Recently completed spring pheasant crowing count surveys show a 25 percent decrease statewide.
All four regions of the state showed decreases because of the pheasant mortality experienced last winter.
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Understandably, the southwest part of the state, where winter is considerably milder, the decrease in crowing counts was only 10 percent.
Here in the southeast the decline was 33 percent.
The northwest dropped 25 percent and the northeast took the biggest hit at 51 percent.
“However, most of our field staff were surprised their routes were not down further,” Kohn said in a Game and Fish news release. “In many areas of the state, our pheasant population, especially the roosters, probably had lower winter mortality than expected.”
Keep in mind, crowing counts are only a benchmark extrapolated over a long-term average and don’t predict the fall season.
Truth is, crowing counts only count roosters and the hens are the most important part of the equation when it comes to reproduction.
Still, the news isn’t good there either.
Harsh winters are typically tougher on hens than roosters and Game and Fish personnel saw lower numbers of hens with roosters during their counts.
They were seeing one or two hens per rooster when the average is three to five hens per rooster so it’s likely that hen numbers are down significantly.
The major factor in determining how the fall hunting season will go is reproductive success and so far we’re not doing so well there either.
Kohn told me in an email last week that the peak hatch date has been running around June 12 to 16.
That isn’t good timing since we got a lot of rain during that period.
Kohn told me they lost some nests in eastern Burleigh County due to the heavy rains around Bismarck.
Kohn said, “We need warm, dry weather for the next couple of weeks to improve chick survival. Those first 14 days after hatch are critical for young chicks and any wet, cool nights pose problems and increase chick mortality, which in turn will lower the fall population.”
Kohn couldn’t say for certain but he predicted production would be down this summer and that fall pheasant populations probably wouldn’t approach the numbers we’ve seen since 2005.
Brood surveys will be done in mid-August and biologists will have a better idea of what the season will be like.
WATER LEVELS
Water levels in North Dakota’s reservoirs continue to rise.
On Thursday, Lake Sakakawea reached the base of flood control at a level of 1,837.5 feet.
The big lake hasn’t been that high since the mid-summer of 2000.
The level of Sakakawea last year on July 1 was 1,820.
Lake Oahe is currently at an elevation of 1,613.7 feet compared to last year on July 1 when it was at 1,592.7.
These levels were on the rise already last year and have been climbing since.
MN ELK
If you’re a Minnesota resident and would like to apply for an elk license this year it’s time to start thinking about applying.
There will be 30 elk licenses available in the lottery and those licenses will be distributed among three zones including the traditional elk area around Grygla, as well as Kittson County-South and Kittson County-North.
License availability breaks down to fifteen licenses, two either-sex and 13 antlerless, for the Grygla area, ten either-sex licenses in Kittson County-South and five licenses, one either-sex and four antlerless, for Kittson County-North.
The licenses will be divided among three seasons in each zone.
It’s a bit complicated but here’s the season format:
•Sept. 12-20, two either-sex and three antlerless licenses in Grygla, two either-sex in Kittson-South, and one either-sex licenses in Kittson-North.
•Sept. 26-Oct. 4, five antlerless licenses in Grygla, four either-sex licenses in Kittson-South, and two antlerless licenses in Kittson-North.
•Nov. 21-29, five antlerless licenses in Grygla, four either-sex licenses in Kittson-South, and two antlerless licenses in Kittson-North.
The DNR will conduct what they call a two-stage lottery process, drawing the successful party names first then redrawing to see who gets the coveted either-sex tags.
Hunters may apply alone or in parties of two and the nonrefundable application fee is $10 per hunter.
If you draw the party will be required to pay $250 for the elk tag that allows the party to take one elk.
You can apply at any ELS location and the deadline is July 24.
MN HUNTS
There are several other hunt application deadlines coming up in Minnesota.
Those who would like to bowhunt in Camp Ripley have a little time with an application deadline of Aug. 14.
The two 2-day bowhunts on the central Minnesota military installation will take place this year on Oct. 15-16 and Oct. 31-Nov. 1.
The first hunt is a Thursday and Friday but the second hunt will be the one coveted by bowhunters.
It’s a weekend but more importantly it’s during the pre-rut which should increase hunting success.
I could be wrong but I don’t remember any Camp Ripley hunt being held that late in October.
If I wasn’t going to be in Illinois hunting deer those dates I would apply for that second hunt.
There will be 5,000 permits available, 2,500 per hunt on the 53,000 acre high-fence property.
There will be an $8 application fee and residents must be at least 10 years old while nonresidents must be at least 12 years old before the hunt.
The DNR has also announced seasons for fall turkeys and prairie chickens.
The fall turkey season is expanding in both area and numbers of permits, which have almost doubled.
There will be 9,330 fall turkey licenses available, compared to 5,555 last year, and more of the state will be open to fall turkey hunting.
The application fee is $3 and the license is $23 for residents and $78 for nonresidents.
The season varies according to area but runs in mid to late October.
There will also be 186 prairie chicken permits available, unchanged from last year.
Hunters enjoyed a 90 percent success last year taking 139 chickens.
Only residents are eligible to apply and the application fee is $4 and the license cost $20.
The area open to prairie chicken hunting ranges from Breckenridge to Warren and the bag limit is two per hunter.
The deadline to apply for both fall turkeys and prairie chickens is July 31.
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