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Prairie Chicken
- Thread starter Bigga Trust
- Start date
Bigga Trust
Senior Member
Nice! Those are pretty fascinating birds. We used to have the eastern race that's extinct now.
Turkeytider
Senior Member
Beat me to it, thanks. I was wondering if they were ever this Far East.
coachdoug87
Senior Member
That is interesting. I wonder if they could be brought back. I have always wondered if some kind of game bird could be transplanted to this area. Pheasants and some other
bird species have been successfully introduced to new places. It seems like we could find something that would thrive here.
bird species have been successfully introduced to new places. It seems like we could find something that would thrive here.
Turkeytider
Senior Member
It would indeed be great to be able to hunt WILD pheasant or something of that ilk . I just wonder, though, if our agricultural practices and such make that non-feasible. I believe that the changes in agricultural practices in the South played at least a major role in the decline of Mr. Bob.
ryanh487
Senior Member
The introduction and rampant spread of the fire ant played a big roll in that too. They are non-native and did not arrive in GA until the 1950s.
The heath hens were mainly in the northeast along the Atlantic coast, from Maine to Virginia, maybe into eastern NC.
There is a group right now doing research on the feasibility of trying to genetically engineer heath hens from museum specimen DNA.
There have been trials of trying to establish all kinds of game birds in the southeast, from ringneck pheasants to chukar and Hungarian partridges, but none of them have ever been successful. There is someone near me who turns some ringnecks loose now and then, I see one standing in the road every year or two, but they don't seem to reproduce.
Even our native ruffed grouse that used to be very common around here has declined a lot, and the quail are pretty much gone here in my area. I used to could jump three or four coveys a day back when I was a teenager.
coachdoug87
Senior Member
Pheasants have been tried in Georgia and didn't make it. Maybe some things could be
done differently. Agricultural practices do hurt in some areas, but what really bothers
me is the thousands of acres of public land that pretty much worthless for any kind of
wild life. Mature forest with a bare floor.
done differently. Agricultural practices do hurt in some areas, but what really bothers
me is the thousands of acres of public land that pretty much worthless for any kind of
wild life. Mature forest with a bare floor.
Bear factories.
Rabun
Senior Member
I remember years ago seeing what we called guinea hens running all over the place. I'm assuming those were all domesticated? Haven't seen one since I can't remember when....probably since I've seen a grouse...
Unless you were in Africa, those were domestic guineas.I remember years ago seeing what we called guinea hens running all over the place. I'm assuming those were all domesticated? Haven't seen one since I can't remember when....probably since I've seen a grouse...
Bigga Trust
Senior Member
The prairie chickens fly in big groups. I shot the one posted out of group of approx. 30. They fly good and come up on you pretty fast especially with the wind.
Bigga Trust
Senior Member
nrh0011
Senior Member
They are unreal game birds. I love SD. Saw some in kansas as a kid, but that was many years ago.
Turkeytider
Senior Member
That is so neat. I just hope that we, as a species, don`t completely screw it up. Makes we want to renew all my organization ( DU, Nature Conservancy, Quail Forever, etc. ) memberships.
nrh0011
Senior Member
Yes they do! and they will flare at the sight of orange clothing like no other.
What do they taste like? Compared to a quail?
Eroc33
Senior Member
I wonder if when they did those trials they just released pen raised birds or they trapped wild birds and they released them? If they released pen raised birds the study is flawed.
Im not familiar with the Heath Hen, but we need something that can survive on the current grasses we have in all of our hay fields and other fields because quail wont.
I have heard that some northern states release phesants at the beginning of bird season on WMA's with appropriate habitat for residents to hunt, and all they charge is about $25.00 for a phesant stamp.
In the short-term I think this would be a great way to get more people into Upland hunting.
Turkeytider
Senior Member
Pen raised anything doesn`t have a prayer, IMHO, if you`re trying to establish wild, huntable populations. Maybe a few might survive to breed, but not enough.
