Hey guys I'm alittle bit worried about this blast of snow we just got last night. We ended up with about 4-6" of snow. Before that we had some freezing rain. I'll drive around tomorrow and give a report Monday. Let's cross our fingers.

Yes I don't like this one bit either. We got some serious ice here in SW MN I hope it goes away REALLY FAST, but the forecast doesn't call for much heat the next couple days...

I would agree. Seems these late ice storms can do a real job on the birds. Lets hope it all melts fast and the birds do ok.

AT least down here it seems to be melting away real good. The sun is real powerful this time of year even without a real warm day my trees are all cleared up and the snow in the yard is gone. Hopefully they didn't get killed by the ice, they can handle a day or two of tough food conditions if they weren't on nests yet...

Just took the dog for a walk and heard a rooster crow out back in a field. I'm mostly worried about any that may be nesting.

The big birds should be fine. Most of them haven't laid eggs yet have they? that's all I would worry about too.

Some may have started to lay eggs but, they will re nest. Thats if they didnt die in the ice storm.

They're not even close to nesting yet.

Here in my area I've watched them mating,starting bout 10-14 days ago.

I am with GSP man, they are still sparring and doing the bean stuble waltz, dancing and showing off, getting ready to start the brood.

As for this last storm, I haven't seen what it really looked like to know what possible effects could be.

Our grass was back to green yesterday morning, so down here we are fine, I have been seeing great paring and sparring in the fields and ditches, I can't wait for a possible great hatch!!!!! Here in Nobles/Jackson county where I live we could (with a good hatch) have an increadible year as far as overall bird numbers.

I'll correct my statement as it was a little too absolute. I'm sure there are some that may have tried to nest. However, I think most of the birds have yet to nest. Seems like most of the broods hatch in early June. The pheasant gestation period is 24 days. That means they'll be laying eggs in early to mid May.

Most of the farm is strictly off limits this time of year, but I unhappily found this nest today, 4/27/08, in our "use" area. It is located about 20 feet behind my archery target. I was looking for a couple of arrows I lost two weeks ago. No hen, or feathers seen. McLeod County. There is still some snow in the ditches.





Fairly positive it was a pheasant nest. Egg is about ping pong ball size. Have only ever seen one turkey on the property, and that was three years ago. Woodcocks are plentiful on another part of the farm this spring.

Went out to Granite Falls today to get in one last hunt at a preserve. On the long ride back I saw lots of hens and roosters on the side of the road and just missed one that flew across. They only release roosters at the Preserve and we saw quite a few hens but they have some great cover so that wasn't all that surprising. I would guess I saw 80-10o birds. Some places there were 10-20 together.

Looks to be a pheasant egg to me. Right color and a turkey egg is much larger.

I use to hatch, raise and sell approx 3,000 birds annually and they always started to lay in captivity approx. the 1st of April. My understanding was that the wild birds started approx 2 weeks later. I do believe they start to lay eggs due to the lenght of light per day. In captivity I could turn the lights on in the building and trick them into laying a little earlier than the wild ones.

No doubt there will be some eggs and nest already made, but the majority of the fun is still to come. Now until mid May, one thing to remember, a hen pheasant will only raise one brood per year, but if the nest is disturbed or abandoned she will make another, but by doing that, the size of the brood generaly goes down in size. Drive the gravels near nesting cover now from an hour before sunset to sundown and look at the courtship rituals, they are sometimes quite impressive. From now until Mid June, stay out of nesting area, not disturbing nests, do not run your dogs in cover areas. Pray for good weather, and a great hatch!

Let's keep our eyes tight to the ditches broods hatch at the 20 - 25 day range if memory serves me right, So come late May to Mid June, we should see the largest chick action. Don't mow ditches, and ask your landowners to do the same.