DNR QUESTION OF THE WEEK

[Lee Borgersen]

            DNR QUESTION OF THE WEEK

Q: The DNR is in the process of determining the abundance of pheasants in the state's pheasant range. How is this number determined?

A: Every year during the first half of August the Minnesota DNR uses roadside surveys to estimate pheasant abundance. These surveys entail counting all pheasants observed while driving each of 152 survey routes - one to four routes per county - in Minnesota's pheasant range. DNR wildlife and enforcement staff survey these routes in the early mornings on days with clear skies, light winds and heavy dew. Because pheasants are difficult to detect, the annual August roadside surveys do not provide a total census, but rather an index of relative abundance. This information is then used to monitor changes in the pheasant population over time. In 2011, for example, 874 pheasants were counted on 3,800 survey miles. That yielded a population index of 23 pheasants/100 miles. This value was 64 percent lower than the 2010 index. The results of the survey are reported in early September and provide a good forecast of the upcoming pheasant hunting season.