South Dakota Pheasant

[Mow1954]

Has anyone heard whether this winter is expected to be unusually hard on pheasants? I go every year and am worried about it

 

[NDGuy]

I haven't heard but we in the North just had an freezing/snow storm. Not gonna be good if it doesn't warm up and stay warm.

 

[finner]

Similarly worried here in Montana. Last year was really rough on bird numbers, and this winter looks like it might push them even further towards the brink

 

[HunterEng]

My family is from sd. My dad has told me it's not good. He would normally have around 100ish pheasants running right around his place....he would feed them during tough winters.....said he now has 12.

 

[30338]

This might be a good year to get my duck call back out of the closet. Had good hunts last year but looking pretty tough.

 

[LongWayAround]

Cold, wet springs are really rough on nesting success. That and a rough winter could make for slim pickings.

I skipped my snowgoose trip this season after a bad hatch, weather, and life expenses.

It doesn't look like much of South Dakota has melted off but there is massive flooding from the snowmelt and rain that fell in eastern Nebraska and western Iowa. I would expect much of South Dakota to be a lake this spring. There is a lot of ice on the water and snow on the ground.

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[Jxferg7]

Not good so far, I live in Central SD and after a long hard winter we just got hit with a nasty blizzard over a foot of snow with 60+ mile an hour winds. Not good so far but it can only get better until the hail.

 

[sdarcher]

I live in NE South Dakota and it is NOT GOOD!! We have been hit hard with snow and bitterly cold temperatures. As a previous post said, where you used to see hundreds of birds scratching for food, you might see 20-30. Its a sad situation here. Pushing 60" of snow and countless days of well below zero temperatures, its amazing anything survives.

 

[Roksliding]

I live in NE South Dakota and it is NOT GOOD!! We have been hit hard with snow and bitterly cold temperatures. As a previous post said, where you used to see hundreds of birds scratching for food, you might see 20-30. Its a sad situation here. Pushing 60" of snow and countless days of well below zero temperatures, its amazing anything survives.

NE SD?? With all this snow and rain crap is it Looking like it’s gonna have flooding this fall maybe?? Hmmm

 

[Mow1954]

Just talked to guys in Aberdeen. They are still buried, and are very worried about flooding.

 

[SoDaky]

I also live in the NE.Very very tough on pheasants.Blizzard after blizzard and this last one was the worst because of the ice component.Many places already lacked thermal cover due to drifting but add a half inch layer of ice and you have a disaster.I'd estimate losses at 80-90 %.