“Pheasant Capital’s” CRP Losses Hardest in Eastern SD
October 11, 2011 by Field Notes
South Dakota will still provide the best pheasant hunting in the nation, but a disturbing trend in Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) habitat loss has pheasant numbers pointing downward in the eastern part of the state.
Overall, South Dakota has 400,000 fewer CRP acres than it did just a half decade ago, and the bulk of that loss is in 13 eastern South Dakota counties. With a combined 450,000 CRP acres in 2005, the South Dakota pheasant brood survey showed 7 pheasants-per-mile in these counties. Subtract more than 150,000 CRP acres that have expired from the program, mix in a couple hard winters, and the same survey reported just over 1 pheasant-per-mile in these counties this year.
Pheasant numbers have dropped as a result of decreased CRP acreage in these 13 eastern South Dakota counties.
Recent CRP news from Pheasants Forever:
- An Action Alert message from Howard Vincent, Pheasants Forever President and CEO, to pheasant hunters and Pheasants Forever supporters.
- Desperate Days for CRP, a message from Dave Nomsen, Pheasants Forever’s Vice President of Government Affairs.
Field Notes are written and compiled by Anthony Hauck Pheasants Forever’s Online Editor. Email Anthony at AHauck@pheasantsforever.org and follow him on Twitter @AnthonyHauck.
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