- Dec 27, 2012
- 30,191
I don't understand how a pheasant, an animal the size of a chicken, that can fly and move around can decline in population due to environmental factors yet a deer, something the size of a small horse, can flourish.
Pheasant in Carroll County
- Thread starter steves1911
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Pheasant need habitat and food like other animals. They best thrive in a mix of open field (or better yet, farms) and woods. However, they are also ground nesters that are very vulnerable to predation by both ground dwellers and hawks. If you ever hunt a game farm, hawks can usually be seen everywhere around looking for easy opportunity. Deer can live in a greater mix of habitat and are not as vulnerable to predation by small predators...although coyotes can take a pretty good number of fawns in some areas where they are numerous.
foxtrapper
Ultimate Member
Pheasants have multiple predators, ie foxes, raccoons, possums, skunks, mink, hawks, owls, etc. Deer have had only 1 for a long time- us. Modern wildlife management for many years allowing only 1 buck a season has allowed them to flourish. Then came suburbia and anti hunters. We do now have coyotes that eat some deer, as a 2nd predator. Bears and bobcats also eat some fawns.
I think the better question is why the pheasant all but disappeared but wild turkeys can flourish. Poults hatch small like chicken peeps and take over a month to grow big enough to fly a little bit to get into at least a low roost. Turkeys ARE native though, the pheasants were introduced many years ago and went feral. However bobwhite quail are also native, but are also all but gone here. Habitat and predators can be big factors on the quail.
It is of interest though about chemicals affecting these animals. Why are deer not fazed by agricultural chemicals? How come muskrats declined so much when the water got cleaner vs the chemically water they used to thrive in, and despite being so heavily trapped every season? Old timers tell me muskrats were in every wet ditch, even ones with oil slicks and junk dumped in the water. You can't tell me habitat loss, or that hawks, owls and mink increased too much. Plenty of 'rat habitat out there still, and the mink, hawks, and owls just replace the trappers.
I think the better question is why the pheasant all but disappeared but wild turkeys can flourish. Poults hatch small like chicken peeps and take over a month to grow big enough to fly a little bit to get into at least a low roost. Turkeys ARE native though, the pheasants were introduced many years ago and went feral. However bobwhite quail are also native, but are also all but gone here. Habitat and predators can be big factors on the quail.
It is of interest though about chemicals affecting these animals. Why are deer not fazed by agricultural chemicals? How come muskrats declined so much when the water got cleaner vs the chemically water they used to thrive in, and despite being so heavily trapped every season? Old timers tell me muskrats were in every wet ditch, even ones with oil slicks and junk dumped in the water. You can't tell me habitat loss, or that hawks, owls and mink increased too much. Plenty of 'rat habitat out there still, and the mink, hawks, and owls just replace the trappers.
I remember when we moved into a new house back in 1994. The development was carved out of a former farmer's field and one bird that I took notice of was the Killdeer (Plover). It had a very distinct song and for the first year or so they hung around. Not long after that, they just disappeared. Birds are fairly fragile as a species and it doesn't take much to move them out. Killdeer are also ground nesters.
Now THAT Lil Chickadee is an excellent question. Back when pheasant were flourishing turkeys were NON EXISTENT almost..... even in Dorchester County and places like that. Never pheasant there I can remember BUT when turkey were getting a hold in say Calvert... the pheasant were already dying out up north.
I have seen turkey OFTEN here.......... nary a pheasant, guess there ain't none.
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kharris
Active Member
I live outside of Lineboro and we used to see them regularly. Over the last 5-7 years we can hear one down in the valley (there's a creek with lots of brush) but I haven't seen one for a couple of years. I keep hoping.
I do know there are more fox here than there used to be so that might be a contributing factor, but I doubt that's the whole story.
I do know there are more fox here than there used to be so that might be a contributing factor, but I doubt that's the whole story.
Major Major
Member
There are still large tracts of undeveloped farmland in carroll frederick and Washington county. I would suppose its a combination of all of the factors in the habitat. Small predators and the increase in redtails for sue . An old quail hunter told me that it used to be infrequent that he saw hawks while hunting, and now they seem to line the trees wherever he goes. Weren't hawks protected at one time?
redeemed.man
Ultimate Member
It escaped from the coop at jpo183's house. Wings up, don't shoot. LOL
wilcam47
Ultimate Member
I see more turkey than pheasants...predators is prob the biggest hit to the population around here (Idaho). We have coyotes, raccoon, weasel, predatory birds etc. Throw in a bad/wet spring and population suffers. Ive had opportunity to shoot pheasant this year but I'd like to see a lot more before I shoot one.
Hawks are still federally protected.
A couple things about Turkeys: They are a true native bird and they historically have ranged throughout most of the Eastern and middle US including everywhere in Maryland. For the most part Turkey declines up to recent years were due to over hunting and poaching.
Pheasant, as foxtrapper noted, were an introduced species and, to my knowledge were never all over Maryland. I don't believe they were bred well on the Eastern Shore or on the Western Shore coastal plain. They were mostly in the Piedmont (transition between coastal plain and mountains). They seem to thrive best in a mix of farmland and grasslands or, in Maryland and PA, in a mix of farmland/fields and woods. I used to hear old-timers back in the 70's and 80's say they need lime in the soil and that why they bred best in areas with limestone. I don't know if there is a study showing this, I've just heard it stated and it seemed reasonable to me at the time. Meanwhile, there are more foxes than ever...except in the places overrun by coyotes, and probably more raccoons. However, I don't see skunks like I used to 30 or 40 years ago and probably see somewhat less Opossums. Populations of raptors have increased since the 60's with the banning of DDT and stricter enforcement on poaching. What does it all mean....who knows? I do know that quail, which were all over the Eastern Shore and in many places on the Western side have also declined precipitously. The biggest changes that I have noticed is the reduction in hedgerows on farms plus a lot of no-till farming techniques. Also, the areas in Central Maryland where I grew up that had quail populations are now built over...although that's only true of some areas in the historically 'country' areas of Maryland
Pheasant, as foxtrapper noted, were an introduced species and, to my knowledge were never all over Maryland. I don't believe they were bred well on the Eastern Shore or on the Western Shore coastal plain. They were mostly in the Piedmont (transition between coastal plain and mountains). They seem to thrive best in a mix of farmland and grasslands or, in Maryland and PA, in a mix of farmland/fields and woods. I used to hear old-timers back in the 70's and 80's say they need lime in the soil and that why they bred best in areas with limestone. I don't know if there is a study showing this, I've just heard it stated and it seemed reasonable to me at the time. Meanwhile, there are more foxes than ever...except in the places overrun by coyotes, and probably more raccoons. However, I don't see skunks like I used to 30 or 40 years ago and probably see somewhat less Opossums. Populations of raptors have increased since the 60's with the banning of DDT and stricter enforcement on poaching. What does it all mean....who knows? I do know that quail, which were all over the Eastern Shore and in many places on the Western side have also declined precipitously. The biggest changes that I have noticed is the reduction in hedgerows on farms plus a lot of no-till farming techniques. Also, the areas in Central Maryland where I grew up that had quail populations are now built over...although that's only true of some areas in the historically 'country' areas of Maryland
No-till farming practices reduced the growth of a variety of plants along the edges of the farm fields. That was the primary cover for pheasants. That loss of cover may have made them more susceptible to predators but also took away food supplies and nesting cover.
kharris
Active Member
Deer thrive on the edges of woodlands. Their primary food source, like goats, are woody brush, even though they eat many other things. So every time we cut down forestland, or build up a development, we create more "edge" and, therefore, more habitat for the deer. They are the one animal that has increased in population since the first settlers arrived on these shores.
pro1742
Active Member
I live on Rhinehart and Sawmill Road and have seen 2 over the last 3 years back off the Sawmill Road. They are around and maybe there will be enough for my kids to hunt wild pheasant again in a few years.
I know a farmer friend alms about how in the past when he would cut his corn tall enough to where birds could hide in it and leave it that way. But now a days it's cut almost to the ground and he has to plant winter wheat shortly after harvest cause of run off. Officials from the state come to his farm and want to know what he is going to plant where well before the corn has been harvested.
5.56blaster
Ultimate Member
They were never native to the area and they just sort of died off. I used to shoot two everyday after school (80's) in the fields off of Rt.99. Don't see them anymore but that could be because all the fields are houses now.
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