Yakima pheasant

[GoBeavs85]

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Pheasants can utilize the thick cover just as well as quail can, so obviously something in the habitat has changed that favors one over the other.
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I'm fairly new to Washington. For those that have been here for a long time, have you seen an increase in Russian olive?

I know I find a lot of quail in places w sage and Russian olive. Sometimes we'll kick a phez out of that but not too often. What I notice is quail escape through Russian olive just fine because they are so quick and good at maneuvering. Pheasant have a harder time. Just wondering if Russian olives are taking over as the common thick cover and it doesn't suit pheasant it could be part of why quail have taken off. You don't see a lot of evergreen shelter belts that seem to be what pheasant prefer for winter nesting.

My dad lived here 30 years ago and he almost never got into quail. This weekend he came for a hunt and we shot 2 roosters, 14 quail, and 2 Huns. Sounds like there has been a shift.


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[boneaddict]

I think pheasant actually do well in Russian olive.
Probably farming practices or habits of rearing of eggs.  Once disturbed a pheasant abandons their nest.  Quail are more determined.  Quail also seem to be more hardy.  Better survival rates.   They are more soften able to double up their broods as well. Just ideas.   

[MR5x5]

...and the Palouse is an interesting subject.  There would seem to be tons of cover, and there certainly is in places, but something as simple as "fence lines"  which have generally been abandoned over the past decades have had a huge impact.