# Pheasant Fest



## Dak (Feb 28, 2005)

Has anyone been to one of the Pheasant Fests sponsored by Pheasants Forever? How was it? Any one planning on going to the one in Des Moines?

:beer:


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## UGUIDE (Jan 12, 2007)

Dak said:


> Has anyone been to one of the Pheasant Fests sponsored by Pheasants Forever? How was it? Any one planning on going to the one in Des Moines?
> 
> :beer:


Dak, I went in 2003 and it changed my life. Made some good friends, learned a ton about habitat and wish I had made more time for it. I will be there Sat/Sun in Des Moines this year.


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## Dak (Feb 28, 2005)

I can't make it this time around but would love to go. Heard anything about where the next one will be?


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## hunter9494 (Jan 21, 2007)

i have a question, especially for the locals who live in the Dakotas...i have hunted all over the midwest, Kansas, Iowa, Nebraska and of course Sodak with a trip finally planned for 2007 in Nodak......a lot of the places i hunt have great cover and plentiful row crops, but nothing compares to the sheer bird numbers in the Daks......i maintain that global warming has reduced good hatch/survival conditions in places south of the Daks and the milder conditions now prevalent in the Daks have helped the birds expand and proliferate......also the availability of more water year round has got to be a positive factor in the Daks too......anyone else have any insight/theory as to why bird numbers continue to be so high in your neck-of-the-woods?


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## Burly1 (Sep 20, 2003)

Food, water and cover. That's the winning formula for any area. With the reduction in CRP acres and the ongoing draught, up here, I'm afraid we're in for tougher times in the future. Another, important factor is pressure. In spite of the whining some of us do about NR hunters, we're much better off than many places. Burl


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## hunter9494 (Jan 21, 2007)

thanks Burl...i figured you would pretty much respond that way......i really think the missing link elsewhere south of you guys is the extreme heat and dry conditions that permeate the months of April, May and June.
In Kansas where I usually hunt, there is more CRP and row crop than you can imagine, but water is scarce and when the wheat harvest comes off early, alot of hens and nests are lost to the combines. This last year was really poor, (drought caused them to cut wheat 2-3 weeks early) but the season before that I found plenty of birds. I don't think you guys will ever decline to the low levels that are common now in Kansas and Iowa, for example. You guys have a great resource and the land is so vast and the population so low, the only pressure you get during the first 3 weeks of season should not matter too much.

We(us guys down south) really appreciate the opportunity to come up and get a chance to get the dogs into some real bird hunting. For me, it's all about the dog.......thanks


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## BIRDSHOOTER (Jul 18, 2005)

Dak said:


> I can't make it this time around but would love to go. Heard anything about where the next one will be?


I am told that it will be at the River Centre in St. Paul MN.


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## Dak (Feb 28, 2005)

Sweet. I'd make that venue.


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## labhunter_1 (Apr 22, 2006)

The nest Pheasant Fest will be held January of 2008 in ST. Paul and will be in conjuction with PF'S National Convention.


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## nodakoutdoors.com (Feb 27, 2002)

hunter9494 said:


> anyone else have any insight/theory as to why bird numbers continue to be so high in your neck-of-the-woods?


The mild winters really make a difference. If we'd get a "normal" winter in terms of snowfall a lot of areas would suffer. From the numbers I'm seeing, this winter had little effect on numbers.


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## hunter9494 (Jan 21, 2007)

thanks Chris, you guys have a great resource up here, enjoy.


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