IDAHO DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND GAME Steven M. Huffaker, Director Project W-160-R-31 Subproject 47 Completion Report UPLAND GAME BIRD ECOLOGY Study II: Effectiveness of Transplanting Pheasants as a Management Tool July 1, 2003 to June 30, 2004 By: David D. Musil, Senior Wildlife Research Biologist September 2004 Boise, Idaho Findings in this report are preliminary in nature and not for publication without permission of the Director of the Idaho Department of Fish and Game. The Idaho Department of Fish and Game adheres to all applicable state and federal laws and regulations related to discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, gender, or handicap. 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TABLE OF CONTENTS HUNTER HARVEST OF PEN-REARED AND WILD PHEASANTS IN IDAHO......................1 ABSTRACT...............................................................................................................................1 INTRODUCTION .....................................................................................................................1 OBJECTIVES............................................................................................................................1 STUDY AREA ..........................................................................................................................2 METHODS ................................................................................................................................2 RESULTS ..................................................................................................................................3 DISCUSSION............................................................................................................................4 MANAGEMENT IMPLICATIONS .........................................................................................5 SURVIVAL OF PEN-REARED AND WILD PHEASANTS TRANSLOCATED INTO IDAHO6 ABSTRACT...............................................................................................................................6 INTRODUCTION .....................................................................................................................6 OBJECTIVES............................................................................................................................7 PROJECT AREAS ....................................................................................................................7 C. J. STRIKE WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AREA (WMA)............................................8 MINIDOKA/CASSIA..........................................................................................................8 JEFFERSON........................................................................................................................8 MINIDOKA.........................................................................................................................8 MADISON...........................................................................................................................8 MUD LAKE WMA .............................................................................................................9 METHODS ................................................................................................................................9 WILD PHEASANT TRANSLOCATION...........................................................................9 GAME FARM PHEASANT RELEASES.........................................................................10 TELEMETRY AND SURVIVAL.....................................................................................11 PHEASANT ABUNDANCE AND PRODUCTION ........................................................11 RELEASE SITE COVER..................................................................................................11 PREDATOR ABUNDANCE ............................................................................................12 PREDATOR CONTROL...................................................................................................12 RESULTS ................................................................................................................................12 TRANSLOCATION..........................................................................................................12 Wild Pheasants.............................................................................................................12 W-160-R-31-47 SII Completion.doc i TABLE OF CONTENTS (Continued) Pen-reared Pheasants ...................................................................................................13 WEIGHT............................................................................................................................13 SURVIVAL .......................................................................................................................13 TIME SPECIFIC MORTALITY .......................................................................................13 CAUSE SPECIFIC MORTALITY....................................................................................14 DISPERSAL ......................................................................................................................14 NESTING ..........................................................................................................................15 PRODUCTION..................................................................................................................15 RELEASE SITE COVER..................................................................................................15 PHEASANT ABUNDANCE.............................................................................................15 PREDATOR CONTROL AND ABUNDANCE...............................................................16 COSTS ...............................................................................................................................16 DISCUSSION..........................................................................................................................16 PHEASANT STOCKING .................................................................................................16 PREDATOR CONTROL...................................................................................................18 MANAGEMENT IMPLICATIONS .......................................................................................23 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS .......................................................................................................25 LITERATURE CITED ............................................................................................................26 APPENDIX A..........................................................................................................................64 APPENDIX B ..........................................................................................................................65 LIST OF TABLES Table 1. Results of hunter interviews for harvest of pen-reared and wild pheasants on and off four tracts of public land during a ten-day roving hunter interview, October 29 - November 7, 1999, Idaho. ......................................................................51 Table 2. Hunter harvest rates of pen-reared and wild pheasants for hunters intervieweda while hunting four tracts of public land October 29 - November 7, 1999, Idaho........51 Table 3. Hunter harvest rates of pen-reared and wild pheasants for hunters completinga their hunting trip on four tracts of public land October 29 - November 7, 1999, Idaho. ...........................................................................................................................51 Table 4. Demographics of wild pheasants (radio-marked) translocated during 2000, Idaho. ...........................................................................................................................52 W-160-R-31-47 SII Competion.doc ii TABLE OF CONTENTS (Continued) Table 5. Demographics of wild pheasants (radio-marked) translocated during 2001, Idaho. ...........................................................................................................................52 Table 6. Demographics of wild and pen-reared pheasants (radio-marked) translocated during 2000-2001, Idaho..............................................................................................53 Table 7. Mean weights (g ± 95% Confidence Interval) of pheasants released into Idaho. .......54 Table 8. Kaplan-Meier staggered entry survival estimates for radio-marked pheasants from pen-reared and wild stock released into Idaho March-September 2000 and 2001..............................................................................................................................55 Table 9. Survival estimates (Kaplan-Meier S(t) ± 95% Confidence Interval [Kulowiec 1988]) and comparisons (chi-square tests [Hines and Sauer 1989]) for pheasants released into Idaho. ......................................................................................................56