Hey is anyone seeing any pheasant chicks yet?? They should be popping out soon.

I saw some on Sunday trying to cross rt 12 just east of Montrose. The hen got halfway across and stopped due to traffic. We tried to flash a few people to get them to stop but they never even slowed down!! Luckily she went back to the side of the road. Hopefully they made it back across OK. Not sure how many but there were but we saw 6 or 7, could've been more in the grass. That's all I've seen but I haven't really been looking much.

I have now seen quite a few in SW Minnesota!!!!!! Not sure how the rains of a couple weeks ago effected some nests, but I have been seeing more and more in recent days!

I've seen a couple of bunches around the Worthington area also. I've also seen a number of hens with roosters again so I imagine there is some serious renesting going on. Too bad the ditch mowing is getting serious right now.

I agree, we were doing so good but then they would have been cutting sooner as well. Always an issue, but I know the majority of nesting is not occuring in the ditches, but the feedings and stuff are! YIKES, run little chicks the sky is falling, or should I say chopping!!!!!!

I saw 3 broods the 3rd week of June when out at the farm. The first brood was smaller in mumber but the chicks were about 5-6 inches long and could fly.

The other 2 broods were combined with 2 hens hanging around and brood numbered 20 and they could barely get through cover. 1-2 inches long.

I have never seen the cover as thick as it is this year and some are forecasting higher bird numbers than last year which was a record.

I seen a hen with about 5 chicks the other day by Cambridge. Have also seen alot of hens with roosters the last couple of days. Hopefully see some more chicks soon.

I have been seeing quite a few chicks in extreme SW MN as well. They are very little, the ones I am seeing. I know the DNR was concerned about the cold, wet spring, but from what I could tell, nesting did not begin in earnest until mid June. Many, many hens were still walking around breeding with roosters those first two weeks of June, so in my humble opinion, things are 3 weeks behind. Yes, the ditch mowers are probably whacking hens, but there is nothing you can do about it. They do it every year. But I certainly do not understand that law. I thought you cannot mow until 8/1. Heck, they mow everything down here. County roads. State roads. US roads. Everything. I am guessing some of it is 'illegal' but when is the last time the State fined someone for mowing a ditch???

I saw three last Sat that were the size of quail. They were on the side of the road and flew about 30 yards into a foeld when I drove past and stopped.

Took a walk around my alfalfa (7 acres) a couple days ago and flushed two coveys of about a dozen or so. One of them was quite mature already and the other group was a bit younger. I know they were hatched at least a month ago when I harvested the alfalfa. At that time they were too small to fly being about the size of baseballs.

Bob

Seen a hen 2 days ago with 8-10 chicks about the size of baseballs.

I have seen flyers, and runners alike, remember there is no general rule to timing for hens. Some go to nest early and some not until later. As long as you are seeing some young ones, we should all be happy. I for one am thrilled with the young numbers I have seen so far.

Saw a few hens this weekend around Cokato, not many chicks but some of them may have been hiding.

Latly I been seeing alot of hens with chicks of all sizes.What truobles me is I have'nt seen any with more than two or three chicks.I been driving more than usual but three is the largest brood I've seen.

Was cutting alfalfa yesterday morning and flushed a hen with about eight youngen's.

Bob