Minnesota pheasant kill highest in 44 years

Capt'n Mil Coll · 07-09-2008, 06:40 PM

By Chris Niskanen
cniskanen@pioneerpress.com
Article Launched: 07/09/2008 12:01:00 AM CDT

(No caption with photo)

Minnesota's ring-necked pheasant kill last year soared to the highest level since 1964, according to new estimates from the Department of Natural Resources.
The state's pheasant population has been buoyed by a recent string of mild winters, and hunters took advantage in 2007 by shooting 655,000 roosters, or male pheasants, an 11 percent increase from 2006.
It was the first time the state's pheasant harvest went over 600,000 birds since 1964, when 758,000 roosters were killed.
"As pheasant hunters know, we've had a good alignment of pheasant reproduction for three years in row and mild winters for three years in a row,'' said Dennis Simon, DNR wildlife chief.
Minnesota sold 129,300 pheasant stamps last year, a slight decline from 2006. But pheasant hunters averaged about 5.5 birds per hunter for the season, the highest average in 15 years.
Small-game license sales in 2007 were up 1 percent from 2006, but hit their highest level since the 2000-2001 hunting season.
Simon cautioned, that the increase did not indicate a long-term rise in hunting participation. He said the increase could be attributed to a short-term spike in hunters taking advantage of pheasant and ruffed grousepopulations.
The bad news was last year's ruffed grouse kill dropped 30 percent from 2006, which was unexpected after early-spring surveys indicated the grouse population was up. But grouse hunters last fall said they saw far fewer birds in the woods, which means some chicks likely died in late spring or summer.

Some hunters have said they were concerned about the harvest decline in ruffed grouse, the state's most popular game bird.
"We don't know why the harvest dropped,'' said Mike Larson, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources wildlife research scientist. Ruffed grouse populations follow a 10-year cycle of peaks and declines, with peaks occurring in years ending in 8, 9 and zero.
Larson said there might not be much to worry about from last year's grouse-kill decline. Statewide drumming counts of male grouse were up 8 percent this spring, with a 9 percent increase in the northeast, suggesting whatever happened last summer didn't carry over to this year.
"It's something we're watching, but not something we're worried about at this point," Larson said.
Minnesota's estimated duck kill was down 3 percent, which reflected warm fall weather and a late migration. Duck hunters bought 100,130 duck stamps, a slight decline from 2007.
The DNR compiles its small-game harvest estimates data by sending surveys to about 6,000 hunters. License and stamp data are based on actual sales compiled by the agency.
Chris Niskanen can be reached at 651-228-5524.

SoDakHunter · 07-10-2008, 10:19 AM

Interesting article. Thanks for the post, I hope all the roosters left in Minnesota get scared and hightail it west. I'll take care of the survivors of what is being called the "Roostercaust."

squirrelbaster · 07-10-2008, 10:30 AM

its all elmers foult!

elmer fudd · 07-10-2008, 01:54 PM

lol ^ we could use some big hunting like that down here i live about 3-5 hours from min. but down here we are realy populated with the little suckers but its getting a litte better cuz like several months ago when we would drive after pheasent seasen we would see 5 rosters to 1 hen then the other day i was rideing this colt and i seen 5 hens to 1 rooster so our pop. will boost!

SoDakHunter · 07-10-2008, 02:26 PM

Hey elmer,

Lets just meet up in canton and walk the whole state, see if we cant beat that puny minnesota record.

Take that you lake bogarting fools.

j/k Much love for my minnesotans out there. Its just the Iowegians i hate!

elmer fudd · 07-10-2008, 05:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SoDakHunter

Hey elmer,

Lets just meet up in canton and walk the whole state, see if we cant beat that puny minnesota record.

Take that you lake bogarting fools.

j/k Much love for my minnesotans out there. Its just the Iowegians i hate!

LOL! my one buddy says that all the time! iowegens! LOL we should my dad just bought a 100 rounds lets go! LOL i even have a couple horses we could shoot off of! LOL

Earl Easter · 07-17-2008, 11:22 PM

Thanks For Info. The folks here in Pennsylvania can't seem to get them started.
We depend on mostly stocked birds. But in the 60's it was a different story, plenty wild birds then.

07-09-2008, 06:40 PM	#1
Capt'n Mil Coll Military Rifle Collector Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Right behind you. -NRA Member- Posts: 2,578 Images: 38	Minnesota pheasant kill highest in 44 years By Chris Niskanen cniskanen@pioneerpress.com Article Launched: 07/09/2008 12:01:00 AM CDT (No caption with photo) Minnesota's ring-necked pheasant kill last year soared to the highest level since 1964, according to new estimates from the Department of Natural Resources. The state's pheasant population has been buoyed by a recent string of mild winters, and hunters took advantage in 2007 by shooting 655,000 roosters, or male pheasants, an 11 percent increase from 2006. It was the first time the state's pheasant harvest went over 600,000 birds since 1964, when 758,000 roosters were killed. "As pheasant hunters know, we've had a good alignment of pheasant reproduction for three years in row and mild winters for three years in a row,'' said Dennis Simon, DNR wildlife chief. Minnesota sold 129,300 pheasant stamps last year, a slight decline from 2006. But pheasant hunters averaged about 5.5 birds per hunter for the season, the highest average in 15 years. Small-game license sales in 2007 were up 1 percent from 2006, but hit their highest level since the 2000-2001 hunting season. Simon cautioned, that the increase did not indicate a long-term rise in hunting participation. He said the increase could be attributed to a short-term spike in hunters taking advantage of pheasant and ruffed grousepopulations. The bad news was last year's ruffed grouse kill dropped 30 percent from 2006, which was unexpected after early-spring surveys indicated the grouse population was up. But grouse hunters last fall said they saw far fewer birds in the woods, which means some chicks likely died in late spring or summer. Some hunters have said they were concerned about the harvest decline in ruffed grouse, the state's most popular game bird. "We don't know why the harvest dropped,'' said Mike Larson, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources wildlife research scientist. Ruffed grouse populations follow a 10-year cycle of peaks and declines, with peaks occurring in years ending in 8, 9 and zero. Larson said there might not be much to worry about from last year's grouse-kill decline. Statewide drumming counts of male grouse were up 8 percent this spring, with a 9 percent increase in the northeast, suggesting whatever happened last summer didn't carry over to this year. "It's something we're watching, but not something we're worried about at this point," Larson said. Minnesota's estimated duck kill was down 3 percent, which reflected warm fall weather and a late migration. Duck hunters bought 100,130 duck stamps, a slight decline from 2007. The DNR compiles its small-game harvest estimates data by sending surveys to about 6,000 hunters. License and stamp data are based on actual sales compiled by the agency. Chris Niskanen can be reached at 651-228-5524. __________________ Let's light this fuse and see what happens!

07-10-2008, 10:30 AM	#3
squirrelbaster Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Ohio Posts: 2,557	its all elmers foult! __________________ "My Shotgun SAYS I AM the POLICE !"--Mooseman684 "I like Turtles!" youtube kid

07-10-2008, 01:54 PM	#4
elmer fudd Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: pheasant country USA! Posts: 2,030	lol ^ we could use some big hunting like that down here i live about 3-5 hours from min. but down here we are realy populated with the little suckers but its getting a litte better cuz like several months ago when we would drive after pheasent seasen we would see 5 rosters to 1 hen then the other day i was rideing this colt and i seen 5 hens to 1 rooster so our pop. will boost! __________________ spur hard, shoot straight, party hardy!

07-10-2008, 10:19 AM	#2
SoDakHunter Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Sioux Falls, SD Posts: 353	Interesting article. Thanks for the post, I hope all the roosters left in Minnesota get scared and hightail it west. I'll take care of the survivors of what is being called the "Roostercaust."

07-10-2008, 02:26 PM	#5
SoDakHunter Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Sioux Falls, SD Posts: 353	Hey elmer, Lets just meet up in canton and walk the whole state, see if we cant beat that puny minnesota record. Take that you lake bogarting fools. j/k Much love for my minnesotans out there. Its just the Iowegians i hate!

07-17-2008, 11:22 PM	#7
Earl Easter Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Pennsylvania Posts: 786 Images: 20	Thanks For Info. The folks here in Pennsylvania can't seem to get them started. We depend on mostly stocked birds. But in the 60's it was a different story, plenty wild birds then.