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2002
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Focusing On Pheasants
Mick Cope, Upland Bird Section Manager

In Washington, there has been a wide variation in pheasant harvest and hunter participation over the past 50 years. Harvest was at its highest during the mid 1960’s with another peak in the late 1970’s when over 500,000 pheasants were harvested statewide. Since that time, pheasant harvest has been steadily declining. Harvest monitoring over the years indicates that pheasant populations in Washington are currently much lower than they were in the 1960’s and 1970’s.

In March 2003, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW), in cooperation with Senator Bob Oke, Pheasants Forever, and the Big Bend Economic Development Council, held a public workshop focusing on gathering information to help identify future pheasant management strategies for Washington. Featured guest speakers included pheasant biologists from South Dakota, Kansas, Iowa, and Washington D.C.. In addition, a biologist from the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and the past president of the Pacific Northwest Direct Seed Association also gave presentations. A summary of the key points of the meeting follows:

• Pheasant populations have been declining in many areas of the country. Changes in farming practices have negatively impacted pheasant habitat. Although loss of habitat may not be the only factor currently affecting populations, expert opinion is that population trends cannot be reversed until proper habitat is in place.

• Select areas to focus your efforts. It is better to identify a focus area and be successful there, than spreading yourself, or available funding, too thin.

• Pheasant management needs to take place on a large enough scale to impact populations over the long- term. To focus on small, isolated parcels of habitat would be counter-productive.

• In many places the most limiting habitat type is “production cover” which includes nesting and brood-rearing habitat as well as escape cover. Specifically, pheasants require adequate nesting cover and sufficient insect abundance during brood rearing. Insects are often associated with diverse plant communities with a substantial forb component.

• At least 15% of the landscape must be in relatively undisturbed grass or grass-like vegetation (with a significant forb component) to resolve nest success and brood survival problems. In addition, nesting and brood-rearing habitat should have few if any trees greater than 15-feet in height to reduce the impact of avian predators.

• Evaluate what you need and then determine if you can get the funds to accomplish those tasks. If you cannot get the funding, then only try to accomplish part of what you originally wanted.

• Studies have shown that releasing pen-raised pheasants (both chicks in late summer and hens in the spring) for population establishment is expensive and ineffective.

• Rather than focusing on predator control, emphasis should be placed on controlling predation through providing adequate habitat.

• The 2002 Farm Bill has many programs that can help landowners improve habitat conditions for pheasants and other upland wildlife. While these programs are available, it is important for the State of Washington to work closely with the U.S. Department of Agriculture to make sure local and regional wildlife issues are addressed and to help landowners become involved in the programs that are applicable to their property.

• Based on hen survival and nest success, researchers have concluded that CRP in large blocks (over 40 acres) is more beneficial to pheasants than CRP buffer strips.

• Improving pheasant habitat on working lands is an important component to the overall picture. If habitat enhancement is not compatible with a farmer’s operation, then there is little incentive for the landowner to participate.

• Research has shown that retaining at least 12 inches, and preferably 15 inches or more, of wheat stubble after harvesting can result in higher pheasant densities. This is primarily due to an increase in the broad-leaf, weedy habitat that occupies the field after harvest.

• Increased wheat stubble height can also help farmers produce more grain per acre due to increased moisture retention in the soil.

• Direct seeding (no-till drilling) can increase soil quality, reduce erosion and increase value of the property for wildlife.

Over the next several months, WDFW will be working to develop and begin implementing pheasant management strategies based on the information that was discussed at the workshop. Recovering pheasant numbers to levels seen in an earlier time is going to be a slow process, however, the potential of having higher numbers of pheasants in Washington certainly exists.