GREAT OUTDOORS: Pheasants might be North America's favorite exotic species

In stark contrast to the number of alien plant and animal species that have wreaked havoc on the environment when they have invaded a new continent, Chinese ring-necked pheasants have always been a welcomed member of the upland wildlife community. After their introduction took hold in the Willamette Valley in Oregon in 1881 and in South Dakota in 1898, they became an abundant upland game species throughout many states for decades. They are not known to negatively compete with native birds. In addition to the dazzling coloration of the male pheasants, known as roosters or cocks, that virtually compels hunters to have one mounted for their "man cave" or den, they are outstanding on the table. Pheasants provide such great sporting opportunities and are so important for the economy of South Dakota, they are recognized there as the state bird. Rural towns there and in a few other neighboring states swell during hunting season as non-residents invade the countryside within the "pheasant belt." Like the good fish populations in Lake Erie does for our coastal towns, the presence of pheasants in huntable numbers ensure that non-resident hunters will come and spend money on lodging, dining, snacks, gasoline and other supplies. Unfortunately, due to clean farming practices that were encouraged in the 1970s, coupled with some bitter winter storms late in that decade, Ohio lost the majority of its pheasant and bobwhite quail populations. With those losses, participation in upland hunting began its steady decline, as rabbits were no longer enough incentive for many hunters to stomp the brush to search just for them. The chances to experience the heart stopping, noisy flushes that pheasants provide as they burst from their hiding places was the real motivation for me to walk the hundreds of miles that I logged through Ohio, Michigan, Iowa, Kansas and especially South Dakota in search of the gaudy birds, especially once I owned bird dogs. To reverse the population declines, the upland habitat conservation organization, Pheasants Forever, was founded in Minnesota in 1982 to help volunteers re-establish the upland cover for conserving pheasants and quail and provide public access, education and advocacy of grassland habitat. Their business model specifies that funds generated locally are used locally. The Erie-Ottawa-Sandusky County Chapter, started more than 30 years ago, now operates out of the Ottawa County Soil and Water Conservation District Office in Oak Harbor under the watchful eye of Joe Uhinck. He works with landowners to initiate projects that benefit water quality. COVID-19 precautions kept the chapter from holding its annual spring banquets in 2020 or 2021, but planting of conservation habitat continues this year with approximately 225 acres of grassland sowed this year. Prior toCOVID-19, the chapter conducted annual youth pheasant hunts at the Oak Harbor Conservation Club and WR Shooting Club. Other sections of the state have Pheasants Forever Farm Bill biologists who help landowners enroll in conservation programs, establish habitat and manage their properties to benefit wildlife. Ohio has a dwindling population of wild pheasants, with the highest population remaining in locations with the most grassland habitat acreage and high conservation enrollment rates, specifically within the Scioto Conservation Reserve Program area. Because of the low number of wild pheasants elsewhere, the Ohio Division of Wildlife annually stocks pen-raised birds at 25 sites throughout the state for hunters to harvest. The statewide list of stocking dates and locations can be found at wildlife.ohiodnr.gov. The youth pheasant season was open last weekend and returns for this weekend before the regular adult pheasant season runs from November 5 to January 9. As always, refer to the annual Ohio Division of Wildlife Hunting Regulations Guide for details including season dates, bag limits, legal hours, weapons allowed and other rules that apply to pheasant hunting.