2012 South Dakota Pheasant Hunting Season Outlook Forecast Report - January

January 23, 2012 by Chris Hitzeman - UGUIDE South Dakota Pheasant Hunting

If you live or know anyone in or near the midwest of the country you'll know that the winter of 2011-2012 has been one of the most mild winters on record.  On January 5th Armour South Dakota logged a 70 degree high temperature.  1 degree short of the record high.  The same week Minneapolis clocked in a record 52 degree high temp.  One for the books.

Why is this significant or important?  There were 2 things required to make a huge impact on getting bird numbers to rebound from the Crash of 2011.  With numbers reported down 46% across the whole state there was cause for concern.  The culprit to blame was 2 harsh winters and 2 wet cool springs. Conversely this fall set a change in motion just in the opposite direction.  The fall of 2011 is now one of the driest on record since the 1800's and will also go down as one of the driest mildest winters on record as well.

This means we can look for strong carryover of existing wildlife populations not only in pheasants but in deer and other game and non-game species as well.  Biologists will tell you that when snow levels are up and rainfall levels are up, then pheasant numbers go down.  We are well staged to set course in the opposite direction from the last 2 years.

There was great concern over all the late hatched pheasants this year not making it thru the winter but we have had the ideal scenario for them. Hens and roosters alike will have had mild weather and good access to food and good roosting conditions to get them strong, fat and healthy for the upcoming nesting season.

There is still time for nasty winter weather to take a toll but every day that goes by now stacks the deck in the pheasants favor.

If the dry trend continues thru early spring the farmers may not be happy but the pheasant hunters will be.

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