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Post by Roosterslammer on Apr 28, 2013 10:21:03 GMT -5
Today was my second count through a section of the Central Susquehanna WPRA. Last year my high was around 62 birds crowing along the nine mile route with stops every mile and that was the current record. This number has gone up every year since we started the program. Sundays are always the best days for hearing birds as the road noise is at a minumum. I had our chapter president along today as he had never been on the route. After the number of birds we counted at the first stop, I told him we could be setting a new record today. Little did I know the record we would be setting. We heard a total of 143 birds this morning! I was amazed. After the doubling of our flushing survey numbers, I expected numbers to go up but this even surprised me. Two easy winters have created a big increase in numbers. We just need to increase the quality of the habitat so a harder winter doesn't set us back too far.
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Post by Fldbred on Apr 28, 2013 12:37:30 GMT -5
For anyone that might not understand what those numbers mean...simply stated, THE PLAN IS WORKING!
Dutch, you owe Mr. Appleman a cold one! lol.
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Post by Dutch on Apr 28, 2013 14:48:39 GMT -5
I'll give him his cold one, but I can't remember the exact deal on it. But, very encouraging numbers and nice to see, thats for sure.
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Post by Fldbred on Apr 28, 2013 15:31:52 GMT -5
Hmmm... I think I was part of that deal too! Yep I'm sure of it!
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Post by Dutch on Apr 28, 2013 16:31:54 GMT -5
Yes, what was the exact deal? What was the measure of success that we spoke of so many years ago? I mean, do I REALLY owe a beer? What were the parameters?
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Post by Roosterslammer on Apr 28, 2013 16:32:02 GMT -5
Dutch, this amazing increase was not even expected by me. I think the habitat needs much improvement and some of us are wondrering how these birds are doing so well in what's available to them. I do think it proves that phenominal numbers are possible with some additional improvements and will provide not just a place to find some wild pheasants but a first class pheasant hunting area typical of what was once the norm in this area. Proving that will take a few more years and hours on the tractor.
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Post by Dutch on Apr 28, 2013 16:37:15 GMT -5
I wish you many callouses on the butt cheeks. LOL
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Post by Fldbred on Apr 28, 2013 17:47:49 GMT -5
That's an awful lot of wild birds to be heard in that stretch,remember that's just a percentage of the birds there. These birds are getting ready to nest and raise young. At least in this section of Pennsylvania, the wild ringneck is once again part of the landscape...like he should be!
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Post by Deleted on Apr 28, 2013 17:50:51 GMT -5
Today was my second count through a section of the Central Susquehanna WPRA. Last year my high was around 62 birds crowing along the nine mile route with stops every mile and that was the current record. This number has gone up every year since we started the program. Sundays are always the best days for hearing birds as the road noise is at a minumum. I had our chapter president along today as he had never been on the route. After the number of birds we counted at the first stop, I told him we could be setting a new record today. Little did I know the record we would be setting. We heard a total of 143 birds this morning! I was amazed. After the doubling of our flushing survey numbers, I expected numbers to go up but this even surprised me. Two easy winters have created a big increase in numbers. We just need to increase the quality of the habitat so a harder winter doesn't set us back too far. Very positive report there roosterslammer!! Please post-up info on your PF organization or whatever venues are in the main re supporting this valuable endeavor. I started my huntin venture many years ago in chase of the magnificant pheasant & am very interested in supporting continuance as im sure many others are here also.
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Post by Roosterslammer on Apr 28, 2013 18:58:43 GMT -5
Loggy,
Lots of info about our chapter at centralsusquehannapf.org
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Post by Dutch on Apr 28, 2013 19:11:30 GMT -5
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Post by Deleted on Apr 29, 2013 12:24:17 GMT -5
That's great news! I'm glad to hear there is hope again for wild Pheasants!
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Post by Deleted on Apr 29, 2013 12:45:39 GMT -5
That Pheasant game on there is great!
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Post by Roosterslammer on Apr 29, 2013 18:29:35 GMT -5
History of crowing numbers. Wild birds released in 2007 and 2008.
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Post by Roosterslammer on Apr 30, 2013 21:08:40 GMT -5
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Post by Dutch on Apr 30, 2013 21:15:04 GMT -5
My brother is a PF member and was going to bring his copy over.
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Post by Roosterslammer on Apr 30, 2013 22:06:07 GMT -5
Your brother is a wise man ;D
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Post by Dutch on May 1, 2013 5:16:31 GMT -5
He and I share similar views on the WPRA's, so, yep, guess he is wise. LOL
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Post by Roosterslammer on May 1, 2013 17:02:29 GMT -5
Must be a gene mutation then that keeps you both from seeing the obvious
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Post by Dutch on May 1, 2013 17:54:19 GMT -5
It's working, I admit that. My point is that it is simply an oasis and something of a "special regs" area. It is not reproducable, in great quanity, in most places. You can't create a WPRA in Lancaster County, nor any of the former areas known for great pheasant hunting in the 60's.
This program depends on CREP, and in decent acreages, over a large area, in order to restore the birds to huntable numbers.
I looked at the PGC pheasant management plan. It shows almost all of Lancaster and Lebanon County as "potential" pheasant habitat. Sure it is, POTENTIAL, but the reality is that not enough farmers here would put their lands in the CREP, with enough acres to make a difference.
The Montour WPRA will be a success of a sort, but it will not be reproduced over a large area of the state. It does however prove that given enough habitat, pheasants, wild ones, can be produced here in PA and I applaud all the incredible hard work of those that made it happen.
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Post by Roosterslammer on May 1, 2013 18:06:18 GMT -5
I understand it doesn't excite you since it is not in your area. I agree that Lancaster County looks like the surface of the moon when it is not crop growing season. But, things are always changing and it could change there in the future. I think every farm should have a conservation practice but that's just me. You are just seeing the begining of the growth here. We have a plan in place to really move this project forward and includes in and out of the WPRA. It can be repeated in other areas but certainly not statewide. Getting 170 flushes in one field and hearing 140 roosters on a crowing count is more than you ever thought would happen and you ain't seen nothin yet. As the grass goes in, the birds will go up. Patience Grasshopper
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Post by Dutch on May 1, 2013 19:05:01 GMT -5
It excites me, you don't understand.
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Post by Roosterslammer on May 1, 2013 19:34:49 GMT -5
I do understand, we just have different experiences and desires. I have traveled out west 10 times and spent thousandfs of dollars to hunt WILD pheasants. I know there are game lands down the road and hunting preserves around where i could more easily and way less expensive hunt some game farm pheasants. If you have never hunted wild ones, it doesn't compute.
It also disturbs me that much of PAs landscape is so sterile that a mouse can't even survive in it. I see people tearing out hedge rows just to get another 10 ft to farm. It is just rediculous that the government would subsidize using a food crop to create fuel. So along with bringing back wild pheasants, kestrels, harriers, barn owls, short eared owls, meadow larks, red wing blackbirds and a host of other wildlife benefits by every acre of grassland we put in. Even if you don't care about pheasants, the habitat we are creating and helping conserve makes the plan worthy of support.
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Post by Deleted on May 2, 2013 9:02:13 GMT -5
I do understand, we just have different experiences and desires. I have traveled out west 10 times and spent thousandfs of dollars to hunt WILD pheasants. I know there are game lands down the road and hunting preserves around where i could more easily and way less expensive hunt some game farm pheasants. If you have never hunted wild ones, it doesn't compute. It also disturbs me that much of PAs landscape is so sterile that a mouse can't even survive in it. I see people tearing out hedge rows just to get another 10 ft to farm. It is just rediculous that the government would subsidize using a food crop to create fuel. So along with bringing back wild pheasants, kestrels, harriers, barn owls, short eared owls, meadow larks, red wing blackbirds and a host of other wildlife benefits by every acre of grassland we put in. Even if you don't care about pheasants, the habitat we are creating and helping conserve makes the plan worthy of support. Agreed.
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Post by Dutch on May 2, 2013 15:56:36 GMT -5
Just as rediculous as paying farmers in Lebanon County almost $400 per acre in CREP rentals, NOT to farm.
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