland game coordinator. Tell him your concerns and desires, have him explain why pheasants are doing poorly. Why quail are doing well. 
Then if you do have land suitable for pheasants go to the NRCS And have them help you manage your land to provide pheasant habitat.
Get ahold of the local government trapper. See what he can do for you.

I get so sick and tired of us as sportsmen complaining but never acting. - by no means is that directed at you deer but if we want to change anything the **** internet certainty isn't the place.


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## #1DEER 1-I (Sep 10, 2007)

I don't know where this thread came from again, but the internet can be a good source to get the word heard. I and others I know have emailed the DWR Upland Game coordinator several times about the issue, all they have is excuses no answers. Its all a doomsday story when you try to see what can be done with pheasants. We may not be able to hold tons of pheasants but we do have viable habitat in nearly every county in the state to boast pheasant numbers better than they do now.


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## pelican (Mar 29, 2012)

October 24th pheasants forever is having a banquet. Go there and I'm sure those people would be happy to help you.


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## Dukes_Daddy (Nov 14, 2008)

mountainrat said:


> I personally hit the pheasants hard every year. I find a few roosters here an there.. There is enough prime country for it but I dont think the dwr gives a hoot to improve the pheasant hunting. We have so many slews with prime pheasant habitat its unreal. Ask them to trap the ***** and fox in the off season and they say no. So what gives??


Sorry but we have zero opportunity to improve pheasant hunting. Habitat is mostly gone and what remains is fragmented and marginal.

Idaho has a great release program where residents buy tags and their Fish & Game department releases birds on public ground. I would support that change.


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## #1DEER 1-I (Sep 10, 2007)

Dukes, there is useable habitat all over the state, not in Utah or salt lake county no. And no you can't expect Utah to be South Dakota, but we still have useable habitat, both private and state owned that could be used to improve pheasant opportunities in the state, some BLM land could even be improved to help pheasnts, IMO, but the DWR is not willing to give pheasants the opportunity. There is places in Utah that could boast pheasant populations, it just needs some help, know how, and action.


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## Dukes_Daddy (Nov 14, 2008)

#1DEER 1-I said:


> Dukes, there is useable habitat all over the state, not in Utah or salt lake county no. And no you can't expect Utah to be South Dakota, but we still have useable habitat, both private and state owned that could be used to improve pheasant opportunities in the state, some BLM land could even be improved to help pheasnts, IMO, but the DWR is not willing to give pheasants the opportunity. There is places in Utah that could boast pheasant populations, it just needs some help, know how, and action.


Where? Delta? Uinta Basin? What beyond funding predator control do you expect the DWR to do? Where land remains farming practices and crops have changed for economic reasons.

Rather than poor money down a hole spend it on guzzlers for chukars and huns.


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## #1DEER 1-I (Sep 10, 2007)

Sevier, Piute, Wayne, Emery, Beaver, Sanpete, Millard, Garifeld counties. WMA's. Work on predators, optimise WMA's, obtain land for habitat in the state (not only for pheasant but all kinds of wildlife). There is land and area's untouched in all these counties and Utah that could be made into good pheasant habitat. The DWR could work with pheasants forever, and other wildlife groups, the BLM to improve stands of areas, seed areas to better benefit pheasants. No habitat isn't everywhere but their is still habitat, and areas that could become useable habitat for pheasants. It's great to see quail, chukar, and huns doing better, and I hope it continues, but pheasants have a place.


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## #1DEER 1-I (Sep 10, 2007)

And just so I'm clear, there is not habitat everywhere, but their is areas with potential for habitat for pheasants.


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## Dukes_Daddy (Nov 14, 2008)

#1DEER 1-I said:


> Sevier, Piute, Wayne, Emery, Beaver, Sanpete, Millard, Garifeld counties. WMA's. Work on predators, optimise WMA's, obtain land for habitat in the state (not only for pheasant but all kinds of wildlife). There is land and area's untouched in all these counties and Utah that could be made into good pheasant habitat. The DWR could work with pheasants forever, and other wildlife groups, the BLM to improve stands of areas, seed areas to better benefit pheasants. No habitat isn't everywhere but their is still habitat, and areas that could become useable habitat for pheasants. It's great to see quail, chukar, and huns doing better, and I hope it continues, but pheasants have a place.


So where are the birds?

To increase bird numbers you need to plant food and cover. Develop water sources. Kill the critters. We would need to do this on thousands of acres.


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## Lonetree (Dec 4, 2010)

Years ago, when I raised pheasants. I had a supplier show me the difference between Heritage breed "Chinese ringneck pheasants", and other varieties. His assertion was that some of the breeds that were brought in, were the problem, along with excessive release programs. Many of the varieties that were brought in, were used because they were thought to be more predator resistant, and drought hardy.

Back in the '90s I saw my two favorite chukar areas ruined by pen raised birds that were brought in to "supplement" the existing birds. It has now become more common to trap and translocate "wild chukars", to establish new areas, rather than use pen raised birds, because of the harm it can do. And supplementing is fortunately frowned on by some now too.


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## #1DEER 1-I (Sep 10, 2007)

Well dukes what do we do for all other species? Millions are spent to do the exact thing you talk about for hundreds of thousands of acres across the state for other species. so don't make it sound so impossible. The problem is more state and blm land need to be improved for pheasants in Utah to help pheasants . Private land is being taken over ill grant that but there's also plenty of that for pheasants around the state. Creating habitat on public land will ensure a future for pheasants (the funnest thing to hunt besides deer IMO) here in Utah, if we don't pheasants will have no future in Utah, and that's sad but if we and our DWR do not do something about it within 15 years Ill bet there will not be 1 wild pheasant left in this beautiful state and that's unnecessary.


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