Good ole days of Wa. pheasant hunting

[REHJWA]

I agree Habitat loss is the greatest threat to our game populations. Modern Logging, farming practices leave little if anything for game. Then there is development.....and it's worse on this side, my dad could shoot a limit of pheasants on his way home from work in the Auburn valley, now it is 80% industrial...
Every grouse spot I hunted in high school is a housing development. 
It is harder today but we have to do our best to make some memories for the next generation.
Even if it is release site birds. 
Thanks for sharing the pictures.

[Wacenturion]

Had the opportunity to live in Moses Lake and Ephrata off and on after getting out of the Air Force from 1970 till 1983.  I can remember the early 70's well....tons of birds.  I was young, energetic and had an amazing Red Setter.  Fond memories.  There were days that would make one think they were in South Dakota.

Sandwiched in that time frame (71-73) I also went to the University of Idaho for a few years.  The Palouse, although fairly clean was still great bird hunting.

Circle irrigation was a big part of the demise of pheasants in the Columbia Basin..

[singleshot12]

Look at the cover in the pictures. There's more there within eyeshot than in a whole county these days.

Cover,less predators,less pesticides and cleaner water, all major elements to have prolific wild birds. I'm not a member of PF (Pheasants Forever) but aren't they suppose to be working hard on better habitat management over there?

I look at those pictures which wasn't THAT long ago and think Damn! why can't we have hunting like that again

[Elkaholic daWg]

 Oh to have the 50's back. didn't get to experience it then but started hunting (big game) in the mid sixties. Sure was nice to look out over eastern Washington at night  from where the monument sits on the Colockum and see 99% black

[Wacenturion]

Look at the cover in the pictures. There's more there within eyeshot than in a whole county these days.

Cover,less predators,less pesticides and cleaner water, all major elements to have prolific wild birds. I'm not a member of PF (Pheasants Forever) but aren't they suppose to be working hard on better habitat management over there?

I look at those pictures which wasn't THAT long ago and think Damn! why can't we have hunting like that again

Volunteer groups like Pheasants Forever do raise money, however to really impact habitat, it takes equipement and manpower, which is only part of the equation.  Volunteers not only are not equipped, but they don't have the time as well.

[singleshot12]

Look at the cover in the pictures. There's more there within eyeshot than in a whole county these days.

Cover,less predators,less pesticides and cleaner water, all major elements to have prolific wild birds. I'm not a member of PF (Pheasants Forever) but aren't they suppose to be working hard on better habitat management over there?

I look at those pictures which wasn't THAT long ago and think Damn! why can't we have hunting like that again

Volunteer groups like Pheasants Forever do raise money, however to really impact habitat, it takes equipement and manpower, which is only part of the equation.  Volunteers not only are not equipped, but they don't have the time as well.

I would also think farming practices would have to change drastically before anything positive could happen. Followed by proper predator control.

[Curly]

The crops that are now grown are not very conducive to pheasant habitat.  Plus it is kind of hard to hunt in grape vineyards........

[Wacenturion]

Look at the cover in the pictures. There's more there within eyeshot than in a whole county these days.

Cover,less predators,less pesticides and cleaner water, all major elements to have prolific wild birds. I'm not a member of PF (Pheasants Forever) but aren't they suppose to be working hard on better habitat management over there?

I look at those pictures which wasn't THAT long ago and think Damn! why can't we have hunting like that again

Volunteer groups like Pheasants Forever do raise money, however to really impact habitat, it takes equipment and manpower, which is only part of the equation.  Volunteers not only are not equipped, but they don't have the time as well.

I would also think farming practices would have to change drastically before anything positive could happen. Followed by proper predator control.

No not really, but that would obviously help.  If one understands the basic requirements for pheasants it's not difficult too come to a solution.  Pheasants spend their entire lifetime essentially living within a 1-1/2 mile circle.  That's their annual range.  That's the basic foundation of understanding wildlife needs, irregardless of species.  You just need permanent cover spread throughout the farmland in close proximity to each other so that individual annual ranges overlap.  Without permanent cover...cattails, willows, basically unfarmed cover and left in a natural state, you won't have pheasant's, or much else for that matter.

Just a small percentage of permanent habitat within the annual range circle so to speak, will basically allow a percentage of the population to exist within that small range where it does not now.  Spread out small parcels of permanent cover adjacent to others (in the adjacent annual range circle), and you create adjoining populations.   That's essentially what you had in the good old days....lots of individual populations overlapping each other throughout the Basin.

Don't ask me how I know..............I developed and ran a statewide habitat restoration program for WDFW that did great things during the 90's, until reorganization put the program under Wildlife Management where it died.  You see they think you can solve problems by continually going to meetings, planning, and making excuses for not getting their hands dirty...like in actual field work.

It just takes time and effort to reverse a trend.  It's amazing how quickly 10 years flys by when you're trying to put habitat back.  It also takes time to grow it to where it's meaningful, especaially in low precipatation ranges in eastern Washington.  If it took 30 years to see it disappear, it takes time to put it back.  However it's doable.   Morons at WDFW didn't see the need.  It's easier to pretend being a biologist for an entire career.  Don't get me started on upland birds............

[singleshot12]

Look at the cover in the pictures. There's more there within eyeshot than in a whole county these days.

Cover,less predators,less pesticides and cleaner water, all major elements to have prolific wild birds. I'm not a member of PF (Pheasants Forever) but aren't they suppose to be working hard on better habitat management over there?

I look at those pictures which wasn't THAT long ago and think Damn! why can't we have hunting like that again

Volunteer groups like Pheasants Forever do raise money, however to really impact habitat, it takes equipment and manpower, which is only part of the equation.  Volunteers not only are not equipped, but they don't have the time as well.

I would also think farming practices would have to change drastically before anything positive could happen. Followed by proper predator control.

No not really, but that would obviously help.  If one understands the basic requirements for pheasants it's not difficult too come to a solution.  Pheasants spend their entire lifetime essentially living within a 1-1/2 mile circle.  That's their annual range.  That's the basic foundation of understanding wildlife needs, irregardless of species.  You just need permanent cover spread throughout the farmland in close proximity to each other so that individual annual ranges overlap.  Without permanent cover...cattails, willows, basically unfarmed cover and left in a natural state, you won't have pheasant's, or much else for that matter.

Just a small percentage of permanent habitat within the annual range circle so to speak, will basically allow a percentage of the population to exist within that small range where it does not now.  Spread out small parcels of permanent cover adjacent to others (in the adjacent annual range circle), and you create adjoining populations.   That's essentially what you had in the good old days....lots of individual populations overlapping each other throughout the Basin.

Don't ask me how I know..............I developed and ran a statewide habitat restoration program for WDFW that did great things during the 90's, until reorganization put the program under Wildlife Management where it died.  You see they think you can solve problems by continually going to meetings, planning, and making excuses for not getting their hands dirty...like in actual field work.

It just takes time and effort to reverse a trend.  It's amazing how quickly 10 years flys by when you're trying to put habitat back.  It also takes time to grow it to where it's meaningful, especaially in low precipatation ranges in eastern Washington.  If it took 30 years to see it disappear, it takes time to put it back.  However it's doable.   Morons at WDFW didn't see the need.  It's easier to pretend being a biologist for an entire career.  Don't get me started on upland birds............

You all ready have but well stated I hear you, you make some good points. It's not an easy fix by any means when you look at the big picture. Seems easy on the outside to fix but....

I know enough about a wild born upland bird(grouse pheasant etc. to know in the first 2 weeks of life bugs and insects are crucial to their survival. IMO insecticides and or pesticides have wreaked havoc on the food chain for much wildlife,from the embryo to the hatched.

[James]

I started hunting in the 90's and even since then the fall has been terrible.

I used to be able to go to my spots outside of ephrata, hunt hard and if not limit, be dang close.  I still hunt those areas for dove every year and it's been at least 5 years since I saw a single pheasant. 

I really miss good pheasant hunting

[Wacenturion]

Look at the cover in the pictures. There's more there within eyeshot than in a whole county these days.

Cover,less predators,less pesticides and cleaner water, all major elements to have prolific wild birds. I'm not a member of PF (Pheasants Forever) but aren't they suppose to be working hard on better habitat management over there?

I look at those pictures which wasn't THAT long ago and think Damn! why can't we have hunting like that again

Volunteer groups like Pheasants Forever do raise money, however to really impact habitat, it takes equipment and manpower, which is only part of the equation.  Volunteers not only are not equipped, but they don't have the time as well.

I would also think farming practices would have to change drastically before anything positive could happen. Followed by proper predator control.

No not really, but that would obviously help.  If one understands the basic requirements for pheasants it's not difficult too come to a solution.  Pheasants spend their entire lifetime essentially living within a 1-1/2 mile circle.  That's their annual range.  That's the basic foundation of understanding wildlife needs, irregardless of species.  You just need permanent cover spread throughout the farmland in close proximity to each other so that individual annual ranges overlap.  Without permanent cover...cattails, willows, basically unfarmed cover and left in a natural state, you won't have pheasant's, or much else for that matter.

Just a small percentage of permanent habitat within the annual range circle so to speak, will basically allow a percentage of the population to exist within that small range where it does not now.  Spread out small parcels of permanent cover adjacent to others (in the adjacent annual range circle), and you create adjoining populations.   That's essentially what you had in the good old days....lots of individual populations overlapping each other throughout the Basin.

Don't ask me how I know..............I developed and ran a statewide habitat restoration program for WDFW that did great things during the 90's, until reorganization put the program under Wildlife Management where it died.  You see they think you can solve problems by continually going to meetings, planning, and making excuses for not getting their hands dirty...like in actual field work.

It just takes time and effort to reverse a trend.  It's amazing how quickly 10 years flys by when you're trying to put habitat back.  It also takes time to grow it to where it's meaningful, especially in low precipitation ranges in eastern Washington.  If it took 30 years to see it disappear, it takes time to put it back.  However it's doable.   Morons at WDFW didn't see the need.  It's easier to pretend being a biologist for an entire career.  Don't get me started on upland birds............

You all ready have but well stated I hear you, you make some good points. It's not an easy fix by any means when you look at the big picture. Seems easy on the outside to fix but....

I know enough about a wild born upland bird(grouse pheasant etc. to know in the first 2 weeks of life bugs and insects are crucial to their survival. IMO insecticides and or pesticides have wreaked havoc on the food chain for much wildlife,from the embryo to the hatched.

It's pretty evident if you think about it that if you have good permanent cover here and there, you also have the following......

protection from predators, both avian and ground

Shelter from the elements.  Chicks still may get wet, but not nearly as much with dense woody cover...i.e. wood rose, multiflora rose etc.

Last but not least.....with permanent cover you generally have undisturbed insect life....food source for those young chick as well as adults.

As I said above, it all begins with permanent cover.  Everything else falls in place.

[Dave Workman]

If anybody could solve this, Wacenturion could.
Back when I was a kid, the Basin was famous across the country for its pheasant hunting. It rivaled the Dakotas, and that's no easy feat. 

Clean farming, check.
Pesticides, check.
Predators, check.

Management?   

[AspenBud]

Honestly if you have to talk predators as it relates to pheasants then you're already in trouble. If you look at the pheasant strongholds in this country they are crawling with predators and yet the birds still thrive.

The difference is habitat. It is the beginning, middle, and end as far as pheasants go.

That's not to say predator management doesn't help, but that alone isn't going to save the birds or bring them back to where they were.

[WAcoueshunter]

Honestly if you have to talk predators as it relates to pheasants then you're already in trouble. If you look at the pheasant strongholds in this country they are crawling with predators and yet the birds still thrive.

The difference is habitat. It is the beginning, middle, and end as far as pheasants go.

That's not to say predator management doesn't help, but that alone isn't going to save the birds or bring them back to where they were.

I hunted South Dakota a few years back, and well, it was ridiculous how many birds there were in the fields we hunted.  So many in fact, that it really wasn't all that fun (if you can believe that).  But these properties were managed for birds and birds only, with permanent cover, water and food, primarily milo.  Plenty of coyotes running around too.  There are places in WA that still have that kind of cover for one reason or another, and lo and behold, there are a lots of birds there too.  Unfortunately they are just few and far between nowadays. 

[Dave Workman]

Where did anyone get the idea I was blaming everything on predators?

 

Not all predators are coyotes, y'know.