# pheasants in northern MN?



## Steelpuck18 (Sep 16, 2008)

I would really like to get into pheasant hunting, but we dont have any pheasants up on our land. If I wanted to plant some, would they survive the winter? We have planted them before and the ones that weren't shot died. Would they survive if there is sufficient food for them, or is the cold just too hard on them? Any input would be great.


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## deacon (Sep 12, 2003)

Too cold


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## waterfowler22 (Aug 30, 2007)

Too cold in the winter and we dont have slews here like in north dakota south dakota montana. Pheasent farms is as good as it gets here.


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## nickle ditch (Aug 26, 2002)

We have pheasants in the Southern part of the province and we get as as cold or colder then you guys. People from South of the border are always surprised when they find out we have a few birds around. The hunting isn't as good as South of here, but we like it. But because of the winters, there are more bad years then good as far as numbers go.


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## Rick Acker (Sep 26, 2002)

Weather is part of the equation, so is winter cover, accessible food in the winter and nesting cover...You can manipulate 3 of the 4 with money and resources...It will be a struggle at best.


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## Gildog (Jan 30, 2007)

a few might survive if you are in an area with corn...but most would not. If you want to hunt them on your land, put-and-take is the only thing you could do.


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## Steelpuck18 (Sep 16, 2008)

well we are planning on planting corn next year. We have done put- and- take before, it would just be nice to see some make it. The ruffed grouse seem to do fine.


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## just ducky (Apr 27, 2005)

We're in a similar situation here in Michigan. My advice is to talk to your local Pheasants Forever chapter for their thoughts. My guess, having been involved in that organization and DU, is that they will tell you not to bother for many of the reasons already cited. And planting pen reared pheasants just isn't a long-term proposition to create a population. Normally a high percentage of stocked birds fall victim to predators within a short time, or in your part of the country, the weather gets them. If you have any birds at all in your area, you would be better off managing habitat and food, which will eventually produce more birds, albeit few in all likelihood.


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## Burly1 (Sep 20, 2003)

Babe Dinkelman raises pheasants on his property in Northern MN. Pretty sure it just takes DEEP pockets. :wink:


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## mnwatrfwl (Sep 16, 2005)

Actually we have free ranging wild pheasants in Northern MN, head over towards XXXXXX. Heck we have even have some around XXXXXX not as many granted but more and more over the last 10 years once you hit the range and east to the North Shore forget about it.

Problem is a lot of pheasants up here are getting taken by road poachers.


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## sod44 (Sep 30, 2008)

yea thats because the last few winters havnt gotten to cold but they still wont survive the ice cold that northern minnesota deals out. i think its to cold.


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## Gooseguy10 (Oct 10, 2006)

mnwatrfwl said:


> Actually we have free ranging wild pheasants in Northern MN, head over towards XXXXXX. Heck we have even have some around XXXXXX not as many granted but more and more over the last 10 years once you hit the range and east to the North Shore forget about it.
> 
> Problem is a lot of pheasants up here are getting taken by road poachers.


Are those pheasants occuring naturally, or are they escapees from pheasant farms?

And I will second your comment about no pheasants on the Range or North Shore. The north/east range and north shore have a significantly different type of woods than anywhere else in the state.....the so called "big woods."


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## huntinND (May 1, 2008)

Pheasants can handle cold temps with good cover, but not deep snow. If it gets crusted they can't reach the food sources. In open country (ND,SD) wind blows bare spots in fields where they can feed. And unless there is some sort of CRP grass there won't be any nesting cover. Even with manipulation of habitat I think the heavy snow would wipe them out.


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## mnwatrfwl (Sep 16, 2005)

If you head west and south of the tree line in Northern MN you will find them.

I recommend similar scouting to waterfowl head out early see what you can when they come to the road edges you'll learn where they are more concentrated.

As to wether escapees or wild birds the areas I know of are all wild, yes there are some escapees in some locations but you can identify them from the wild ones.

In regards to survivability I know that in some areas west of me these birds have been around for 20 years as they were there when I started dating my wife and that was back during the deep snow days.

Anyway just thought I would chime in.


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