# nesting



## Shu (Oct 21, 2003)

With all this recent rain, just wondering when we need to start worrying about nesting success. Anybody have a good idea of when they start nesting and hatching?


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## strand (Sep 29, 2004)

If the temps stay like they have been the last couple days the birds should be starting to nest anytime now. It usually takes off about the 3rd and 4th weeks of April.


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## Rick Acker (Sep 26, 2002)

All this Rain? We are very dry in N.D. even in the East and South...Was on 281 this weekend and was braking constantly for pheasants...It should be a great year even is nesting is so so...


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## Shu (Oct 21, 2003)

In central MN we have had up to 4" of rain in the last week. Good to hear you have good carryover up there.


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## djleye (Nov 14, 2002)

I always thought that nesting was into May for pheasants around ND??? :huh:


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## strand (Sep 29, 2004)

It usually is in full swing in May, but I have seen birds on the nest in late April.


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## Dan Bueide (Jul 1, 2002)

I recall that 6/15 is about the top of the bell curve for the average ND pheasant hatch.

A cold/wet June last year in many of the best parts of the ND pheasant belt made for less than stellar bird numbers there. Many parts ot the SW had a freeze in every month of '05 other than July. I recall one landowner telling me the low matched the date one day last June - somewhere in the teens - prime hatching period. Weird summer all around.

Good weather this June, and they'll rebound nicely.


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## surperdood (Mar 24, 2005)

i have learned that if it has rained and numbers are low that most anytime you check out a thick slough bottom they will be there. People said that the weren't finding birds last year(i heard) but me and my dad were finding the birds by the hundreds in sloughs.


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## mburgess (Aug 11, 2003)

With all the birds I've seen and the little rain we've had this April the nesting success I would bet will be high. Hope for warm weather in early june when those eggs hatch out featherless chicks. A shot of rain would be nice here around Jamestown though!


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## Old Hunter (Mar 8, 2002)

May 28 It is cold and wet in the south central N Dak . It has been for over 7 days. This is a very cold spring. I dont know how the average temperature compares to this year but it is not good so far. It is much like last year. We need warm weather fast.


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## mburgess (Aug 11, 2003)

Yeah, it has been pretty much rainy everyday for the last week to week and a half. It would be nice to get some sun one of these days, but it sounds like rain all week long. I would imagine chicks will start hatching within the next 1-2 weeks.


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## zettler (Sep 7, 2002)

mburgess said:


> Yeah, it has been pretty much rainy everyday for the last week to week and a half. It would be nice to get some sun one of these days, but it sounds like rain all week long. I would imagine chicks will start hatching within the next 1-2 weeks.


If they aren't floating down stream!

Boy, I hope you all are right and they make it to hatch, grow to maturity and then find their way into whatever field you all choose to walk in October-December.


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## Old Hunter (Mar 8, 2002)

The upland took a very bad beating last night.The south central part of the state had very bad weather. This covered a large area in the better phesant range. Heavy rain, very high winds,tornados, and cold weather. The nesting conditions were not good from the begining and this may be the storm that ended the chance for a good hatch. This is prime time nesting period. Not to spread gloom and doom but this one was a killer storm.


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## mburgess (Aug 11, 2003)

I hear yah! My outlook on the upcoming season has taken a drastic turn from two months ago. Not many featherless chick could survive the weather we had last night. I heard some places received 2 and ahalf inches of rain per hour last night. Around Jamestown this morning I've heard anything from 3 and a half to 5 inches of rain last night. It was bad. Doug Leir was on KFYR last night and said this is the prime hatch time. I don't think much could have made it last night.


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## KEN W (Feb 22, 2002)

It will be the same here,even though we don't have a lot of pheasants here....the sharps and huns will take a big hit for the second year in a row.


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## fishhook (Aug 29, 2002)

Funny this topic came up. I was thinking the same thing last night.


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## g/o (Jul 13, 2004)

12


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## strand (Sep 29, 2004)

I saw a few broods out and about today. The average was six birds so hopefully they will make it through the fledging process.

Overall, I do not think the populations were damaged too harshly.


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## Old Hunter (Mar 8, 2002)

I drove in the middle of the storm fron Wishek to Gackle at about 11:00 Driving a 1 ton dualwheel pick up loaded with tanks and firefighting gear the wind was rocking me. Gackle had 4 inches of rain some farms to the north had 4.75 inches. I had 5 dead birds in my yard this morning. 1 robin 5 grackles. 3 were adult birds. There were dead birds all over town Edgeley had about the same but it came extremely fast. It is said a 3' roller of water rolled through town. The whole town took water. The storm went from highw83 east to 281. I do not know the north/south depth. I drove from Gackle to Fargo today. There were a lot of sloughs that were gully washed. We lost ducks and pheasants no doubt about it. How much we lost I dont know. Hope its less than I suspect. We started with good numbers of ducks and pheasants so even with this it will be ok. I was just hoping for a super hatch this year. On the good side it helped the water levels of the sloughs in the storm area.


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## pheasantslayer (May 13, 2004)

That doesn't sound too promising. I hate to think of all the chicks that could have drownded on the edge of the sloughs when the rains came through. But on the good end, there is still enough time for the hens to cook up another batch. I have seen it quite a few times when they will nest a second time. Just hope for nicer weather i guess.


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## Dick Monson (Aug 12, 2002)

Pheasants are one of the most detrimed nesters. If they loose the eggs, they will try again. If they loose the chicks, they are done for the year.


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## Dan Bueide (Jul 1, 2002)

> If they loose the chicks, they are done for the year


Is it this, or is it they will not re-nest unless they lose _*all *_of their chicks?


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## njsimonson (Sep 24, 2002)

Neither - they only re-nest if the eggs are destroyed by flood, fire, predators, etc. The hen's goal is to only have a successful hatch, she will not renest if at least one bird hatches.


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## Dan Bueide (Jul 1, 2002)

Those VC boys are pretty sharp!

Here's a pretty good/consice piece about pheasant nesting/rearing:

http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/bird ... summer.htm


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## Dick Monson (Aug 12, 2002)

How are you fellows in the southern tier of counties doing now? The radar didn't look good for the pheasant chicks this morning! Am seeing a few hens back up on the road--without broods here in Barnes.


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## Perry Thorvig (Mar 6, 2002)

Bad news Dick. That's not what I wanted to hear.


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## g/o (Jul 13, 2004)

12


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## g/o (Jul 13, 2004)

12


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## Dick Monson (Aug 12, 2002)

> The boys down by the border always get the job done ahead of the boys around Valley.


  
Bold talk for a one eyed fat man. (True Grit) 
Glad you're seeing the broods. Been spot spraying CRP and flushed hens, but didn't stop to look for chicks. Didn't seem wise to stop. Flushed a grouse hen though on a hilltop and she hadn't hatched yet as of June 19th. Hope it works out. There will be cover up the wahzoo this year. A lot of sloughs filled up which will bring the cattails gangbusters.


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