2021 Pheasant hunting forecast presented by Sportsman's Guide

Pheasant Hunting Forecast is presented by sportsman's Guide
NORTH DAKOTA—BIRDS DOWN STATEWIDE, BUT NORTHWEST SOARS
Forecast: Bad weather of distinctly different kinds—drought in the southwest and rainstorms in the east—caused North Dakota pheasant numbers to drop about 10 percent statewide. Broods counted were down 7 percent and brood size, 8 percent.
 
Even so, the pheasant population is probably only a bit below the long-term average, says Rodney Gross, upland game management biologist for the North Dakota Game and Fish Department. “You’re still going to find birds, but you might have to walk a little bit harder.”
 
The estimates are based on the state’s late summer roadside count along 105 20-mile routes from late July through Sept. 1.
 
Drought in the southwest caused the biggest percentage drop—about 21 percent in adult birds and 19 percent among broods compared with last year (which was a very strong year). “In our traditional area in the southwest, the hotspot, it was pretty much a drought,” Gross says. “We didn’t get early spring rain. We didn’t get nesting cover. We still didn’t get rain, so we didn’t get brooding cover. Then we didn’t get an insect hatch because it was so dry.” Nonetheless, the southwest still maintains the highest-density pheasant population in North Dakota.
 
The southeast fared better compared to last year—adult birds down just 4 percent and broods essentially the same as last year.
 
Much of the rest of the state endured too much rain. “We got it 10 inches at a time, lots of gully washers, lots of real bad hail events, says Gross. “Chicks don’t do so well when they get wet.”
 
The bright spot was the northwest, where adult birds were up 129 percent and broods up 161 percent. Says Gross, “I think McClean, Sheridan counties—those were probably our best part of the state. They got rain but they didn’t get the severe weather events.”
 
Field Notes: “We’re still continuing to lose CRP,” says Gross. “Our peak was 3.3 million acres. I think we’re at around 1.2 million right now. It’s still going down.”
 
In accordance with state law, nonresidents are not allowed to hunt on Game and Fish Department wildlife management areas or conservation PLOTS (Private Land Open to Sportsmen) areas for the first seven days of the pheasant season.
 
Season Dates: October 8, 2016 through January 8, 2017 (exception: delayed opener area, see link below)
 
Daily Bag Limit: 3
 
Possession Limit: 12
 
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