Habitat Opportunities
Throughout northeast Colorado, pheasant populations can be improved through creating new habitat and improving existing habitat. Pheasants are dependent on secure nesting, night roosting, and loafing cover, in addition to severe winter cover. Populations respond quickly when habitat improves.
Grass Plantings
Quality grass plantings will benefit pheasants more than any other habitat planting. Switch grass, yellow Indian grass, the bluestems, and prairie sand reed are undoubtedly the best grasses for pheasants in eastern Colorado. With a goal of seeding over 100 acres per year, we specialize in seeding grass into smaller tracts and sprinkler corners, and offer incentives for land owners interested in creating grass habitat. All plantings are done at no cost to the landowner, although the landowner is responsible for proper site preparation.
Annual Food and Cover Plantings
Food plots are the quickest method of improving local pheasant numbers. Planted in late spring, milo and sorghum food plots mature into great cover by late summer. We select varieties that are resistant to lodging to maintain the habitat benefit throughout the winter. Sprinkler corners, waste ground, difficult to farm areas near creek bottoms, and within or next to CRP fields make excellent locations for food plots.
Our chapter provides incentives to landowners for food plots, up to $40.00/acre plus seed, and in some cases, will plant plots that are prepared by the landowner. Plot size usually ranges from 2.5 to 10 acres – occasionally, larger plots, up to 40 acres, are approved. Planting dates range from late May to early June, and plots must remain undisturbed through March 30 of the following year.
Wheat and Stubble Cropland Incentives
Cropland and pheasants are undeniably linked; good cropland habitat results in larger pheasant populations. In eastern Colorado, the most important cropland habitat for pheasants is wheat. Pheasants nest and raise broods in green wheat, and depend on wheat stubble throughout the fall and winter. Stubble height and density determines the value of the cover for pheasants.
To get good stubble habitat, our chapter supports the concept of “delayed minimum tillage,” whereby farmers leave tall stubble after harvest, eliminate post harvest spraying, apply contact herbicides the following spring, and deferring tillage until July 1. Interested landowners can receive incentives from our chapter and the USDA’s EQIP Program, Residue Management for pheasants, to adopt this crop strategy.
Tree and Shrub Planting
Shrub thickets and windbreaks are the cherry on top of the habitat sundae – they supplement and enhance the habitat base available to pheasants. Thickets do not increase pheasant numbers; instead they provide critical winter survival cover and ensure that pheasants have a place to survive winter weather that reduces other habitat’s value. Having several thickets in an area ensures that some birds will make it through bad weather. Windbreaks and other plantings are less valuable to winter-stressed pheasants, but do offer good day-time loafing cover, and are a great place to hunt.
Our chapter will plant plum thickets free of charge to landowners, but site locations must meet very stringent criteria designed to ensure that pheasants will benefit from the planting. We can also provide custom planting for landowners enrolled in USDA Conservation programs.
