Early December will bring a summit to Huron that will be focused on South Dakota’s State Bird-and a popular hunting target-the pheasant. The Governor’s Pheasant Habitat Summit was set up to help identify some of the causes for a reported 64 percent decline in the pheasant numbers in the state within a year’s time and come up with ways to change that drop. Governor Dennis Daugaard says most everyone is aware that several factors are impacting pheasant habitat; including the loss of pastureland and CRP acres due to conversion to cropland.
Governor Daugaard-1 Losing CRP and Pastureland to Crops
Daugaard also says dry weather last year resulted in haying of property that is usually left untouched-reducing even more habitat. He says he believes habitat changes to be just one reason the decline in the pheasant population was noted between 2012 and this year.
Governor Daugaard-2 Drought and CRP Haying Also Reduced Habitatn14
Daugaard says its hoped summit participants from landowners to hunters; will be able to come up with ideas that will help the pheasant population to thrive once again.
Governor Daugaard-3 Habitat a Major Factor and Need to Talk About Itn13
Speakers at the December 6 summit include Dr. Barry Dunn of the SDSU College of Agriculture and Biological Sciences; Tony Leif, director of the GFP Division of Wildlife and Jim Hagen, Secretary of the South Dakota Department of Tourism. Registration for the summit, which will be held at the Crossroads Convention Center, ends November 29. Visit http://gfp.sd.gov/pheasantsummit/.