Pheasant season in state could be a good one

Pheasant season in state could be a good one

November 13, 2001

BY THE COLORADO DIVISION OF WILDLIFE

DENVER — The Eastern Plains of Colorado will be the focus of many sportsmen this weekend as the opening of Colorado’s pheasant season opened this past Saturday, Nov. 10. Considered one of the most social types of hunting and one of the best ways to introduce children to the sport, many sportsmen and their families and friends will be walking corn, wheat and grass fields in hopes of flushing a few pheasants.

DOW officials are expecting high numbers of birds to be found. Crowing counts decreased by only 10 percent this spring and that is good news for hunters, according to Tom Remington, avian research leader for the DOW. Remington expected last summer’s drought to have a much harsher effect on Colorado’s pheasant population. Weather this spring and summer was optimal for nesting conditions, which should more than make up in the decrease in crowing counts.

A mild spring kept hatch rates high and wet weather provided thick cover for birds and chicks throughout the summer. The wet weather also delayed the wheat harvest in some areas, which kept mortality rates for pheasant chicks low and nests intact. The lack of a prolonged cold-weather period this spring also helped sustain this year’s chicks. Remington said better pheasant populations will be found in the northeastern part of the state, including Yuma, Kit Carson and Phillips counties. Pheasant populations throughout the rest of the state should be comparable to last year.

"Pheasant hunters should be pleased with the amount of birds they see this year," Remington said. "We saw high hatch success rates this spring."

The warm weather that is expected to persist through the first week of pheasant season shouldn’t have a negative effect on early season hunting.

"The warm weather is actually a plus as far as I’m concerned," Remington said. "Road access will be good, hunters won’t chew up roads or fields and upset landowners and you don’t need crummy weather to kill pheasants on opening weekend."

Remington went on to say that nasty weather plays more of a role later in the season when hunters educate the birds and birds are more spread out. Hunters should pay attention to fire hazards such as cigarettes and matches.

"It is tinder dry out there," Remington said. "Park only on mowed areas, dirt, pavement or gravel. Automobile catalytic converters can start a fire instantly that can spread beyond control with a little wind."

Hunters with dogs should also take along plenty of water for their pups and take the necessary precautions to keep them from over heating.

Pheasant hunters will have 113,000 extra acres to hunt if they participate in the Walk-In Access Program. This will be the first year for the program, which works to open up private land to hunters on the Eastern Plains of Colorado. Hunters can purchase a $20 stamp at most license vendors or at any Division office. They can also pick up a free copy of the atlas, which gives locations of properties and describes cover types. The atlas can also be viewed by visiting the Division Web site at www.wildlife.state.co.us and following the icons to the Walk-In Access Program Web page.

Pheasant season in units east of I-25 will run from Nov.10-Jan. 6, 2002. Pheasant hunters in units west of I-25 will be able to hunt from Nov. 17-Jan. 6, 2002.

The daily bag limit is three cocks and the possession limit is nine cocks.