2019 SD Pheasant Count is Posted, Not Good news

[Gator89]

Road counts down 17% from last year

https://www.keloland.com/news/local-news/gfp-report-south-dakota-pheasants-down-17-percent/

According to the South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks Department’s 2019 brood survey, the statewide Pheasants Per Mile (PPM) index for 2019 is down 17% compared to 2018. There’s an average of 2.04 birds per mile compared to 2.47 last year. However, the GFP stressed in its report the number of hens and broods counted were down, while the number of roosters “remained nearly unchanged.”


Weather was likely the biggest culprit for a decrease in the pheasant count.


The GFP’s report noted “Historic winter snowfall and spring/summer rainfall has resulted in many road ditches containing water. Additionally, approximately 3.8 million acres of cropland went unplanted. Although it is unknown how these circumstances may have influenced pheasant behavior and visibility during this survey, the impact on the detectability of pheasants was most likely negative.”

 

[Cmp1]

Road counts down 17% from last year

https://www.keloland.com/news/local-news/gfp-report-south-dakota-pheasants-down-17-percent/

According to the South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks Department’s 2019 brood survey, the statewide Pheasants Per Mile (PPM) index for 2019 is down 17% compared to 2018. There’s an average of 2.04 birds per mile compared to 2.47 last year. However, the GFP stressed in its report the number of hens and broods counted were down, while the number of roosters “remained nearly unchanged.”


Weather was likely the biggest culprit for a decrease in the pheasant count.


The GFP’s report noted “Historic winter snowfall and spring/summer rainfall has resulted in many road ditches containing water. Additionally, approximately 3.8 million acres of cropland went unplanted. Although it is unknown how these circumstances may have influenced pheasant behavior and visibility during this survey, the impact on the detectability of pheasants was most likely negative.”

Hard winter,,,,here too,,,.

 

[mecicon]

https://www.uguidesdpheasants.com/news/2019-outlook-forecast-brood-count-survey-report/

Nothing to worry about.

You do realize that the hatch counts are performed by USPS rural carriers

 

[Gator89]

Not worried, just ready for the numbers of 2009 & 2010 to return at least once more in my lifetime.

 

[mguthrie]

I figured last winter had a negative impact on most wild critters. I wonder how the deer population is doing. It got brutally cold for extended periods up there

 

[mecicon]

Sorry Dude, I would like 2004-2007 numbers... but what the heck.

I don't care about "limits". I am out there to invest time with my friends, dogs and nature.

 

[Nimrod71]

Well I guess I want be going to South Dakota this year. Maybe it will be better next year. I had planned on taking several of my friends up to Winner for a week of bird hunting. Now I guess we will be heading to Gopher plantation for a few little birds.

 

[GAHUNTER60]

Those numbers are an average of birds counted statewide. In the "traditional" heavily hunted ares in the center of the state (Chamberlain, Mitchell, Winner, etc.) the numbers are pretty much on par with last season, according to their game department.

We're going to Chamberlain just before Thanksgiving, so I'll be able to give you a better report when I return.

 

[Killinstuff]

Not sure why guys get so wrapped up in these counts. I was in SD at the end of August and saw plenty of birds. Spent 10 days in MT the beginning of September and the pheasants were thick there to. If guy wants to hunt and knows what they are doing they will find and kill birds.

 

[Semi-Pro]

I hunted fdr when the said the deer count was 69 psm. I didnt see one deer. I dont believe those things

 

[Gator89]

The counts will not be what I base my decision to go or not go on, but they provide an indicator of the overall population. The birds are no where as populous as they were ten years ago.

But there is no better option than South Dakota for pheasant.

 

[Whitefeather]

My parents live just outside of Chamberlain and they say the numbers are down some due to wet spring and hardly any grasshoppers. They’ve got a few coming up to their yard and feeding with the yard chickens. I miss that place.

 

[Jetjockey]

SD is overrated. That had a few phenomenal years, but there’s a bunch of places where you can’t find just as many, if not more birds. With that said, the cover in SD was ridiculous this year, so those road side counts are probably not indicative of the real count.

 

[jdgator]

SD is overrated. That had a few phenomenal years, but there’s a bunch of places where you can’t find just as many, if not more birds. With that said, the cover in SD was ridiculous this year, so those road side counts are probably not indicative of the real count.

What states would you consider to beside SD? Is eastern Washington good?

 

[Jetjockey]

What states would you consider to beside SD? Is eastern Washington good?

For quail and chukar, absolutely! For pheasants, KS. We camped near Spokane this summer with my parents. One morning we drove from our camp site, to where we met our fishing guide for Kokanee. It was approximately 20 mile drive. I bet we saw 20+ coveys of quail in the short drive. When we found a spot to camp on the beach we saw a couple of 40+ bird coveys of chukar. There’s a TON of wild birds in NE WA state. Eastern WA is in the middle of knowwere, and the big horns think they own the place.

 

[Gator89]

I have a really hard time believing there is a better place to hunt pheasant in the U.S. than South Dakota year in and year out.

I don't know any farmers in KS, WA, etc., so I will hunt in SoDak as long as my friends are willing to put out the welcome mat.

 

[Jetjockey]

I have a really hard time believing there is a better place to hunt pheasant in the U.S. than South Dakota year in and year out.

I don't know any farmers in KS, WA, etc., so I will hunt in SoDak as long as my friends are willing to put out the welcome mat.

I don’t either, and I hunt primarily public land. I’m only 8 hours from the middle of the pheasant triangle in SD, until bird numbers get back to 2009-2010 numbers, I won’t make the drive. In KS, you don’t have to wait until 10 or 12 to hunt, they have a 4 bird limit, and massive amounts of public land. Not to mention, the best bob white quail hunting in the country.