Worried about the hatch

[Gutpile]

Is it going to be another poor hatch. It's been a lot cooler this spring but we havent had to much rain. What do you think. Last year was horrible. I want another good pheasant season bad!

[bobcat]

You're right. I hadn't even thought about that. I was wanting to try out my new Brittany on some pheasants, and all I hunt are the wild pheasants in SE Wa. No release sites for me. If there's not many birds I probably won't want to burn all the gas driving over there, so I guess I'll just stay close to home and take her out for some grouse.

[Gutpile]

Gotta love those grouse. They've been thick out here the last couple of years. Nothing like a big fat cackling rooster though!

[Intruder]

The good news is that there is a lot of cover this year... although it seemed like there was a lot last year too. 

Hopefully it will warm up quickly and we'll get some bugs and hoppers for the little ones.  I was surprised that it's actually the presence of bugs(protein) that has a big effect on nesting success.  I spoke w/ a biologist in SD and he said while the young birds can definitely die as a result of cold/wet weather, it's often times the lack of bugs that really does them in.  They can't grow quickly enough to withstand the hardships they face early in life.

Hail is really bad too.   

[boneaddict]

Just talk to the birdman.  THIS SUCKS!

[boneaddict]

I've got three sets of chukars around my house.  All three lost all of their chicks or did not hatch any.  The hens are off the nest and the brood is gone.  Between snakes, and bad weather.  My place is protected as well....no dogs, no coyotes, limited raptors.   Out of 4 quail families, one is on the nest, one is barren(lost all her babies to the last big storm) no babies left, one has 5 day olds and fairing well, and one hatched yesterday, fingers crossed.  I have several others that the hens came up empty.   Pheasants are a big ZERO.  In and out of the cage.  Babies all gone, and hens are off the nest.   I know of one that is still setting with proud papa, keeping fairly near.  I see him everymorning, and she hasn't joined him yet. 

[Gutpile]

 >:(Thats not good news at all!! This week is going to do some real damage. Snow? June? Holy cow!

[ICEMAN]

Might have to pass on blasting too many this year. Well, there is always duck and goose....

[DOUBLELUNG]

Spent the day hiking the Columbia breaks north of Wenatchee today.  Snow line was about 2,500'.  Saw a few pairs of quail, one predated chukar, 4 predated blue grouse, 1 live chukar.  ZERO grasshoppers, very few bugs at all except a few ants.  Bleakest second week of June for gamebirds I've EVER seen. 

[boneaddict]

came into work this evening and anotehr female pheasant walked across the road with no babies.  She'd been setting. 

[boneaddict]

saw a coyote just down the road too.   dang blast it.

[sisu]

Pat and I found several huge empty egg shells on the "shore line" where we were fishing this weekend. Figured the coyotes must of got them. They appeared bigger than goose eggs so I was confused until we saw 7 pelicans swimming and flying around the area.

[Intruder]

Boy if we there were problems before yesterday they just got worse.  There was a raging thunderstorm that blew through Spo and the Palouse last night that dumped buckets of rain and hail.  I'm sure it messed up alot of nests....

[boneaddict]

The neighbor found a couple baby quail abandoned on her sidewalk yesterday in the big blow.  Some wind came through...holy moly... anyway she tried to save them and they died.  I wish she would have left them as mom probably would have saved them.  More casualties of mother nature I guess.

[tlbradford]

I have seen one quail pair with chicks, and about twenty pair without.  I am worried as well.