I’ve been reading on the forums that this winter has been harsh in southern Alberta. I don’t get it, because from here in Calgary this winter has seemed fairly with common amounts of snow and cold.
If the rumors are true, I’m deeply concerned about the pheasant population. As most people know, last year was awful for the pheasants. The late spring rains during hatch and the hail decimated them.
Now if this winter has been truly as bad as they say, how will that affect the already dwindling numbers?
It's likely going to be a very hard year on them Van. Birds that have access to good thermal cover will survive but with the rapidly dwindling habitat in the south and a harsh winter like this, it can't help but hurt them. Things are way worse in the south east than they are in Calgary.
We are in the South, had severe flooding that wipped out the first hatch... Good news though, the second hatch was promissing, lots of imature birds this fall running around..
We raise and release pheasants every year, approximately 250 birds in total.. We opened that pen two weeks ago and let the remaining birds go, numbers seem lighter than normal, but none the less it looks promissing...
I think the fall #'s are more dependant on the spring hatch than anything else. If the hatch is a success there should be huntable populations in the fall. If we have an extended cold, wet spring then......
Winter & Southern Alberta Pheasants
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