WPRA's

[Dutch]

Is there some place where we can find out how well the WPRA's are doing?

While driving up thru the Central Susq. WPRA, saw a roadkilled hen. Hate losing them like that.

[coalregionhunter]

Published on Jan 15, 2013

2013 wild pheasant flushing survey in the Gratz Valley of PA. This group flushed 26 wild pheasants.

[Dutch]

I believe the WPRA's are on their deathbeds, as I predicted. In the beginning, I was a supporter, but came to realize they would not work, and haven't.

Soon time to pull the plug.

[Deleted]

The problem with trying to establish populations of wild pheasants is that there would have to be substantial changes in habitat for them to thrive. While there are a few areas of the state in which marginal habitat can be found, most of the agricultural land in Pennsylvania is as bare as a baby's behind most of the fall, winter, and spring. Pheasants need cover. At present, there is precious little of it. I don't blame farmers. They are just trying to make a living. The time of the hoards of wild pheasants we used to have has passed. It is over.

[coalregionhunter]

Hello Everyone,



Many thanks to the wonderful group of volunteers and dogs who joined us in the Hegins and Gratz Valley on Sunday to help conduct wild pheasant flushing surveys! The numbers of male and female pheasants flushed are listed by group number and group leader below. Some groups flushed more than 1 site. More sites will be surveyed over the next 2 weeks, including an original release site in the Gratz Valley. Wild pheasant sex ratios for both study areas will be calculated when all flushing surveys are completed.



Preliminary Hegins-Gratz Valley wild pheasant flushing surveys, Sunday January 13, 2013:

M=Male, F=Female, U= unknown



02M:02F -Group 1 -Brandon Black

13M:10F -Group 2 -Megan Rake (also 1 Northern Harrier)

15M:30F (1U) -Group 3 -Kevin Clouser

14M:29F (3U) -Group 4 -Wyatt Knepp

02M:08F -Group 5 -Will Dingman (also 3 Northern Harriers and 4 American Kestrels)

05M:00F -Group 6 -Jim Kauffman

[Dutch]

Dave, if you will be flushing in the next couple weeks, let me know, I'd like to go along, if permitted.

[coalregionhunter]

Greenwood Valley Feb 10 1:00 - 4:00 PM
Deihl Vault & Precast Co.,
1786 State Rt 254 Orangeville, PA 17859

Turbotville Feb 17 1:00 - 4:00 PM
Turbotville National Bank Parking Lot
4710 State Rt. 54 Turbotville, PA 17772

Turbotville Feb 24 1:00 - 4:00 PM
Turbotville National Bank Parking Lot
4710 State Rt. 54 Turbotville, PA 17772

Turpotville has more birds but I like the looks of Green Valley better I will be at all.

[Dutch]

Almost $2 million has been spent on this program by the PGC. Those are very expensive birds.

One other thing to keep in mind, while our Food and Cover crews are spending time working on the WPRA's, they AREN'T spending time on our SGL's. Is that a good use of our already limited crews?

On top of this, almost all the pheasants are on private land. We are spending "public" money on creating private pheasant preserves, if hunting is ever reopened on these lands. Landowners are going to only allow a certain few to hunt these birds.

I think the money is better spent elsewhere, either creating more grouse and woodcock habitat, or stocking more pheasants.

With the limited success of this program, it's time to really rethink it's future.

[bud16057]

I can remember having a conversation with a school teacher (biology) who liked to bird hunt and had dogs. This was approx. 25 years ago, and at that time he was telling me with the newer farming methods that the pheasants didn't stand much of a chance of surviving into the future( at this point they were already becoming a rare sight in our area of western pa.) I personally find it somewhat odd with all the concern over non-native and invasive plants & animals, that so much time & effort are spent on pheasants. If they were a native species that they are wanting protect, I could understand it, but with the climate & available habitat, I think it is highly unlikely to have wild pheasants in plentiful(hunt-able) numbers throughout the entire state.

[Dutch]

I was supportive of the effort in the beginning, but now see we have created "islands" of habitat in these WPRA's. Outside the island, no pheasant, in huntable numbers will live. Even on the "island", unless there are areas of government subsidized switchgrass, no birds, in numbers live.

Plus, the vast majority of it is on private lands which the normal hunter, even if hunting is opened, will not be able to access.

So, public money is being spent on a private hunting preserve.

The next thing is this, if they open the lands to hunting, then they willl have to study the situation for even longer before making a decision to keep the WPRA or not. Forcing themt o spend even more money on the issue.

I don't know where this leads, but I do believe there will be an eventual failure as this program CAN'T BE REPRODUCED, on wide scale. If that is the case, then end the wasting of our hunting dollars, and spend it on native species that we ALL can hunt.

[bud16057]

I agree with what you're saying. If they want to keep pheasant hunting as a put and take situation with stocked birds( preferably with a pheasant stamp to help with costs) I don't have a problem with it. It just seems senseless to keep throwing money at something that has a limited chance of success under real world conditions.

[Dutch]

I think this is the last chance for wild birds, unless consitions drasticly change with farming practices, and they won't.

I am not a real fan of put and take pheasants, but, it is the only way to have that type hunting. I beleive the changes made to the way they stock them has made a difference.

I also would like to see the end to stocking birds where hunters have no idea they are there. Don't know how that is accomplished. Frienf of mine saw 12 cockbirds in December, in a group. They must have been stocked on a local farm and no one knew they were there.

I saw four of them in February, and 3 days later, saw 3. Thinking something slowly but surely was killing them.

[Roosterslammer]

Oh ye of little faith (and knowledge)

Let me update you gents so you can speak intelligently about the WPRA program. The WPRA program is going well. Flushing counts on the Central Susquehanna WPRA doubled this year with one 45 acre field resulting in over 170 flushed WILD PA PHEASANTS! The Hegins Gratz WPRA had lots of birds and they haven't received new wild birds in two years. Every year more is being learned about their habitat requirements and work is being done to improve habitat to increase the population. This work is being done on CREP acres and PA has more CREP acres than any other state in the country. We have over 150,000 acres of CREP and a new Delaware CREP just opening up. We didn't lose wild pheasants in a few years and we won't get them back in a few years. We never had wild pheasants all across the state and we never will just as we will never have grouse all across the state. They will be where the habitat fits them. One day there will be a wild population for PAs sportsman to hunt. It won't be because of the naysayers who post on these boards but it will be from those who are helping on the tractors and planters and doing the required work to make the habitat for them. The grasslands that we are producing will help not just pheasants but a host of other grassland species many of them threatened or endangered in PA. If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the problem.

[Fldbred]

Gentlemen,

As we speak, there are literally hundreds of WILD pheasants getting ready to mate and raise young in Pennsylvania. Some said this would never happen. I guess now they have no recourse except to say it won't happen on a large scale. Some of these people should put some energy into helping the program, it's not to late to be part of it. Pennsylvania is getting closer to having a limited hunting season on WILD pheasants, that's a fact!

[Dutch]

There are many programs that need support, not just this one.

How will the limited hunting program be set up?

[Fldbred]

I think it may be a little to early to give specifics on how a hunting season will be set up. At this point we should all be very happy with the success the program is having and work together to enhance it.It must have felt good to flush all those wild birds from that one field. There are wild pheasants in Pa. right now because a few individuals didn't believe that it couldn't be done. This is a great accomplishment in the history of small game in Pa..

[Deleted]

Apr 2, 2013 21:41:13 GMT -5 Roosterslammer said:

Oh ye of little faith (and knowledge)

Let me update you gents so you can speak intelligently about the WPRA program. The WPRA program is going well. Flushing counts on the Central Susquehanna WPRA doubled this year with one 45 acre field resulting in over 170 flushed WILD PA PHEASANTS! The Hegins Gratz WPRA had lots of birds and they haven't received new wild birds in two years. Every year more is being learned about their habitat requirements and work is being done to improve habitat to increase the population. This work is being done on CREP acres and PA has more CREP acres than any other state in the country. We have over 150,000 acres of CREP and a new Delaware CREP just opening up. We didn't lose wild pheasants in a few years and we won't get them back in a few years. We never had wild pheasants all across the state and we never will just as we will never have grouse all across the state. They will be where the habitat fits them. One day there will be a wild population for PAs sportsman to hunt. It won't be because of the naysayers who post on these boards but it will be from those who are helping on the tractors and planters and doing the required work to make the habitat for them. The grasslands that we are producing will help not just pheasants but a host of other grassland species many of them threatened or endangered in PA. If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the problem.

Remember this ain't HPA. You're no moderator here.