# Game and Fish Recaps 2005 Pheasant Season



## Bob Kellam (Apr 8, 2004)

Game and Fish Recaps 2005 Pheasant Season

North Dakota's expanding pheasant population brought out a record number of hunters last fall, according to statistics recently finalized by the state Game and Fish Department.

While the corresponding total harvest was not anywhere near a record, it was still the highest in 60 years and nearly 40 percent higher than in 2004.

"Our pheasant population continues to increase because of good nesting habitat on the landscape as a result of the Conservation Reserve Program, and a series of mild winters," said Stan Kohn, Game and Fish Department upland game biologist.

Prospects for 2006 are promising as well, Kohn added, though biologists are concerned about how hot, dry conditions over much of the pheasant range will affect pheasant reproduction.

In 2005, North Dakota had 92,801 pheasant hunters, about a 9 percent increase over 2004. The number of resident hunters increased 9 percent and the number of nonresident hunters increased more than 8 percent.

The total bag was 809,775 roosters, compared to about 587,500 in 2004. In comparison, the pheasant harvest was about 135,000 in 1997, following a severe winter. The record harvest was 2.4 million in both 1944 and 1945.

Birds bagged per hunter increased from 6.8 to 8.7, and each hunter spent an average of 5.8 days afield last year. Annual pheasant harvest statistics are determined by a mail survey of resident and nonresident hunters.

Counties with the highest percentage of harvest of pheasants by resident hunters included McLean (9.7 percent), Burleigh (7.4 percent), Hettinger (5.8 percent), Emmons (5.2 percent), and Morton (4.9 percent). Top counties for nonresident hunters were Hettinger (19.5 percent), Dickey (9.1 percent), McIntosh (6.6 percent), Emmons (6.0 percent) and Bowman (5.6 percent).

"What we've experienced over the last several years is a nice expansion of the pheasant range in North Dakota," Kohn noted. "We're seeing hunters harvest good numbers of pheasants in counties that at one time barely registered on our surveys. Pheasant hunters have a lot more opportunities now, over a much larger area, than was the case 10 years ago."

Following a mild winter in 2005-06, with minimal winter mortality, Kohn said, the 2006 spring crowing count indicated a 39 percent increase statewide in the number of pheasants heard crowing compared to last year.

Pheasant crowing counts are conducted each spring by observers driving standardized 20-mile routes throughout North Dakota. The number of rooster pheasants heard crowing is recorded and compared to previous years' data. The index does not measure actual numbers or population density, but is an indicator of the population trend of breeding roosters in the state, Kohn explained.

Crowing counts were up about 50 percent in the northeast, southwest, and southeast districts, and essentially unchanged in the northwest.

While crowing counts identified an increase in spring numbers, the fall pheasant population largely depends on reproductive success and survival of young birds in June through mid-August, Kohn said.

"Presently, we have a large area of southwestern and south-central North Dakota experiencing severe drought conditions," Kohn said, "and we do not know what effect this condition may have on the survival of pheasant chicks.

"Although the present outlook looks promising for this fall's season, we will have more information regarding fall pheasant numbers after completion of production surveys in August."


----------



## always_outdoors (Dec 17, 2002)

> The record harvest was 2.4 million in both 1944 and 1945.


Holy smokes! How many hunters were there back then? What caused this? What kind of programs had habitat for birds with a population like that? Waterbank?


----------



## drjongy (Oct 13, 2003)

Wow, it should be a fun fall. Enjoy it while you can...one normal winter and reality will set in again.

Although the dry conditions are not optimal, it is a heck of a lot better for upland birds than too wet.

Probably more of an effect will come from the haying of the CRP. Will have to start kicking the cattails right away in the fall if it stays like this.


----------



## Dick Monson (Aug 12, 2002)

> What caused this? What kind of programs had habitat for birds with a population like that?


There was no program. A lot of ground was still abandoned from the dust bowl and had grown to weeds, everybody still planted hay fields, wetlands weren't drained yet, there were strawpiles from threshing machines, and there were a pile of returning vets who went afield as the economy picked up after the depression and war.


----------



## Field Hunter (Mar 4, 2002)

How much were the outfitters charging back them?


----------



## always_outdoors (Dec 17, 2002)

Thanks for the response Dick. My father who was born in 47 said he never shot many pheasants as a kid (central ND raised) so I was trying to figure out how all those birds came about in the early 40's.

Makes sense.

I wonder if they have those numbers divided up amongst the counties. Would be interesting to know what are top pheasant counties were back then. I would venture to guess the SE corner of the state.


----------



## g/o (Jul 13, 2004)

> How much were the outfitters charging back them?


You never heard about them back then, we didn't have many "slbck's" around then either.


----------



## Field Hunter (Mar 4, 2002)

g/o,

Are you really "Cootkiller" in disguise!!! Good comeback though....I knew you'd be the one to get me on that one.


----------



## SiouxperDave25 (Oct 6, 2002)

http://www.kfyrtv.com/News_Stories.asp?news=2506

Pheasant Profit 
Brandi Powell 
7/25/2006

Some people say that money makes the world go `round. Even something as personal as hunting can have an economic impact. North Dakota`s expanding pheasant population brought out record numbers of hunters last season, and thanks to our recent mild winters, they`ve had more birds to shoot. The North Dakota Game and Fish Department says as a result, resident and non-resident hunters alike are spending more money in our rural areas.

Whether you hunt or not, you can`t help but notice that the bird populations are way up in our state, and that`s great news for hunters, and for the economy. But it also comes with a price.

"It puts a little pressure on private land, for sure, with competition, and so access is a trouble. Getting it on private land, folks have a tendency to go into public land or on our PLOTS areas," says Stan Kohn, an upland game bird biologist.

With an increasing pheasant population, there have, of course, been more pheasant hunters. The question now is what does this mean for North Dakota`s economy?

"When you have that many hunters in the field during the fall, they have a tendency to spend quite a bit of money in the small towns," says Randy Kreil of North Dakota Game and Fish.

A few years ago, resident upland hunters who live in rural areas spent most of their money (71%) in rural areas. But resident hunters who live in urban areas, have typically spent only 42% of their money while hunting.

"Non-residents only have a limited amount of time that they`re able to spend in the state. But when they are here they do contribute to the local economy," says Kreil.

When they go out, hunters buy everything from gas to supplies. In recent seasons, statistics show resident upland hunters spent over $100 a day on those things. Non-resident upland hunters spent more, an average of $155 a day.

Game and Fish has not conducted surveys in the last year or two, but they say since there are more birds, and more hunters, it stands to reason that more money will probably flow into our economy. And everybody benefits.


----------



## Dick Monson (Aug 12, 2002)

> And everybody benefits.


 Deep thinker.

Another thing pushed bird numbers back then was that fall plowing was not common and in the SE a lot of guys grazed standing corn or shocked it.


----------



## DonC (Oct 9, 2005)

Pheasant hunting in SD brings in $100 million a year to the economy according to F&G

HUNTERS FLOCK TO SEASON OPENER

BY BEN SHOUSE AND NESTOR RAMOS
Argus Leader

published: 10/19/2005

Throngs of pheasant hunters and perhaps a million dollars in guns poured into Sioux Falls Regional Airport on Friday, ahead of today's season opener.

For businesses in South Dakota, pheasant hunting means the arrival of perhaps $100 million in spending money.

"There's lots of money coming here," he said. "Maybe it'll keep our taxes down."

More than 90,000 hunters traveled to the state last year, spending about $70 million, the state tourism office said.


----------



## Dick Monson (Aug 12, 2002)

Just happened to think that possibly that record kill back in the '40s was a either sex season, which would make it very easy.


----------

