# Shooting hens.



## target (Aug 10, 2006)

I just wanted to start a conversation on the shooting of hen pheasants. I am not trying to state that we should allow this. Just get an idea of other people's opinions. No intentions to start a fight just bring up something that went through my head.

Do you think allowing the harvest of hen pheasants during the hunting season would have a large impact on the population. 
We are allowed to harvest hen grouse and they appear to produce equally throughout the years.


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## DuckerIL (Dec 9, 2005)

Certainly can't think of a reason that it would have a positive effect on the population. I'm not a grouse hunter. Can the sex of the bird be determined in flight? Just curious. If so, I'm surprised shooting of hens is allowed.


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## target (Aug 10, 2006)

Sex can't always be determined in flight, and hens are allowed to be harvested which is exactly my point. Yes, they can't be determined and are allowed to harvest hens but this shows no change in numbers. Are pheasant hens off limits only because they look different and can be told apart from the roosters?


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## roostman (Jan 20, 2006)

It only takes one bad winter or a lousy hatch to put a damper on the pheasant population, pheasants are not native here in the US, grouse are and handle the winters better the pheasants. I think way back when when Ken was a kid  you could legally take a hen or two but now with the lack of cover and the hunting pressure we need to keep as many hens alive as we can.


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## KEN W (Feb 22, 2002)

roostman said:


> It only takes one bad winter or a lousy hatch to put a damper on the pheasant population, pheasants are not native here in the US, grouse are and handle the winters better the pheasants. I think way back when when Ken was a kid  you could legally take a hen or two but now with the lack of cover and the hunting pressure we need to keep as many hens alive as we can.


I'm not that old :eyeroll: .....never been able to shoot hens except on a shooting preserve.

That was back in the 1940's.......my dad talks about shooting hens.


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## target (Aug 10, 2006)

roostman said:


> pheasants are not native here in the US, grouse are and handle the winters better the pheasants. .


That is a very good point, thanks.


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## DJRooster (Nov 4, 2002)

Yes, I do say it would impact the population so I say nope. 10% less hens will result in 10% less birds in one year and then after more than one year result in less birds proportionately. Bad idea! Never say never but until it happens in SODAK we sure as heck don't need it! If there are too many hens for the habitat well maybe.... but we ain't even close to that!!! The rooster limit will have to be 5 or more before we see a hen limit!!


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## target (Aug 10, 2006)

DJRooster said:


> Yes, I do say it would impact the population so I say nope. 10% less hens will result in 10% less birds in one year and then after more than one year result in less birds proportionately. Bad idea! Never say never but until it happens in SODAK we sure as heck don't need it! If there are too many hens for the habitat well maybe.... but we ain't even close to that!!! The rooster limit will have to be 5 or more before we see a hen limit!!


I am not sure I agree with this, nature has a way of balancing itself out. 10% less hens does not necessarily mean 10% less birds. There will be 10% less hatched but that does not mean there won't be more survival. More birds that can avoid predation and death from other elements. Less birds open up more niches and area to avoid other means of death.

Don't get me wrong I agree 100% that there is no need for the harvest of hens. I was just comparing the fact that hen grouse, doves, and possibly others can be harvested and not impact populations dramatically.


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## DJRooster (Nov 4, 2002)

Oh, really! I respectfuly disagree.


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## drjongy (Oct 13, 2003)

As was said before, pheasants are not native to this area and cannot handle the winters like the native grouse. I think the hen survival rate is right around 50% the way it is, even without any hunting of them.


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## Waterspaniel (Oct 10, 2005)

If we could tell a hen grouse from a cock on the fly, it would be cock only as well I would hope. And that would be great. As it is, a BUNCh of people cant tell a grouse hen from acock when they have it in hand.

Pheasant and turkeys are easy to tell, so the regs reflect that. I can tell a cock bob-white from a hen and try to pick those from the flock. same with most ducks. Huns, I dont even try....

I thinks hen would be easier to kill than a rooster since they hold better. My guess is that one could do alot of damage to the pop if you started hammering hens.


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## Dak (Feb 28, 2005)

Target,

Let me start by saying I am not in favor of shooting hen pheasants.

The argument you start with...that shooting female grouse doesn't have an impact doesn't hold water real well. Since it is not feasible to have a cock only grouse season, we don't know what the impact would be if only cock grouse were shot.

Heck, maybe the state would be lousy with them...maybe there wouldn't be any statiscally significant change in the population.


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## target (Aug 10, 2006)

Thanks guys,

You brought up some good points that I cannot argue with and that I had not thought of before I posted this. Like I mentioned I was never in favor of shooting hens, this was just brought up in a conversation that I had.


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## gonehuntin' (Jul 27, 2006)

Eggs don't come from males. Nuff' said.


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## target (Aug 10, 2006)

gonehuntin' said:


> Eggs don't come from males. Nuff' said.


Can't have eggs without a male.


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## kgpcr (Sep 2, 2006)

1 male can take care of up to 15 females. More if needed


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## jerad (Feb 4, 2005)

just like dead hen mallards, dead hen pheasants dont lay eggs


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## adokken (Jan 28, 2003)

In the early 1940's if my memory does not fail me, we could shoot four roosters and three hens, The pheasant population at that time in McHenry county was incredable, but when I came home from the war there were very few, and they were not hunted out. Assume severe winters done them in.


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