Pheasant Hunting Forecast
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| Pheasants Forever is dedicated to the conservation of pheasants, quail and other wildlife through habitat improvements, public awareness, education and land management policies and programs. |
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Pheasants Forever Inc., 1783 Buerkle Circle, St. Paul, MN 55110 Wisconsin – Numbers Improve Slightly
Forecast: Results from the 2013 rural mail carrier pheasant survey show an increase in the number of pheasants seen during the April survey period. The number of pheasants seen per 100 miles driven was 0.36 in 2013, up 16% from the 0.31 recorded in 2012. The counties with the highest number of pheasants seen per 100 miles driven were Barron (1.19), Kenosha (0.84) and Polk (0.84). Changes in agriculture and land-use patterns are still contributing to long-term declines in ring-necked pheasant populations. Enrollment in the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), a U.S. Department of Agriculture program that pays landowners to retire their cropland for 10- to 15-year periods — by planting it to permanent cover, such as grass or trees — has declined significantly in Wisconsin. Given the loss of grassland acres on the landscape and relatively low pheasant numbers, hunters may need to scout diligently to locate suitable pheasant cover. Those who do can expect moderate success during the 2013 season. Cattail marshes, shelterbelts and dense shrub thickets provide protection for pheasants during harsh winter weather, and landscapes that include these habitat elements will likely still hold pheasants. Following the pheasant hunting season, Pheasants Forever will take its National Pheasant Fest & Quail Classic event to Milwaukee, Wisconsin for the first time, to run February 14-16, 2014 at the Wisconsin Center. Season Dates: October 19, 2013 through December 31, 2013Daily Bag Limit: 1 daily opening weekend, 2 remainder of season Possession Limit: Twice daily bag limit Field Notes: During the 2012 pheasant hunting season, an estimated 46,421 hunters spent a total of 432,460 days in search of pheasants and reported harvesting 220,869 birds. The top counties for harvest were Fond du Lac, Dodge and Dane. This fall the DNR plans to stock 92 public hunting grounds with approximately 75,000 pheasants, up from the 54,000 pheasants stocked on 70 properties in 2012. Helpful Links: Back to Pheasants Forever's 2013 Pheasant Hunting Forecast
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