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Post by Dutch on Feb 25, 2013 6:26:17 GMT -5
Spent Sunday afternoon at the WPRA in Columbia/Nortumberland County. There must have been over 75 participants, plus LOTS of dogs. We were part 2 or 3 groups surveying a 400 acre farm that was entirely in CREP. Our group flushed 13 cockbirds and 14 hens. The group beside us flushed 65. The biologist that was with us did her very best not to count reflushes, which impressed me. Met Lynn Appelman, "Mr. Pheasant", lol. Gave me some very good insight as to the learning curve with the warm season grass plantings. Seems they have learned that these plantings need a much higher percentage of switchgrass in order to be successful. Something on the order of 70% switch and the rest warm season grasses. The switch stands up to snow loads and rain. We did walk thru many areas where the grasses were flattened, and flushed nothing from them. Where it was thick, thats where we flushed birds. We also flushed a number of long eard owls, or was it short eared owls? Threatened species. They use the grasses to hunt in and to roost in, on the ground, in groups. Saw a great deal of fox scat as there is plenty for them to hunt in those grasses. Flushed a number of rabbits as well. Thicker cover where we flushed owls and pheasants. Pheasant on the right of pic: Even the little one got involved: Runnin' with the big dogs: On point, but no bird.......mighta been a bunny:
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Post by Dutch on Feb 25, 2013 6:26:50 GMT -5
No more pics, tired of dealing with the slowness of Photobucket. grrrrrrrrrrrr......
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Post by Dutch on Feb 27, 2013 15:22:12 GMT -5
Here is a video of a hen flushing. That bird was right in front of me!
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Post by richg on Feb 27, 2013 15:55:40 GMT -5
That's neat Brad.I have to assume these were stocked birds?
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Post by Dutch on Feb 27, 2013 16:18:27 GMT -5
No, wild birds on the Central Susquehanna Pheasant Recovery Area.
The last stockings of wild birds in that area was 2008.
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Post by richg on Feb 27, 2013 19:59:11 GMT -5
Wow,it's been a long time since I've seen a wild one.Best hunting there ever was of my opinion.
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Post by Dutch on Feb 28, 2013 5:48:08 GMT -5
These were some VERY wary birds. The majority of them flushed well out of gun range. I had one hen come out right in front of me that scared the crap outta me. She couldn't have been more than 10 feet away.
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