Bad news for pheasant hunters

[boneaddict]

What got the birds in our area were all the orchards being pulled out.   Hundreds of acres of apples.    Pesticides or not, they held a lot of birds.  That was the biggest dent.  My brilliant neighbor hates sagebrush.   Makes sense to buy a house out in the middle of it then.... anyways is trying to pull all of it in his vacant area.    DUMB.

[AspenBud]

My understanding is that Pheasants forever will give you the seed, maybe even plant it IF you open it to the public. Since that is not gona happen on his farm that is what he plants.

That's the first I've heard of that. Not saying you're wrong, I've just never heard that before. Seems counter productive since I would think the goal is to create enough habitat that birds start spilling over into public land.

[Gringo31]

No question that from Sunnyside to Yakima much of the habitat has been removed.  Fields have been drain tiled to allow for more farmable acres.  This habitat is just gone.  I've heard it said before, "feed the pheasants or feed my family".  Predators of the air comments are spot on.  I bet I SEE 4-5 pheasant kills a year from hawks....

So....it brings up a good question.  Many people see all farm ground as prime habitat.  They need to go visit that same ground in the next 30 days.  Much of this ground is bare with no cover and no/limited access to water.  The areas that hold birds this time of year is the same ground that you find the deer and the coyotes as well.  You need to look at those areas that can support winter survival and realize that is the bottle neck and what should be used as acreage for true carrying capacity.  Then come late fall, don't be surprised when you have a population of birds over 10,000 acres that seems low when those same birds will all be in a 500 acre area to surive the winter 

[eastsidemallard74]

So lets get our shoot on for Hawks  , I know a whole different argument.....

[boneaddict]

 

Might have to duck for cover when the success pics start getting posted.

[Special T]

I can tell you one thing that has been paying dividends is shooting mag pies. You normally find them in all the public ground. When you are driving around looking for hunting spots and see those funny 4x8 boxes on legs out in the middle of hay field, find the owner and help them kill abunch. Those boxes are for cutter bees used in the pollination of the crops and those magpies just LOVE to eat cutter bees and thier Larva. 

[boneaddict]

You just solved one of the greatest mysteries in the Kikendall house.   I have always wondered what those things were for.   I have almost started a thread a couple times.   COOL

[eastsidemallard74]

I can tell you one thing that has been paying dividends is shooting mag pies. You normally find them in all the public ground. When you are driving around looking for hunting spots and see those funny 4x8 boxes on legs out in the middle of hay field, find the owner and help them kill abunch. Those boxes are for cutter bees used in the pollination of the crops and those magpies just LOVE to eat cutter bees and thier Larva. 

Magpies are scavengers, I seen em eating the carcass of something out by a Pond in Moses.

[boneaddict]

THey are really hard on bird eggs.   Them ravens and crows.   The latter also get alot of chicks, not sure about the magpies and chicks

[Special T]

Cutter bee boxes are in full force about the same time that magpies are rearing young that cannot fly.  Sooo if there are bushes with nests with boxes near by....

[nwwanderer]

It is probably good to remember that pheasants, huns and chukars are all non natives.  We have pretty much created what they need to survive.
Leaf cutter bees are a great thing to see for pheasants, those acres of alfalfa are for seed, and are harvested late so the birds have the cover and the great insect populations alfalfa produces for baby bird nutrition.
Water use efficency has reduced pheasant habitat in our irrigated basin.  A pivot does not waste water like rill irrigation so the edges are dry.  Not so good for pheasants.
Direct seeding and CRP have helped upland birds.  Food in the standing stubble and cover in the CRP is a good winter combination.
Raptors and other avian predators have increased so great cover is even more important. Late, wet and cold springs are the most limiting factors.  Even if the hens can brood a clutch they starve to death in a few days without good bug growing conditions.
The numbers will vary drastically but generally the birds are doing pretty good.

[eastsidemallard74]

Big money for those bee houses.Ever want a gold mine, get bees and lease them out to farmers

[Stilly bay]

save a bee, shoot a magpie.

save a pheasant - shoot a hawk

[eastsidemallard74]

Its funny, I am newer to the Moses area, and never knew that it was such a big business,and how expensive those things are.Now I feel bad killing bees near farms. Dead Bee+Loss of pollenation=losss of $

[nwwanderer]

Leaf cutter bees raise heck with your roses and lilacs.  Those little oval or round holes on the leaf edges are the bees harvesting food to stuff in the holes where they lay eggs.  The little houses are covering bee boards full of holes which are full of developing larvae.  When they hatch they pollinate the alfalfa blooms.  Honey bees are much larger and not good alfalfa pollinators.  The alfalfa flower is spring loaded, honey bees do not like getting whacked in the face.  A leaf cutter, alkali bee and even bumble bees tolerate the blooms.  Leaf cutters are probably the most reliable and available for alfalfa pollination.  The seed producers buy the boards full of developing bees.  No honey but lots of acres for exceptional habitat.