Misconceptions For more infromation About The infomation contained about Kansas wildlife, visit our website at in this brochure kdwp.state.ks.us. Upland addresses many concerns You will be able to download area brochures, and misconceptions check upland forecasts, about upland game. and review the latest regulations summary. The responses were

formulated using Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks Emporia Research Office 1830 Merchant, PO Box 1525 information from numerous Emporia, KS 66801 (620) 342-0658 scientific studies.

Equal opportunity to participate in and benefit from programs de- scribed herein is available to all individuals without regard to race, color, national origin, sex, age, disability, sexual orientation, gen- der identity, political affiliation, and military or veteran status. Com- plaints of discrimination should be sent to Office of the Secretary, Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks, 1020 S Kansas Ave., Topeka, KS 66612-1327. 02/09

1. Turkeys have become abundant 2. Turkeys are causing exten- tors were removed annually from each site. Little or no im- while at the same time quail have sive crop damage and need to be provement in quail numbers was observed on the site with high-quality habitat. On the site with poorer habitat, there declined. Turkeys must be eating thinned. was a sharp increase in success and fall bird densities. quail or competing with them for These results indicate that predator removal provided little resources. At least five scientific studies have found turkeys benefit if the habitat was already suitable for quail. to be an insignificant source of crop damage. All of the predators that prey upon quail are oppor- It is true that populations have exploded The most recent study used infrared cameras tunistic feeders and when it is difficult for them to lo- while quail populations have declined. This has to closely observe wildlife activity in various cate quail and young they begin targeting caused some people to assume turkeys are having agricultural crop fields. Observations were that are easier to find. Predation on quail can be mini- a negative impact on quail. In reality, both popula- collected during both day and night mized by simply increasing habitat quantity and quality tions have been influenced by a large-scale landscape throughout two different growing even if predators are fairly abundant. This phenomenon conversion that has occurred over several decades. seasons. While turkeys were regu- has occurred in central and western Kansas over the last Wildlife biologists have been studying both larly seen in all the surveyed fields, 20 years where more than two million acres of Conser- quail and turkeys intensely for more than 75 years researchers did not once observe vation Reserve Program (CRP) grasslands was added to and have never documented a single occurrence them digging up seeds, pulling the landscape. Quail populations in this part of the state of a turkey eating a quail. It is a common rumor plants, or directly eating from stand- have been stable or even increasing despite increasing that turkeys have been shot with quail in their ing plants. They did observe crop dam- predator populations. crops but no biologist has ever seen a specimen age caused by other wildlife species such as In poor habitat it is possible to increase quail numbers by or a photograph. Another problem with this claim is that white-tailed deer, raccoons, crows, squirrels, beavers, and removing predators during the summer reproductive sea- most quail hatch in late June or early July well after the rodents. The majority of damage observed during their son. However, the practice is extremely costly and the ben- turkey season has closed. It would be highly unlikely that study was from raccoons at night. Turkeys do spend efits are only short-term. Quail predators will quickly a legally-harvested turkey would have a quail chick in its much time in agricultural fields displaying and foraging, re-colonize an area when trapping stops so for lasting re- crop even if the phenomenon was known to occur. but diet studies have shown that the are eating in- sults the removal must be done annually during the re- The main factor contributing to declining quail popu- sects, grubs, and waste grain from previous years’ crops. productive season. In Kansas, many quail predators are lations and increasing turkey populations is a landscape classified as furbearers and cannot be legally removed out- conversion from grasslands and shrubs to woodlands. 3. Why isn’t predator control recom- side of the fall and trapping seasons. Because pred- Satellite images show that woodland habitat increased 23 mended as a management strategy to ator removal can only be done during the fall in Kansas, it percent in eastern Kansas from 1984 to 2000. If the 1950s increase quail numbers? makes the practice even less effective than in other parts landscape were compared to the present landscape, the of the quail’s range. It is much more cost efficient and so- woodland increase would have been much greater. This It is true that predators are the primary source of cially acceptable to focus agency dollars towards the cre- landscape transformation occurred throughout Kansas mortality for adult quail, nests, and young. It is also true ation of suitable habitat. Additionally, the benefits provided but has been most severe in the Flint Hills and eastward. that populations of many different quail predators have to quail through habitat improvements are long-term com- The additional trees have improved habitat for many wood- increased over the last 25 years. These two facts are pared to those gained from the removal of predators. land species (turkeys, deer, and squirrels) but degraded widely known and it is easy to see why many land man- habitat for grassland species like quail. agers now use predator control as a method to increase Large trees are required by turkeys for roosting, and quail populations. On the surface this seems like a log- as woodlands have matured and expanded into the ical approach to increase quail numbers but does prairie, more areas have become suitable for turkeys. predator removal really work? These trees have shaded out low-growing bunch-grasses Recently, a study in Florida tested the effects and shrubs required by quail for nesting and protective of predator removal on quail survival and pro- cover. Additional woodland has also benefited quail pred- ductivity. Trappers removed opossums, armadil- ators such as hawks, owls, raccoons, and opossums. los, raccoons, bobcats, coyotes, and foxes from Avian predators are a major source of mortality for adult March through October on two 3,000-acre quail, and trees provide ideal from which rap- study sites. One of the sites was managed ex- tors can hunt. Other factors have contributed to quail tensively for quail and offered high- decline, but more trees in the landscape has had the quality habitat while habitat at the greatest negative impact. other site was of much lower qual- ity. For three years, 300-500 preda- 4. How does fall turkey harvest effect Prescribed fires in some parts of eastern Kansas have Hunter harvest poses virtually no risk to a pheasant spring hunt success and future popu- been rare over the last couple of decades, and as a re- population because only males can be legally harvested. sult, these landscapes have been invaded by trees. Prairie There is a slightly greater risk for harvest to influence lations? require large expanses of open grassland to sur- populations of prairie chickens and quail because fe- vive and reproduce. When trees become scattered across males can be harvested. The time of year when most har- Two major factors are considered when setting fall the landscape, the habitat becomes less suitable for vest occurs determines the severity of that risk. The turkey regulations: the impact on future population prairie chickens. Prairie chickens tend to avoid areas likelihood that a hen will survive until the breeding sea- growth and the effect on spring hunting success. In with tall structures (natural or man-made) probably to son becomes greater as fall turns into winter. Thus, late- terms of population growth, males are much more ex- avoid predation. season harvest of females has somewhat more potential pendable than females because one male can mate with Prairie chickens require 18 to 20 inches of the pre- to reduce the number of breeding hens than early-sea- numerous females. Taking hens in the fall can cause a vious year’s growth (residual cover) to adequately con- son harvest. In Kansas, the majority of the harvest oc- population decline if over 10 percent of the hens are har- ceal nests. Annual burning in April across most of the curs early in the season for both these species. vested. In Kansas, it is estimated that < 2% of all the hens Flint Hills removes that residual cover. It is true that an- When considering the impact of hunter harvest on are harvested. Thus, a reduction in fall harvest alone nual burning has been common in parts of the Flint Hills prairie and quail populations it is also important would not be enough to increase overall turkey numbers for more than half a century, even during times when to recognize that 1) hunting activity is not evenly distrib- in Kansas. In our state, habitat availability and weather prairie chickens were abundant. But prior to the 1980s, uted across the landscape and 2) gamebird populations in conditions are the major factors contributing to changes those fires were patchy, leaving some nesting cover for Kansas are seldom geographically isolated from other in turkey populations. However, if populations become chickens. Today, the burns are much more thorough, birds. Even if late-season harvest is heavy in one place, critically low, it might be beneficial to reduce fall hen leaving vast landscapes completely blackened. Addition- there is generally another population of birds nearby that harvest to help speed recovery. ally, most producers have switched from traditional sea- receives little or no hunting pressure. Natural dispersal While harvest of male turkeys during the fall doesn’t son-long stocking to intensive early stocking. Intensive from these areas assures that overexploited populations significantly impact overall population growth it can im- early stocking uses double the season-long stocking rate get replenished, so long as habitat and weather conditions pact spring hunting success. Most male turkeys taken for a short duration, immediately following a spring are suitable for productivity. during a fall turkey season would have survived until burn. This approach keeps new growth short, only al- spring. If spring hunter success were to decline sub- lowing re-growth after are removed in July. This stantially, a reduction in fall harvest might be justified. 10. Why are there no pheasants in minimizes cover availability in May and June, when southeast Kansas? 5. Why doesn’t the state stock game prairie chickens are attempting to nest and rear young. birds to supplement or establish pop- Prairie chicken nesting success in a landscape dominated The most obvious factor is inadequate habitat caused ulations? by annual burning and intensive early stocking by to many trees, to little high-quality nesting habitat or is generally less than 10 percent. Before this brood-rearing habitat, intensive agriculture, and urban- It was once common for state fish and game system was widely adopted, nest success ex- ization. These problems have worsened over the last 30 agencies to propagate and distribute pheasants ceeded 40 percent in the Flint Hills. years in southeast Kansas and have also been detrimen- and quail for stocking, but this practice largely Fragmentation of the prairie is tal to pheasants in other parts of the country. However, ceased after research clearly revealed it was in- another factor that has even before these problems intensified in southeast effective. Pen-raised birds simply do not have lead to declining prairie Kansas, pheasants were mostly absent. Some areas in the skills necessary to survive in the wild. chicken populations. southeast Kansas and other places outside the pheasant Since the 1970s, numerous studies have Large expanses of unbro- range seem to have suitable habitat, so habitat inade- documented survival of pen-reared pheasants ken grasslands are re- quacy probably isn't the explanation. and quail using all sorts of propagation and re- quired to sustain a core Soil-mineral deficiency is another factor that may in- lease techniques. population of prairie chickens. fluence pheasant distribution. Calcium, which is impor- Nest success and chick survival were ex- Whenever a tract of prairie becomes tant for eggshell development and adult survival, may be tremely poor for the few stocked birds that did heavily fragmented by agriculture, deficient in non-range areas. Soils in the central, north- survive long enough to reproduce. This roads, power lines, buildings, oil and gas east, and western portions of the state are naturally high was true even when the birds infrastructure, or other man-made features, in calcium. Southeast Kansas soils are naturally low in were released into it becomes less suitable for prairie chickens. calcium. While the exact mechanism by which this may ideal habitat. If to much fragmentation occurs, the area will limit pheasant distribution is complicated and not en- The most become completely unusable by prairie chickens. tirely clear, mineral deficiencies may play a role in ex- recent stocking Fragmentation of prairie chicken habitat has oc- plaining why pheasants are absent. technique is a de- curred throughout Kansas, but it has been most preva- Another possibility is higher spring temperatures and vice known as a “surroga- lent in the eastern part of the state. humidity. Research has shown that hatchability de- tor,” which is essentially a portable brooder house than clines with increasing temperature and humidity. When can be placed at the intended release site. This method 8. Why doesn’t KDWP provide winter the temperature is held at 85 degrees and humidity at 80 is relatively new, but the two scientific studies that have food for game birds during harsh percent, hatchability drops to around 40 percent. South- evaluated this approach found no improvement over pre- winters? east Kansas certainly has much higher springtime tem- viously-tested stocking techniques. In 2005, the Georgia peratures and humidity than in parts of the state where Department of Natural resources released 1,641 wing- When ice or deep snow remains on the ground for an pheasants are common. tagged quail chicks using surrogators on a plantation extended period of time, some of our game bird popula- It is likely that habitat inadequacies, mineral defi- considered to have ideal quail habitat. During the fall fol- tions suffer significant mortality. Quail are by far the ciencies, and weather all combine to prevent pheasants lowing release, less than 1 percent of the quail harvested most susceptible to severe winter weather. Pheasants from establishing in southeast Kansas. It is also possible on the plantation were produced in surrogators. The re- and prairie-chickens are much heartier, but occasionally that factors we have not yet identified might play a role. searchers estimated the cost for each surrogated bird severe winters harm these species too. Turkeys are least harvested to be $74.53, not including the cost of the sur- susceptible because their strong legs allow them to 11. I’ve seen a lot of different-sized rogators. A separate study conducted by the Nebraska scratch through deep snow and ice to locate food. In pheasant chicks this year so the hens Game and Parks Commission has recently found similar Kansas, severe winter weather seldom lasts long enough must have produced multiple broods. poor results with surrogated pheasant chicks. to have a negative impact on turkeys. The only proven method of increasing populations is To have a noticeable effect on spring breeding pop- It is normal for pheasant hatching to extend from to create and maintain suitable habitat. Spending ulations, KDWP would have to provide food to a large May through July. Most pheasant hens in Kansas start money on habitat improvements is much more cost ef- proportion of the affected population. The agency does- laying in late April or early May. But many of these fective and wild birds will re-colonize the area natu- n’t have the funding or manpower to accomplish a task initial nests are destroyed by predators or farming oper- rally. Upland game populations are sufficiently of that scale. Winter feeding is not an effective use of ations. Fortunately, pheasants are persistent re-nesters distributed across Kansas for this to occur when suit- sportsmen’s dollars or staff time, which can be better and most hens will try again if their initial clutch is lost. able habitat is provided. spent on habitat projects that have more lasting bene- Many will continue trying if a second or even a third fits. Fortunately game birds are prolific and can recover nesting attempt fails, but re-nesting mostly ends by the 6. KDWP should reduce the pheasant from winter losses relatively quickly. It is not uncommon beginning of July because hens are physically exhausted. bag so that we will have more birds for some game bird populations to increase over 200 per- This pattern of re-nesting after failed attempts is what in future years. cent from spring to fall when habitat and weather con- produces different-aged chicks by late summer. ditions are favorable. Unlike bobwhites, which occasionally incubate and Pheasants are minimally affected by hunting because hatch more than one nest when conditions are favorable, only males can be legally harvested. A single male pheas- 9. The agency regulates deer numbers pheasant hens seldom re-nest after they have produced a ant can mate with many hens each season. A spring sex through hunter harvest. Why can’t brood. Rare exceptions to this occur if a hen’s chicks are ratio of one rooster per 10 hens is sufficient for all hens they do the same thing for upland killed within a day or two of hatching. Either way, a pheas- to be bred and initiate nests. In Kansas, at least three or game birds? ant hen never produces more than one brood per summer, four roosters are typically available per 10 hens each and many don’t succeed at all. It's common to see young of spring. Changes in pheasant numbers from one year to The biological factors driving deer and gamebird pop- different ages with one or more hens, but this is a result of the next are mostly dependent on the weather. Long- ulations are quite different. Deer are relatively long-lived different broods mixing together or lost chicks term population changes are driven by land use and its and have a lower reproductive potential compared to up- joining up with another brood. effect on the quantity and quality of habitat available for land gamebirds (pheasant, quail, prairie chickens, etc.). nesting and brood rearing. Pheasants are short-lived This difference makes survival of adult animals much birds and cannot be stockpiled by limiting hunting or im- more important to the growth of a deer population. posing more restrictive seasons or bag limits. Hunting greatly impacts natural survival of adult deer because a high percentage of the harvested animals 7. Hunting has decimated prairie would otherwise survive to reproduce. Thus, it is possi- chicken populations in eastern ble to regulate the size of a deer population by adjusting Kansas. the number of animals that are taken by hunters. Hunter harvest has minimal impact on upland game- Researchers have found that hunter harvest in bird populations because a high percentage of the har- Kansas accounts for less than 2 percent of prairie vested animals would have succumbed to natural chicken mortality. Prairie chicken populations in the mortality even in the absence of hunting. The primary eastern part of the state have declined over the last 25 force influencing the growth of upland game populations years for two primary reasons: to much prairie burning is productivity. Upland gamebirds typically lay clutches or to little. Periodic burning on a two- to four-year rota- with more than 10 eggs and renest if necessary. Pro- tion provides good habitat for grassland wildlife. Unfor- ductivity of upland gamebirds is highly variable and tunately, much of the rangeland in eastern Kansas is more affected by habitat and weather than productivity either burned annually or seldom burned at all. of deer.