# snow



## Brad Anderson (Apr 1, 2002)

Well the streak of mild winters is over. We must have 2 feet of snow or more. To make matters worse, subzero temps are still in the forcast. Mix in a lot of wind, and you have a perfect recipe for pheasant death.

Call me an alarmist, but we haven't had a winter like this in maybe 4 years. I hope and pray that a majority of the birds will make it through the winter.


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## tsodak (Sep 7, 2002)

I have not been out in the country yet, at home with a sick kid. But it sounds like the worst was north of the interstate, which is good for pheasants This is also very light and fluffy, and felll without a blizzard. A little wind gould clean off some spots in the fields. And it is the last week in January. I think most of the birds were in excellant condition. I am not terrified yet.


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## njsimonson (Sep 24, 2002)

Im with tsodak.

It looks like the worst stuff fell in a triangle from Fargo to Devils Lake to Grand Forks. There's not much for pheasants up there.

That was the first thought in my mind too...damn snow! All those poor pheasants losing cover and freezing. But we really only have about 20" for the year, and there are some sizeable sloughs in the "new" pheasant range in SEND. And, as was mentioned, it is almost February and the melt should be on in about 6 weeks...so, maybe it will turn out okay.

Let's just hope for the best.


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## Rick A. (Sep 5, 2003)

South of VC there is 14 plus inches of snow from this last storm...If cold weather sets in as it's suppose to...Well, we won't have a NR problem! A Farmer friend of mine told he had to feed his birds this weekend, because all of the corn & beans are covered and his friend lost 50 to a 100 birds that sat in the ditch and froze to death...Sad!


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## njsimonson (Sep 24, 2002)

Aw crap...you just ruined my day Rick.


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## NDMALLARD (Mar 9, 2002)

There is no need to panic, the birds will be fine as long as we don't have a blizzard that doesn't allow the birds to get out and feed. They are pretty resourceful at finding food if it is not super windy for an extended period. A warm spell would be nice I have to admit but a a true 3-4 day blizzard is what really kills pheasants.


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## Brad Anderson (Apr 1, 2002)

It may be a little early to panic, but current conditions aren't exactly favorable. Last time I checked it was -13 outside.


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## Dick Monson (Aug 12, 2002)

Mine says -30 this morning.


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## Scraper (Apr 1, 2002)

Pheasants die in large numbers and then bounce back, that is truly their nature and the reality of living on the northern edge of pheasant range.

If there is anyone out there who would like to do something to lessen the impact, go to your local elevator purchase a pickup load of screenings and drive to the landowners that you know are wintering birds in their yards or with their cattle.

A few scoops of grain can go a long way in a pheasant.

The important thing to remember is that if you keep them from being completely eradicated like they were in '97 they will bounce back quickly.

This is also a good time to reflect as a pheasant hunter and think about your favorite hunting area and if there isn't a good spot around there for a core wintering area. An abandoned farmstead with evergreens and a food plot can winter a lot of birds.


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## njsimonson (Sep 24, 2002)

Yup, we've got -29 here. My new norwegian roommate is in utter disbelief. He states that this is the coldest weather he's ever experienced.

I guess we should all be thankful for the opportunities we had last year, and I will never forget how much fun it was to have all those birds flush. It truly was a blast!


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## Brad Anderson (Apr 1, 2002)

I know we live in ND, but this is just ridiculous. I'm not sure if we are even going to break 0 this week!


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## Matt Jones (Mar 6, 2002)

I know it's deep snow and ice that really kill off pheasants but I'm sure this cold can't help either. Does anyone know if this cold snap will kill birds? Or will they be OK as long as they can find food?


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## CheapHunter (Sep 24, 2003)

Food and shelter are the two critical factors for pheasants survival in the winter. Blizzard conditions are what usually kill off large quantities of birds. Ive read that when caught in open blizzard conditions they will usually face the wind to keep snow and ice from penetrating their feathers, therefore causing their nasal passages to feeze over leading them to suffocate once their mouth fills with ice and snow. I guess its always been a matter of avoiding windy, freezing conditions. As long as the birds can stay buried and grouped the cold really is impervious to their survival.


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## Bagman (Oct 17, 2002)

I got this from the Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center...hopefully it alieviates some concerns involving roosters and this damned weather:

Pheasants have been preparing for the new season's hardships all through the fall months, gaining weight which will enable them to withstand the rigors of winter. Their fat reserves build up and will be used during periods of extremely low temperatures and heavy snow cover. They move from summer habitat to winter cover with the first hint of a change in the weather.

In winter, pheasants almost always segregate by sex. Hens are more tolerant of crowding than are roosters, and generally gather in larger groups. Roosters are inclined to roost in small groups or alone, apart from hens. Thus, the frequent assumption that "with all these hens there has to be a rooster close by" has led many a winter hunter on a useless chase.

During winter, North Dakota pheasants utilize marshes, plum thickets, brushy cover with a weedy understory, shelter-belts, woody ditches, bushy fencerows, and unmowed railroad rights-of-way. High-quality cover is essential for their survival during cold months, but where such cover exists, pheasants can easily survive almost anything winter can offer.

Well adapted to North Dakota winters, ring-necked pheasants seldom succumb to starvation or cold in ordinary winter conditions. They are adept at locating food sources even in extreme conditions, and if necessary, pheasants can go without food for long periods, living off their stored energy reserves.

They burrow effectively into heavy cover, and deep snow causes them little difficulty. They are able to dig themselves out from under drifts several feet deep, and will form complex tunnel systems through cover that is buried beneath a layer of snow.

In regions of the state where corn and sunflowers are abundant, these grains become staples in the pheasant diet. Using their feet and wings, they can dig through a foot or more of snow to find grain. If grain is unavailable, pheasants can subsist on a diet of weed seeds, fleshy fruits, and other plant material. If these food sources fail, it is not uncommon for them to move into a farmyard and feed with domestic stock, or to follow a manure spreader and glean waste grain.

Blowing snow and extremely cold temperatures are greater threats. Without adequate shelter, pheasants find it difficult to survive blizzards. Caught away from good cover when a blizzard strikes, pheasants often die from freezing or suffocation. Caught in the open during blizzard conditions, they will ordinarily face into the wind to keep snow from penetrating their feathers. Their nasal openings may then freeze over, forcing them to hold their beaks open in order to breathe. Ice balls may then form, block the mouth, and the birds will suffocate.

Wind can force snow under their feathers, where it is melted by body heat. If their feathers get wet, the insulating value of the pheasants plumage greatly decreases, and the moist feathers quickly radiate body heat. This moisture may refreeze, forming ice beneath the birds' feathers. In these circumstances birds will rapidly lose critical body heat and die. Ice storms can also pose a threat.

Nevertheless, in most winters the critical factor for pheasant survival is habitat, and given adequate food, the ringneck in North Dakota is almost impervious to the elements.


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## Rick A. (Sep 5, 2003)

Good artical Bagman...Correct me if I'm wrong...-35 to -44 air temps would be considered bitter cold right?


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## tsodak (Sep 7, 2002)

Drove from Jamestown to Forman this morning around sunrise, and back around sunset.

Saw excellant numbers of birds anywhere there were cattails in close proximity to soybean stubble. That Sargent Dickey county area has much less snow than Jamestown/Bismarck.

Long and short, I think it will have minimal impact. Late Feb, March and April storms will destroy them, not bitter cold in January, although it does not exactly help.

Just my 2 cents worth....


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