HABITAT
Cover made up of introduced grasses are most beneficial for brood rearing habitat given the thick cover to hide in.
False-Myth bust it: The best brood rearing cover is native or introduced flowering plants to attract insects that young pheasants depend on for protein to survive. Also, taller bunch grasses allow young birds to move easily along the ground unlike many unmanaged grass stands.
Pheasant eggs are speckled.
False-Myth bust it: Pheasant eggs are plain olive-buff, rarely pale blue.
Pheasants Forever financially supports the Meadowlark Initiative.
True: We are glad to partner with NDGF and other entities to provide lift for the initiative.
Pheasants Forever has 6 employees based in North Dakota.
False-Mythbust it: Pheasants Forever currently has 4 staff in North Dakota! Our Senior Field Rep, Renee Tomala, two Precision Ag and Conservation Specialists, Austin Lang and Emily Spolyar, and an Education & Outreach Coordinator, Hannah Hayes.
BONUS
August 1 is the recommended date for haying.
True: No matter the amount, delaying haying until August 1 each year yields best results for limiting mortality of pheasant nests and broods, while July 15 is an alternative date if hay quality is a priority.
BONUS
There are 3 species of pheasants worldwide.
False-Myth bust it: We are most familiar with the ring-necked pheasant but there are over 25 species worldwide. Pheasants are mostly native to the continent of Asia.
There are pheasant-specific predators.
False- Myth Bust it: There are no predators that specialize only on pheasants, thus predator killing competitions do not benefit pheasant populations. Reducing coyote populations can actually increase populations of meso-predators (foxes, skunks, etc.) that also predate on pheasants and their nests. The amount and length of trapping required to impact meso predators would be time consuming and costly while also encouraging greater reproduction by these species. Nature is an intertwined system – invest in habitat!
There are currently 21 active chapters in North Dakota.
True! We have 24 on the roster, but 21 are active & functioning
Brood rearing cover should be comprised of broad leaf plants, legumes, flowers, and grass.
Broad leaf plants attract insects critical for chick survival during a brood’s first few weeks of life. Species like alfalfa, sweet clover, wild flowers, and a diverse group of native legumes can be incorporated into grassland seeding mixes to create brood rearing habitat.
The flight speed of a pheasant is over 30 mph.
True! Their flight speed is 38 to 48 mph when cruising.
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Sioux County is the only county you can find sage grouse in North Dakota.
False-Myth bust it: They are found in Bowman County.
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A ringneck (youth) membership costs the chapter $15.
False-Mythbust it: Ringneck memberships are sold at a cost of $10 to chapters to encourage them to sign up more youth members!
The ideal landscape for pheasants consists of ~70% cropland and 30% hay/grassland.
True! Cropland should be approximately 30% row crop and 40% small grains; the grass or hay land should consist of 10-15% undisturbed nesting cover.
Pheasant chicks are capable of short flights at 12 days.
True! They stay with the female for 10-12 weeks but are capable of short flights at about 12 days.
Hungarian or Grey Partridge raise their broods as a pair, both serving as attentive parents.
True: Grey partridge pair off in the spring and will raise their broods together. The male will become extremely defensive of the hen and offspring.
PF & QF’s Women on the Wing Initiative has four pillars.
True: There are four pillars within WOTW.
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An ideal shrub planting with wildlife in mind should be a minimum of 6 rows.
False-Myth bust it: A minimum of 15 rows is ideal for shrubs planted for wildlife.
Pheasants generally stay in the area they were raised and seldom travel beyond 4 miles from home.
False-Myth bust it: Pheasants typically have a home range of 1 square mile, or 640 acres, but can travel up to 10 miles to find winter cover
There are four pollinator species in ND that are threatened, rare and endangered.
True! Two bees and two butterflies are on the list.
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Our Precision Ag & Conservation Specialists can only cover their designated counties and work on funded agreements.
False- Myth bust it: PACS work throughout ND and can provide another set of eyes on your land; they can help with planning and find potential cost-share sources.