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Bird hunters should head east this year
How well Tri-City pheasant hunters fare this season could depend largely on how many miles they're willing to drive.
Saturday marks the start of the general statewide upland bird and waterfowl hunting season, and state Department of Fish and Wildlife biologists say pheasant, quail should be better than last season, depending upon where you kick up dust. Chukar and Hungarian partridge hunting opened Sunday.
For years, the irrigated portions of the Columbia Basin were a top pheasant hunting destination. Though Grant County still boasts annual pheasant harvests averaging more than 18,000 birds, Adams, Benton and Franklin counties have seen steady declines and now average about 9,000 birds or less.
However, in recent years, some of the more productive bird hunting has shifted east to the dryland agriculture and the river drainage areas of Columbia, Garfield, Walla Walla, Columbia and Whitman counties. Whitman County, for example, averaged about 17,000 birds a season between 1995 and 1999.
Wildlife biologists say "clean farming" practices - which leave little year-round habitat - and human population growth continues to hinder pheasant numbers in the Basin. On the other hand, increased acreage set aside under the federal government's Conservation Reserve Program is providing stable and abundant cover in many Southeastern Washington counties.
However, even the best habitat cannot make up for birds lost to bad weather and poor nesting conditions.
"Last year, we had a poor hatch in the Basin and not a lot of broodstock made it through to this year's breeding season," said Jeff Bernatowicz, a Fish and Wildlife department biologist in Yakima.
"Although it appears we had a fairly good nesting season this year in the south half of the Basin, the breeding numbers were so low from the previous year that the overall number of pheasants this season is still well below average.
"But it should be better this season than last year, especially for hunters who know where quality year-round habitat exists."
Jim Tabor, a state wildlife biologist in Ephrata, echoed Bernatowicz's observations for the north half of the Columbia Basin.
However, Tabor added that pheasant numbers in Grant and Adams counties continue to plummet and hunters might want to explore new territory.
And, as mentioned, Whitman County is shaping up as one of the top prospects for several species of upland birds.
Biologists report seeing pheasant broods averaging four to five large young birds. Quail broods have been averaging nearly nine birds among 41 broods observed, even in marginal habitat. Moreover, biologists report seeing good numbers of chukars along the Snake River breaks that rival counts of the '80s.
One upland bird species that is doing well across Eastern Washington is quail, and Bernatowicz said they are often overlooked and underhunted by hunters.
While wild pheasants may be difficult to bust this season, the state does plan to release 15,000 pen-reared roosters at 27 sites across Eastern Washington. Another 5,000 birds are being raised by inmates at Connell's Coyote Ridge Correction Center for release later in the season.
Bernatowicz said the Yakima region will be getting 4,500 birds which be planted at several sites around the Tri-Cities, including Ringold and Big Flat. The Spokane region is getting 4,700 birds, some of which will end up at Two Rivers, Wallula, Mill Creek and Hollebeke. The Ephrata region will receive 5,400 birds and some of the more popular release sites in that region include Linda Lake, Buckshot Unit of the Priest Rapid Wildlife Area and Winchester Lake on the Winchester Wildlife Area.
About 3,600 birds were released for the Sept. 23-24 youth hunting weekend and the rest will be stocked out three to four times after the opener, all before December. For a list of the state's pheasant release sites, go to the Fish and Wildlife's Web site at www.wa.gov/wdfw and click on hunting, then Eastern Washington Pheasant Enhancement Program. The list, which includes a map and directions, also can be obtained at any regional wildlife office, including Yakima (509-575-2740) and Ephrata (509-754-4624).
Finally, hunters should be aware that nontoxic shot is required this year while hunting game birds at the state's Sunnyside Wildlife Area and on the Fish and Wildlife's Two Rivers and Wallula units. There is no shotshell limit on Two Rivers and Wallula, although there is a 20-shell limit on McNary Refuge in Burbank.
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