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Pheasants in vermont?????

4K views 3 replies 4 participants last post by  ActionPoint 
#1 ·
Would anyone know why, if introduced on a greater scale, pheasants could not survive in Vermont?
We do have numerous low lying corn crop areas and fields, and we seem to have enough cover. Furthermore I cant imagine that the winters are any worse here, than in the Dakotas.
Another point is that the Turkey has made a remarkable come back in Vermont over the last 20 years, and I know they have different habitat requirements, but why couldnt Vermont sustain a healthy pheasant population.

I know the state used to release them in the 60's but not anymore. Does anybody have any idea why?
 
#2 ·
From what I've heard talking to a wildlife biologist in Iowa to get a successful pheasant population to take you need to introduce wild birds that have been captured. The pen raised birds do not develop the survival instincts necessary to make it and reproduce. They just aren't harty/smart enough. I hope that helps. Good luck!

-Matt
 
#3 ·
We have similar pheasant trouble in Maine.While there is some wild populations in the very southern end(York county) and along the southern coastal areas of Maine,the rest of the state gets stocked birds or none at all.
Apparently the climate and habitat cover in Maine is not well suited to pheasants, at least thats the explaination I recieved.There are different breeds of Pheasant that are more cold tolerant than the standard Chinese Ringneck.I read some years ago an article about them being stocked in the upper mid west states.Whether or not it was successful I don't know.

Better of chasing the old stand bys,Grouse and Woodcock,Ducks and Geese.
 
#4 ·
I know I'm in the minority in the way I feel but to be honest, I think the pheasant hunting community as a whole has fallen into the "suitable habitat" trap. Ringnecks are capable of inhabiting a wide variety of landscape and habitat. Some are much more suitable than others, but there seems to be this mentality that if it's not S.D. there can't be pheasants. I just haven't found that to be true. Three of my best places for wild birds started out by the releasing of pen raised birds. The owner of one property raised and released the birds back in the '60s when he was a teenager. My best property was stocked with MacPharlane birds back in the '80s. Another property had the birds released onto it by a neighbor that used to raise them. None of those properties is what you would consider "ideal habitat", but the birds are there, in large numbers, and have been for many years.

Granted, if you just start releasing pen-raised birds all over the place, very few will survive. In that sense, transplanted birds would offer a much higher survival rate. I just don't think alot of states are putting forth the effort. Here in Indiana, the state has made very little effort to boost the pheasant population. You hear the same excuses, "the habitat is not suitable", "the birds won't survive". Hey, it's working for the people that try. Don't tell me that it can't be done. I have seen too many places where it's been done. If you have the food, and the cover and put forth the effort you can have birds in Vermont. There are still areas with large numbers of pheasants in Washington, Oregon, North Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan. Not necessarily slouch states when it comes to snow and cold.
 
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