Management Plan for Ring-Necked Pheasants in New York

A Ten-Year Management Plan for Ring-necked Pheasants in New York: An Evaluation of Activities Scheduled for Fiscal Year 2003-04 (Year 5 Activities)

In June 1999, A Ten-Year Management Plan For Ring-necked Pheasants In New York was officially adopted and printed for distribution. Pheasants represent one of the few species in New York with a written long range management plan developed with public input. The Plan includes 31 activities for wild pheasant management and artificially propagated pheasants. A time frame for completion of activities carries the Plan through 2009. An integral part of the Plan is an annual evaluation and written summary of scheduled activities. What follows is a summary of activities for fiscal year 2003-04. A new Team, the Upland Game Bird Management Team, was formed to oversee the pheasant plan and other upland game bird management issues. The new team represents a consolidation of the Pheasant and Turkey Teams and includes the following species: ring-necked pheasants (wild and game farm), ruffed grouse, woodcock, bobwhite quail, gray partridge, and wild turkey.

Pheasant Program Vision

To meet the current and future needs of people for pheasant hunting, observation, and educational opportunities within biological constraints and consistent with available funding.

Wild Pheasant Management Activities

1. Delineate pheasant range - (Completed in 1999-00) No activity necessary.

2. Establish working relationships with DEC staff and others to provide input to federal agricultural programs - One staff member continues as a member on the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) State Technical Committee. Staff in DEC Regions 7, 8, and 9 spent time working with the NRCS staff learning more about the Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program (WHIP) and assisting in site evaluations. Some of the Department's Grasslands For Wildlife program sites are WHIP sites. Communication with NRCS is important for implementation of Federal Farm Bill Programs such as WHIP. DEC staff maintained involvement in a number of WHIP projects across the state. A Pheasants Forever (PF) State Council meeting was held at the Falcon Sportsman's Club. There were discussions on membership, Leopold Education Program, increasing PF political presence, increasing public awareness of PF and Chapter reports. Pheasants Forever chapters are working on a number of habitat projects as well as sponsoring seed give-a-ways and pheasant youth hunts. Two Adopt-A-Natural Resource Stewardship Program agreements were initiated with Pheasants Forever for Oak Orchard WMA, Tonawanda WMA, John White WMA and Michigan Hill State Forest. DEC Staff maintained frequent communication with personnel at the NRCS Big Flats Plant Materials Center and County Soil and Water Conservation Districts.

3. Establish a grasslands working group - Upland Game Bird Management Team members maintained communication with the DEC Non-game and Habitat representative Tim Post. Tim is now a member of our Upland Game Bird Management Team. Although there doesn't appear to be a need to at this time to form a formal working group, all agree there is an opportunity to share information and resources. DEC staff have attended a number of grassland bird group discussions. Many of these groups have the same objectives and goals. Organizations and schools represented at these discussions include Audubon, Partners in Flight, Cornell University and SUNY Brockport.

4. Identify public lands and improve pheasant habitat - In September 2002,Pheasant Team members revised a list of public lands where habitat improvement projects will likely improve wild pheasant populations or improve hunting conditions for fall stocked adult pheasants. These "best areas" could be targeted by DEC or other organizations interested in improving habitat for pheasants. They are: Region 1 - Otis Pike Preserve WMA and Rocky Point NRMA, Region 3 - Stewart State Forest, Region 4 - Margaret Burke WMA and Franklinton Vlaie, Region 5 - Carters Pond WMA and Lake Alice WMA, Region 6 - Rome WMA and Verona Beach State Park (FWMA Cooperative), Region 7 - Whitney Point MUA and Three Mile Bay/Big Bay WMA, Region 8 - Honeoye Inlet WMA and Lake Shore Marshes WMA, Region 9 - Carlton Hill MUA and Conewango Swamp WMA. Suggested habitat improvements on these areas include the establishment and maintenance of warm and cool season grasses, food plots, and winter wetland cover. This list is used to direct DEC and other organizations interested in improving habitat for pheasants. Mowing continued on Lake Alice and Carters Pond WMA's. A combination of mowing and herbicide treatments has proven effective on 22 acres of switchgrass on the Honeoye Inlet WMA. The second year planting is looking good. Warm-season grasses need a few years to develop, once again showing that we need to be patient. On Lake Shore Marshes WMA 15 fields totaling 120 acres was mowed. Fifteen acres of grasslands was added to the Whitney Point MUA when DEC was given permanent use of an old campground by Broome County Parks. The new acreage will be placed in a mowing rotation. About 50 acres are mowed annually at the Whitney Point MUA.

5. Provide $10,000 annually for shrub and grass seed distribution to private land owners - Three new native warm-season grassland sites were planted in the spring of 2003. The sites are located in Wildlife Management Units (WMU) 7A, 7H, and 8C. All of the sites were planted to the following grasses: Shelter Switchgrass, Niagara Big Bluestem, Nebraska 54 Indiangrass, Eastern Gammagrass, and Sideoats Grama. Of the three sites, the Smith farm in WMU 8C looked the best. Rows of grasses were visible and competition from weeds is minimal. The other two sites, Niles and Nolan, have more weeds and fewer grasses were observed. Both sites were mowed to control weeds and 2-4-D was applied on the Niles site. The five sites totalling 83 acres planted in mid-June 2001 in WMU 9A and in WMU 8H were evaluated in August. The Mendon site in Monroe county was spot mowed to control weeds. The areas not mowed had robust patches of Switchgrass, Big Bluestem, and Eastern Gammagrass. The site should look great in 2004. The Lang site is still weedy and will require a spring application of round-up and/or mowing. The Nichols site was mowed so it was hard to determine warm-season grass establishment. The site should be visited in the spring to evaluate it more closely. The Shotz site is weedy, although there is a fair amount of warm season grasses present. An application of round-up is necessary to control the cool season grasses. The Fitch site has a good coverage of warm-season grasses, although goldenrod could become a problem. A mowing in the fall could help control the goldenrod. These fields don't offer dense nesting cover yet, but all have warm-season grasses growing on them. Control of weeds will be necessary for the warm-season grasses to prosper. All the plantings represent a cooperative effort between landowners, Pheasants Forever Chapters, DEC, County Soils and Water Conservation Districts and the Natural Resource Conservation Service.

Artificially Propagated Pheasant Activities

Game Farm Administration

1. Provide staffing adequate to maintain annual game farm production - Staffing included four permanent employees. The usual allocation of Temporary Service dollars was received allowing the hiring of a full complement of seasonal employees. The Reynolds Game Farm was fully staffed throughout the year.

2. Raise 25,000 adult pheasants, 15,000 young pheasants, and 60,000+ day-old chicks - The Reynolds Game Farm, located near Ithaca, NY, hatched 67,265 chicks for the Day-old Pheasant Chick Program. In addition, 14,560 young pheasants were raised for the Young Pheasant Release Program and 28,721 adult pheasants 18 weeks old or older were raised for the Adult Pheasant Release Program, National field trial, and special hunts. Adult pheasants were stocked just prior to and during the fall pheasant hunting season. Young pheasants were released in June and August. All approved day-old chick applicants received chicks between the months of April and June.

3. Rehabilitate hatching, brooding and outdoor rearing facilities - Capital construction projects continued at the Reynolds Game Farm. Game Farm staff completed construction of 2 acres of outdoor covered pens. This completes the planned capital construction. Old top netting was replaced on 3 outdoor covered pens.

4. Develop a breeder flock improvement plan - The Reynolds Game Farm pheasant breeding flock consists of Manchurian and Chinese strain pheasants. The Manchurian pheasants, 3,500 hens and 350 cocks, exhibit characteristics similar to wild hatched ring-necked pheasants. They avoid human contact to a greater extent than our traditional Chinese ring-necked pheasant breeders. From a hunting perspective this can be good. From a rearing perspective, they don't handle stress as well as the Chinese ring-necked pheasants, produce fewer eggs and appear to incur greater mortality. The Chinese ring-neck flock is 450 cocks and 4,500 hens. Plans continue to maintain both flocks.

5. Harden all young pheasants no less than one week - All young pheasants were hardened in outdoor rearing pens no less than one week before released on approved cooperator sites. Hardening develops better flight, exposes birds to the elements before life on their own and allows birds to pick at natural foods.

6. Examine genetic make-up of pheasants - no activity

Distribution of Propagated Pheasants

1. Release adult pheasants to provide the best return to the bag - This is the third year implementing, "Minimum Statewide Adult Pheasant Release Standards." How, when, and where pheasants are stocked has been a point of discussion among DEC staff for many years. Stocking techniques will in part influence harvest rates, hunter satisfaction, and public perception of the program. There are two major components of this policy. First, staff are asked to stock adult pheasants once prior to, but not more than three days before the opening of the pheasant hunting season. Higher harvest rates occur when pheasants are released closer to the pheasant hunting season. Secondly, staff are asked to release pheasants at least once per week during the first three weeks of the pheasant hunting season. Releasing pheasants over a longer period of time lengthens the period of time a pheasant hunter can go afield with reasonable expectations of seeing or harvesting pheasants. Regions are working to implement these standards taking into consideration quantity and quality of stocking sites and staffing.

2. Provide 600 adult pheasants for National Championship Field Trials - National trials held at the DEC Three Rivers Wildlife Management Area received 600 cock pheasants over a two week period. Gary Pratt, Region 7 Fish and Wildlife Technician 2, coordinates the delivery of the field trial birds and use of the Three Rivers facility. Delivery of the birds went smoothly.

3. List adult pheasant release sites for state lands and private lands - Regional pheasant biologists and technicians compiled lists of all adult pheasant release sites. The Team then enlisted the help of Wildlife Biologist Bob Sanford to place the release sites on the DEC website. This is the forth year that the sites have been accessible on the DEC website. Hunters interested in hunting stocked pheasants should be directed to website. DEC regions agree to have all adult release sites listed on the DEC website by September 15th annually.

4. Provide a list of young pheasant release sites - All DEC regions compiled lists of young pheasant release sites. Lists are provided upon request.

5. Develop criteria for evaluating young pheasant and chick program release sites - Developing criteria to evaluate the quality of pheasant release sites is important for accepting or rejecting cooperator applications. A Site Evaluation Form was developed and used for the second year. It includes an evaluation of access, habitat quality, site size, surrounding lands, predators/hazards, familiarity with program procedures/goals, and related pheasant habitat work. The evaluation includes a point system for determining the best sites. Staff that used the evaluation found it very helpful.

6. Distribute/release 25,000 adult pheasants, 15,000 young pheasants, and 60,000 day-old chicks - The game farms distributed 28,721 adult pheasants, 14,560 young pheasants, and 67,265 day-old pheasant chicks. All approved cooperators received birds. Regional staff inspected cooperator release sites, secured adult release sites, stocked adult pheasants, and approved cooperator applications for the Young Pheasant Release Program and the Day-old Pheasant Chick Program. Adult pheasants distributed included 705 birds for 13 youth hunts, one physically challenged hunt, three hunts for women and one NYS Falconry Association hunt. Game farm staff used a new Delivery Notice to notify pheasant program cooperators. The notice indicates the date, time, and location of deliveries of day-old chicks and young pheasants. It also provides some important program information.

Information and Education Activities

1. Revise the "Landowners Manual for Ring-necked Pheasant Habitat Improvement" - no activity.

2. Provide literature on the creation, maintenance and enhancement of pheasant habitat - DEC Staff distributed information on pheasant habitat. Types of information distributed include warm and cool-season grass plantings, wetlands establishment for winter cover, food plots, and general pheasant habitat requirements. Landowners were encouraged to utilize Federal agricultural programs for habitat projects. These programs provide great cost sharing opportunities. Staff are using their experiences in the Grasslands For Wildlife Program to provide grassland establishment guidance. Staff also encouraged cooperative habitat projects with Pheasants Forever.

3. Develop habitat demonstration areas - A warm-season grass mix field and a pure stand of switchgrass planted in 1999 on Game Farm property was mowed to control boxelder and other broadleaf weeds. The switchgrass field looks better each year. The warm-season mix is struggling. Another field was sectioned in two and used to evaluate the use of mowing to reclaim grass fields. Half the field was left fallow and the other half mowed on July 31st annually for the past six years. It is very apparent the fallow field is composed of a large amount of aster and goldenrod. The mowed field is composed mostly of grasses with very little aster and goldenrod. Mowing once a year on July 31st appears to control the aster, goldenrod and other annuals and favors the reclamation of cool-season grasses. Mowing of this nature is an important management tool for providing quality pheasant nesting cover. Weed control was started on a new game farm demonstration field. Round-up was applied in the spring, summer and fall to eliminate all vegetation. The site will be sectioned in thirds and planted to cool-season grasses, a short grass prairie, and a tall grass prairie. Native warm-season grasses will be used in the prairies. The demonstration will evaluate planting and maintenance costs, structure of the vegetation, insects present, litter build-up, and the effects of deer on the planting. The field will be planted in 2004. Game Farm staff helped distribute corn and sorghum seed to Pheasant Forever Chapters. Landowners plant the seed to establish winter food plots.

4. Publish the results of the Pilot Habitat management study for pheasants - no activity

5. Develop pheasant history and management exhibits, and slide presentations (contractual services) - A slide presentation about pheasants was given at the Newark Valley Elementary School. The school has incorporated a pheasant rearing program and the natural history of pheasants in their science curriculum. The third and forth graders took a field trip the game farm to learn more about pheasants.

6. Develop propagation program information about survival, mortality, and harvest - no activity

7. Provide game bird breeder and shooting preserve lists to interested individuals - Individuals interested in purchasing game birds from private game bird breeders or hunting on private shooting preserves were given the appropriate information. Two DEC staff attended the Game Bird Breeders and Shooting Preserve Association Annual Meeting.

Monitoring of Pheasant Supply and Demand for Recreational and Other Use Activities

1. Use the Small Game Telephone Survey to monitor pheasant harvest and participation - The small game survey was used to provide trend information to outdoor writers and staff. A mail survey replaced the telephone survey in 1999-00. That year, there were an estimated 48,008 successful pheasant hunters and they harvested an estimated 194,112 pheasants. Results of the 2002-03 survey estimates a harvest of 185,391 pheasants.

2. Band all young pheasants 1995-97 - Completed in 1997-98 during preparation of A Ten-Year Management Plan For Ring-necked Pheasants In New York.

3. Develop annual rearing and release reports for the young pheasant and chick programs - A Pheasant Program Release and Harvest Survey that would be sent to cooperators in the Young Pheasant Release Program and the Day-old Pheasant Chick Program was drafted. The survey is intended to find out information about the number of pheasants released, hunters, and harvest. It will be mailed to cooperators at the end of the pheasant hunting season. It is still in draft form.

4. Conduct the farmer pheasant inventory - Spring and summer pheasant inventories were conducted. The surveys indicate that the pheasant population is near the lowest level since the survey began in 1945. Approximately 510 farmers in the Lake Plain of western New York are surveyed annually. The 2003 survey reported 1.6 overwintering pheasants per observer, 0.30 pheasant broods per observer, 0.36 pheasant nests per observer, and 455 acres farmed per reporter. The 0.30 broods per observer is the second lowest on record. For comparison, the pheasant broods per observer index was 3.0 in the late 1960's when pheasants were plentiful. This represents approximately a 90 percent decline in the pheasant population since that time.

5. Conduct midwinter pheasant flushing surveys - no activity

6. Periodically monitor pesticides in pheasants - no activity.

7. Survey of small game hunters to determine attitudes, behaviors, desires, satisfaction (Contractual Service) - Not scheduled until 2006-07

Prepared by: Michael J. Murphy, Wildlife Biologist 1

Date: November 9, 2004