Might be time to give them a break

[BLACKJACK]

Thanks for the pictures of the feeders Landdr, a picture is worth a 1000 words. I've always wondered if pheasants would go 'thru the wire' to get to those feeders but your pictures prove they work, I may have to try something along those lines.

Nowadays I've started using the feeders with timers on them, up on stilts, and I just have the timers go off 3-5 times during the day, so I'm feeding pheasants, then the deer clean up at night. I may have to get some of that 6x6 wire and try it.

Interesting that you put your feeders in heavy cover, theres always a debate from people, where should feeders be put? If placed in heavy cover, does it also provide cover and a smorgasbord for predators? We all know that feeders in the open are not good. I usually compromise and place my feeders about 25 feet from cover.

Going to be a real tough winter on pheasants again. I drove 55 yesterday from Belgrade to Watkins and saw several big groups of pheasants up scratching in the fields, a long ways from cover.

[BLACKJACK]

Regarding predators...

Hands down the most common in the traps are cats.

Land Dr

My neighbor has a grey cat, everytime I get over there I comment on how nice 'Lucky' looks, finally he asked my why I called him Lucky, and I tell him the story about how my wife let Lucky out of my live trap when I was gone one time, she couldn't take the meowing. He used up 8 of his 9 lives right there!!

[LandDr]

Lucky he is!

I find the thicker cover makes it harder for the predators to get thru as well as it is immediate escape cover. Also, the birds are not as visible to predators.

I don't agree with the arguement of the feeder setting up a predator feeding station. I don't think I have ever seen a pile of feathers by any of my feeders...but I have seen many piles along roads, in fields or any other open areas. I am not as worried about ground predators in the winter...birds can get away from them for the most part. The avian predators however...they are the silent killers and the birds don't even know its coming. Keep the birds in the thick cover and they will be much more protected from avian predators.

Yes...I reming people all the time that seeing birds out in the open is not a good thing. It is nice seeing all the birds...but it tells me right away the birds have lost their food sources near their winter cover and are now traveling farther out...which increases exposure to predators.

More snow on the way...

Land Dr

[BLACKJACK]

The avian predators however...they are the silent killers and the birds don't even know its coming. Keep the birds in the thick cover and they will be much more protected from avian predators.

Land Dr

Really, how serious are avian predators on pheasants?

Owls hunt at night, pheasants are tucked away by then. This time of year hawks have migrated, there are very few around. I have a pheasant feeder below my house, halfway between a spruce patch and a willow patch, its halfway between the 40 yard gap. There is also a large willow at the edge, been debating whether it should be cut down, "its a hawk perch, you know" - but I never see hawks perched there!! Yeah I know I can't watch that tree 24/7 but if they were having any luck from that tree, they'd be there all the time, or I'd at least see them on the weekends.

How serious are avian predators on pheasants?

[LandDr]

Owls are very active in the mornings and evenings...I see them often during deer hunting...and the pheasants are also very active at that time.

Pope County Pheasants Restoration did a study a few years back where they released something like 30 pheasants with radio receivers on them. They found almost all of the receivers in or below a Great Horned Owl nest! Along with a bunch of duck heads and other remains.

Amazing!

Now...keep in mind that these were released birds, not wild birds, so they were probably easier prey. But still goes to show how efficient of a hunter an owl can be. Their life depends on it!

Land Dr

[MNpurple]

I walked a private cattail slough this weekend and found 11 places where there was nothing but a pile of hen feathers. The snow is just so deep in the sloughs that although they provide some cover, the birds really cant stay down amongst the stems to hide. About half of the feather piles had a head laying next to them. IS this a great horned or a barred? In the SW,the fields actually are very thin with snow so I dont think food is an issue, but the security cover is already filled in. Its not shaping up real good.

As far as predator control, I spooked a raccoon out of some cattails and some #2 steel finished the rest and a little while later some copper plated #5s ended the winter early for a coyote and 1 rooster

[LandDr]

It could be either of those owls but I see more Great Horned around my place.

I have never been a big fan of cattails as being preached as the "winter cover of choice". Cattails are good...but they can become death traps on a tough year. The best are well designed shelterbelts...and even better is to design the shelterbelt to protect the cattails...and then load it up with food.

One thing to consider...I have seen pile of feathers by cattails and thought that some predator killed them all. But upon further observation, a coyote pulled the birds out of a snow bank where they were already frozen in dead. There was still one bird still in the snow froze...so the coyote just found them dead.

More snow on the way...I am going to check my feeders later this week just to make sure they are all looking good and to check on the birds. I will take a camera along if I can post any good photos.

Land Dr

[BLACKJACK]

I have never been a big fan of cattails as being preached as the "winter cover of choice". Cattails are good...but they can become death traps on a tough year. The best are well designed shelterbelts...and even better is to design the shelterbelt to protect the cattails...and then load it up with food.

Land Dr

Two years ago I planted a bunch of schrubs, cedars, and spruces on the NW corner of a big cattail slough with that in mind. Hopefully in 10 years it will do the trick. Right now most of the cattails are all snowed in, that big wind 2 weeks ago, and more snow on top, has really packed it in.