Winter feeding of pheasants
Some dos and don’ts on winter feeding of pheasants
from Tom Conroy, DNR Region 4 Information Officer, New Ulm
Snow, frigid temperatures, wind. A combination that can prove deadly for pheasants.
Although a January thaw provided a reprieve for pheasants, they still have a long way to go before spring’s warmth gives them final relief from winter’s wrath.
Pheasants are remarkably resilient when it comes to finding food and rarely die from starvation. However, when conditions become severe and they have to leave protective cover to find food, they expose themselves to the dangers of both predators and the elements. Pheasants which have a decent food supply in or near good winter habitat have a much greater chance of surviving than those struggling to survive in marginal habitat with insufficient food sources.
The early part of this winter was one of the coldest and snowiest in recent memory. As a result, there was a steadily growing interest by individuals and clubs to feed pheasants. Such efforts, while not effective in increasing pheasant survival over large (county-sized) areas, it can make a positive difference in localized areas lacking adequate food sources–if done properly and maintained throughout the entire winter.
The DNR does not advocate feeding as a pheasant population management technique, however for individuals or clubs who want to help local pheasant concentrations through the winter with supplemental feed, here are some guidelines on what and what not to do.
Where to place a feeder crib for pheasants is the most critical factor. Corn (shelled corn is much easier to find than ear corn these days) should be placed within small openings of winter cover patches or in a wind-swept area near good winter cover where pheasants have been observed feeding. Avoid placing feeders in open areas next to deciduous trees where predators can perch. The most important reason for putting out food is to hold pheasants in areas with good winter cover such as cattail, canegrass marsh or large shelterbelts with at least four rows of evergreens where they stand a much greater chance of surviving winter. Placing feeder cribs in areas where there is only marginal winter cover can actually be counter-productive.
Once started, it is imperative that feeding be done consistently and continue until spring snow melt. It’s important to remember that deer also make use of feeder cribs and can consume a lot of corn. In such areas, the crib will need constant replenishment and repair unless a deer-proof fence is erected around the crib. An 8′ x 8′ fence made of hog panels can make an effective deer barrier.
A good feeder crib can be made by using double-wrapped 1/2″ hardware cloth that comes in rolls 4′ wide. A length of 52″ will make a nice cylinder about 7-8″ in diameter and 4′ tall. Secure the cylinder to a fence post to prevent it from tipping over. This cylinder will hold the approximate equivalent of a ten gallon bucket of shelled corn. The double-wrapped mesh is needed to prevent the corn from flowing out through the 1/2″ mesh. The birds, however, can easily peck the corn out. Total cost is about $6 per feeder and the materials can be easily found.
The crib will be more attractive and useful to pheasants if it is secured to a platform 10-18″ off the ground. Pheasants, like most farmland wildlife species, are accustomed to finding their feed on the ground so it can be helpful to scatter corn and straw around the feeder so that the birds have a better chance of finding it.
Feeders are never as effective as food plots but they can help. The best strategy for pheasants in Minnesota, where severe winter weather occurs about every six years, is to establish permanent winter cover/food complexes. In today’s world of extensive fall tillage and ever-more efficient combines which leave little waste grain on fields after harvest, supplemental winter feeding is more important than ever in areas without adequate natural foods or food plots.
