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Pheasant

Understanding Criticism

Critics have said in the past we give too much weight to rainfall and not enough to other environmental influences on upland bird reproduction and year round survival. We have asked those same critics to offer alternatives and have been offered environmental factors already disclaimed by direct in in-direct research.

The final point we made elsewhere is that spring brood period rainfall is not the only element to our forecast it is the final for the year significant indicator of where the better hunting is to be found. Typically, by this point in the discussion, the critic has sealed his mind to all other than his thoughts. The killer is when we ask for a research citation for the "facts" the critic has armed himself with. And, that is not an idle question as we recognize that the best information is that which disinterested third parties provide. We seek that best information to add to our study effort.

Rain Factor

This is the most common type of rain effect we experience in the central mid-west, or that of the localized rainfall. This radar picture is from June 5, 2006 when St. Joseph, Missouri (the center of the rain clouds) received 0.64 inches. The rest of the region much less.

June 5

2006 Rain

St. Joe, Mo

Kansas City, Mo

Columbia, Mo

Kirksville, Mo

Springfield, MO

Joplin, MO

St Louis, MO

0.64

0.42

0.00

0.14

trace

0.00

June 5 2006 Rain

Lincoln, NE

NE KS

Concordia, KS

Holdrege , NE

NW Kansas, Norton area

Goodland, Ks

Dodge City, KS

Medicine Lodge , KS

Wichita, KS

Chanute, KS

0.01

0.08

0.11

0.12

0.00

0.01

0.00

June 5 2006 Rain	Omaha, NE	Lamoni, IA	Ottumwa, IA
5	0.00	0.06	0.00

The less frequent type of rain coverage is that which covers the entire region in a large area rainfall of long duration.

Effect

The problem these types of localized rains create is that experienced this (2006) spring illustrated on our combined May and June rainfall map.

What we see on this map is that St. Joseph for the two month period received a total of 2.9 inches while an isolated south central Iowa collection station not too far away had 7.9 inches. That kind of disparity in a small area is common. How that effects ground nesting upland bird reproduction is that one county may have poor bird hunting while an hour drive in any other direction will have the hunter in good bird numbers. To this we offer the flexibility that all that travel to hunt always come prepared for a plan A and plan B. If a favored locality is not working due to earlier or current weather (an ice storm moved in) a short drive to another locality will save the trip. Have those Plan B maps and lodging listing in the truck.

Dear John & MAHA Staff........just a note to let you know my 11/2 yr. old German Wirehair (Pete) & I enjoyed immensely our 1st hunt with MAHA. It took a while to figure out where the birds were hiding but we took home 2 birds in only a day + of hunting so we were VERY pleased & Pete got some much needed experience on crafty, older, wild birds. There was LOTS of land to hunt, no other hunters & the bird habitat was better than anything I ever hunted growing up in Illinois. Thanks much & this transplanted New Mexico bird hunter looks forward to a long & enjoyable relationship......!!!

All the best & happy year, Sincerely, John

For the rest of us John joined in late November on what we will all agree was a down year for pheasants. He is a hard bird hunter as is evident of his woods grouse picture below where those that have hunted such birds and habitat know a bird a day is a good day. And, in spite of being a first year member, joining late, traveling long distance, on his first hunt, on a down year he did enjoy his hunt probably more than many of us locals who complain when we do not limit out by noon! Thank you John for the proper perspective, we needed the reminder. Good looking Wirehair also.

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