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LINCOLN — The lingering effects of Nebraska’s multiyear drought likely are to have an impact on this year’s pheasant hunting opportunities.
The 2023 spring surveys leading into the breeding and nesting season were low, but optimism is shared statewide as habitat conditions have improved immensely with moisture during May through July.
Hunters willing to put in a little extra time and effort should find success in the field this fall.
Moisture finally arrived, following a long drought, in December with multiple snowfalls across most of the state. Winter moisture continued through February, creating above- average snowfall totals for most of the state. Deep snow with a mix of ice and degraded habitat conditions from the drought appear to have affected the carryover population, as seen during spring crow counts and April rural mail carry surveys.
Spring rainfall wasn’t seen until May and as birds were beginning to nest. Nesting conditions at the start of the season were below average, but quickly caught up with continued rains through the remainder of the nesting season and into brooding.
This series of precipitation likely made for better late nesting and created highquality brood cover.
Observations from across the state are of broods of varying age but of larger size. Another observation being made statewide is the increased amount of grasshoppers and other insects. With these observations and the increased amount of high-quality weedy habitat, a good bird production year is expected.
Statewide pheasant counts during this year’s July rural mail carrier survey were down 19% compared to 2022 (Table 1). According to surveys, the Panhandle should support some of the higher pheasant densities this fall even with a decrease in the RMCS from 2022. Areas of the state that saw increases in numbers from 2022 were the northeast (+39%) and the central (+41%) regions, where pheasant counts also exceeded five-year averages (Table 1). Habitat conditions are more isolated within these regions, but where quality cover exists, hunters should find better pheasant hunting opportunities.
As of mid-August, about 52% of the state is experiencing moderate to extreme drought, making most counties eligible for emergency haying and grazing of CRP lands.
Some CRP tracts open to walk-in hunting through the Nebraska Game and Parks’ Open Fields and Waters Program will be affected by emergency haying and grazing. Preseason scouting is highly recommended as variability of emergency haying and grazing will be seen across the state.
Mild to average winter weather was seen for the core range of the bobwhite in Nebraska – the southern and southeast portions, but more extreme conditions were seen on the northern fringes of the range – the north central and northeast.
Results from summer surveys were somewhat mixed across the state but, along with field reports, suggest good winter survival carried over more birds into this 2023’s breeding population. Statewide, whistle count surveys were equivalent to counts in 2022, but decreases were recorded for all management units except the southeast (Table 2). Fall populations will depend largely on production during the nesting and brooding seasons, which have received timely rains.
Brood reports are limited, as usual, but coming in of increased brood size. Observations of adult pairs and continued male calling throughout the summer are being reported. These both are indications of additional and renesting attempts, which are often good signs.
According to surveys, the Southeast, East Central and Republican management regions should support the state’s highest quail densities.
Overall, quail numbers remain below those observed during recent peak years (2015-2018), but numbers in the Southeast, East Central and Northeast regions are improving. Statewide, rebounding populations should provide better hunting opportunities this fall.
