Upland Birds will Provide Mixed Bag

Forest grouse, pheasant, quail, and partridge numbers may be very poor this fall. With another mild winter, broodstock numbers of most species were healthy this spring. But a late, cold, wet, and long spring in many parts of the state could offset that with loss of hatchlings. WDFW biologists will have a better picture after late summer surveys so watch for updates through the media.

In the eastern region, the best areas for ruffed grouse are the forested streamside habitats in the north, from the Canadian border through Spokane County. Generally the best pheasant hunting is in the canyons along the Snake and Palouse Rivers in Whitman County. Pheasant releases will be available again at selected sites; check the regional offices for details. Chukar partridge are nearly exclusively found in the breaks of the Snake River, especially from Central Ferry upstream to the Oregon border.

The forecast for pheasant hunting in the northcentral region, including the Columbia Basin, is based primarily on brood surveys run the last two weeks of July and the first two weeks of August – not available at this writing. Preliminary indications based on a limited number of April surveys suggest very low numbers of adult pheasant in the Columbia Basin. That is usually a harbinger of poor pheasant production for the year and therefore, poor hunting this fall. WDFW will release approximately 5000 pen-raised roosters at pheasant release sites throughout the region.

In the southcentral region, quail populations rebounded in 1998 after being relatively low in 1997. Winter survival was above average and there seemed to be good brood stock this spring, but time and weather (and early fall reports) will tell.

In western Washington, hunters can anticipate a fair to poor forest grouse year because the entire spring season was wet and windy.

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