Maryland Prairie Chicken
- Thread starter Antarctica
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duckslayer
Active Member
We have a few here that are release birds. There are a few people that raise them within a couple miles of where you saw that one. escapees from Ray Schoenkes are actually quite common on Taylors Island. They arenr successful at breeding here as mentioned before due to a lack of calcium in the form of limestone in their diet. This prevents the eggs from hardening.
SRD
R.I.P.
Heard the same from an old farmer who lived in Union Bridge,I wanna say limestone is what he said was lacking but as you get closer to the Pa. line it improved.
SRD
R.I.P.
duckslayer beat me to it.
j_h_smith
Ultimate Member
- Jul 28, 2007
- 28,516
That was pesticides used during the 70's and early 80's. Once the birds disappeared, they were gone for good. I guess if they were reintroduced they would thrive.
ToBeFree
Ultimate Member
Wow
Back in '82 I worked at Brighton Dam and we hunted those bad boys in that exact area of which you speak.
Also loads of quail.
Used to hunt a huge farm near dickerson with loads of both.
Man I miss those birds.
I've seen prairie chickens at home once a year or so for the past 5yrs.
Turkey also any where from the Patuxent river north along rt 94.
Back in '82 I worked at Brighton Dam and we hunted those bad boys in that exact area of which you speak.
Also loads of quail.
Used to hunt a huge farm near dickerson with loads of both.
Man I miss those birds.
I've seen prairie chickens at home once a year or so for the past 5yrs.
Turkey also any where from the Patuxent river north along rt 94.
Yep. I grew up in Illinois and pheasants used to be all over the place. I even knew one family that illegally hunted them within the Chicago city limits. But modern farming really hurt the overall population. Shame. Those are my favorite animals to hunt. I'd take hunting ring necks over deer hunting any day.The change in farming technology has killed more pheasants.
The old style bar cutters would allow the nesting pheasants to jump over them. Combines, tend to suck them up
tomandjerry00
Ultimate Member
- Apr 12, 2013
- 1,744
Our 330 acre farm in Queen Anne's County was used to hunt released birds on before we bought it. Thousands and thousands of birds released on it and haven't seen one pheasant or quail on it. We have 300 foot CRP (grassland) bordering all the planted fields too that should be perfect habitat.
Its extremely difficult to reintroduce pheasant and quail. Trying to "harden" them for winter and teaching them to next and feed is near impossible. I'd love to reintroduce them on our property, but it seems from my research that once they are gone, they are gone.
Its extremely difficult to reintroduce pheasant and quail. Trying to "harden" them for winter and teaching them to next and feed is near impossible. I'd love to reintroduce them on our property, but it seems from my research that once they are gone, they are gone.
Sewer Rat
Ultimate Member
Y'll realize the pheasants are NOT native species.... introduced, like the Sika
wilcam47
Ultimate Member
Ive been hearing 2 roosters lately...one will Crow/squawk whatever then the other will. Its refreshing to know theres more than a few around.
fabsroman
Ultimate Member
Somewhat ironic that it used to be impossible to see a deer or turkey here in Maryland back in the 70's and 80's, yet they are quite abundant now. I am guessing that the ringneck pheasant could make a comeback too if the conditions are right and/or it adapts to the current conditions.
Look at the resident goose population.
First pheasant I killed was in the late 70's, maybe 1980. Last time I killed a "wild" one was in 1984. After that, it has all been shooting pen raised ones at Hopkins Game Farm. Quite a sad comparison to hunting them. Kind of like hunting versus shooting. By the way, the first year we hunted over that English Springer Spaniel in the photo, he was flushing pheasants 100+ yards away and my dad was screaming like crazy at him. Great memories.
How I miss the pheasants and quail, but I sure am glad we have the geese, turkeys, and deer. More so the geese. lol
Look at the resident goose population.
First pheasant I killed was in the late 70's, maybe 1980. Last time I killed a "wild" one was in 1984. After that, it has all been shooting pen raised ones at Hopkins Game Farm. Quite a sad comparison to hunting them. Kind of like hunting versus shooting. By the way, the first year we hunted over that English Springer Spaniel in the photo, he was flushing pheasants 100+ yards away and my dad was screaming like crazy at him. Great memories.
How I miss the pheasants and quail, but I sure am glad we have the geese, turkeys, and deer. More so the geese. lol
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If you go to ND/SD, people actively manage their CRP land for pheasants with hedge-rows, plots of legumes and areas of tall-grass prairie in close proximity. The hens need undisturbed grass of just the right height to consider it for nesting.
HeatSeeker
Ultimate Member
My Dad and I used to rabbit and pheasant hunt in West Friendship in HoCo and they were plentiful. Of course that was 35 or so years ago. That was some fun hunting. A pheasant will scare the hell out of you sometimes not taking off until you almost are on top of him. I remember it like it was yesterday. I had a .410 single shot before moving up to my 16 ga. Wingmaster that I still have.
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