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Our views & opinions
for the reasons we are seeing declining wild pheasant populations
in Iowa this season...
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There are still populations
of birds in pockets of Iowa where elevated areas of proper
habitat exist. Find these areas
and you will have a good hunt. Take a youth and this
hunt will become more enjoyable.
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Some land owners have closed
the season this year so make sure you ask permission
first.
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Yes, we will need Mother Nature’s
help with mild winters and dry nesting seasons, yet we
must make changes
to our
habitat plans and locations to adjust to recent years
and major cause for decline.
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Implantation of 3 important
types of cover to return our pheasant populations back
to the glory days. These covers
include:
- Nesting – large square areas
(to prevent predation) elevated away from flooding threats.
- Brood raising – cover with 50%
of the soil are exposed for broods to travel with insect baring
plants that will meet the first 22 weeks of a chicks diet needs
to survive.
- Winter cover – thick cover with
predator safety near food source to increase carry over.
*Brome grass does
nothing for our wild bird population (or wildlife in general)
as the previous mentioned key covers
once it is established. Soil erosion is the only reason for
this type of cover to be used. Young broods simply cannot
travel in this type of cover and become weak or stranded
from others. This cover does not produce the insects or feeding
environments or wintering cover needed for survival or increased
populations.
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We are learning that if it
were not for organizations like Pheasants Forever, Ducks
Unlimited and REAP, Iowa would not
have the habitat we currently have. Support them
by paying your memberships!
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Hunters harvested 1.4 million
pheasants 10 years ago and were equal to South Dakota
sharing bragging rights as "Pheasant
Capital" of the world. This year we will not harvest
250,000 birds already dropping out of the "Top
10" states
to hunt upland birds. “Go West” is the
new theme for upland bird hunters!
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Iowans are starting to self
populate areas to try to help declining populations.
Our eastern states have warned us
not to fall back on this theory they have experienced
already. This theory has created a put and take only
population, depleting
their once was native bird populations available and
a bandage approach to the real problem of lack of habitat.
The proven
survivability rate of released birds is less the 5%
in only a 10 day period without proper habitat due to
predation alone.
Spend your dollars on habitat – built it and
they will come back!
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Iowa's DNR leadership is better
about making “short
term” excuses than putting a “long term” plan
into action to restore habitat, wetlands and creating
healthy outdoor recreations available.
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With warmer and dryer than
normal temperatures this fall more habitat was taken
out, tiled through or turned under.
The increase land prices are encouraging more crop
land used for grains at the risk of soil erosion. Fences,
waterways
and wetlands are being removed to capture more plantable
acres.
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Iowa is currently recognized
as 49th in the USA for water quality in our lakes and
streams. Our government should be
ashamed of their allowing this to happen. Landowners
need to be paid competitive rates for leaving land neutral
or
planting proper cover in water shed areas. These
payments must be tied into their government programs
needed to compete
with our food source provider status. Currently 500
lakes and streams are identified unfit to drink, swim
or eat fish
harvested from in our state. Out of state dollars
must not be as important to our current local and state
economy as
it once was?
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Our previous election results
made it clear that Iowa is tired of water quality issues,
soil erosion, public access
and removal of habitat. 76% of Iowa voted YES for
Iowa Water and Land Legacy Act. Following the election
our new
government
made a statement that he would not support this effort
with a sales tax increase. This is the very reason
why we as Iowans
needed to vote YES. YES Iowa is claiming victory
over our environmental issues allowed by lack of governmental
concerns
and support – listen to the voices of your
voting population and keep your opinions to yourself!
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Iowa has
lost 26% of hunting access over the past 20 years to
commercial, residential, land purchases, and developments.
We lose 5 ton of top soil per acre to wind and soil erosion
each year.
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We are losing interest
in our younger generations to video games, television, gang
activities and indoor activities.
Who is going to carry on our Family Heritage in the future?
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Each
one of us has a responsibility to give our time, talents and resources to what
we enjoy most. Get involved any way
you know how now or we will not stop this declining depletion
of habitat and wildlife populations.
We must leave our earth
a better place then we started with and that's not happening currently. Write
to your
government
officials, be heard, Share the importance of your hunting
interests and take the time to make a difference.
Will we
as Iowans have to pay to hunt pheasants on preserves only
in the future?
Or will we rely on this
once known “Pheasant
Capital of the World” state to become another put & take
only state for our upland bird hunting activities?
Our
children, grandchildren and future generations are depending
on us!
We want to wish you and
your Family a safe and bountiful hunting season. ."
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 Ben's
Page
In Loving Memory of Ben Ries
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