Outdoor almanac: Pheasant numbers to be released soon

Minnesota's 125,000 or so pheasant hunters should get a good idea next week what to expect this fall.

The Department of Natural Resources will release its August roadside pheasant count, the best indicator of the state's pheasant population, a week later than usual because of Labor Day.

The numbers aren't expected to be as good as last year, when hunters bagged an amazing 655,000 ringnecks --the highest in 43 years.

"We had bad weather -- cool and wet -- during the peak of the [pheasant] hatch,'' said Kurt Haroldson, DNR wildlife biologist. Generally that means bad news for pheasant production, he said.

People are reporting seeing hens without broods -- not a good sign.

"Normally I would forecast a decline [in the pheasant population],'' he said. "But we also have a lot of hens out there, and that could compensate [for the weather.]''

Hunters still could do well, Haroldson said. They just might not shoot as many ringnecks as last year. The season opens Oct. 11.

Meanwhile, South Dakota released its pheasant survey results, and the numbers will make pheasant hunters drool. The pheasant index is 8.56 pheasants per mile, up 9 percent from last year and the highest recorded in 45 years. Even South Dakota officials called the results amazing, given last year's record-setting numbers.

Pheasant production was very good in the central part of the state. Substantial increases were found in the Mobridge, Pierre, Chamberlain and Winner areas. But pheasant counts were down in the east while overall counts in east-central regions are largely unchanged.

South Dakota's regular pheasant season runs Oct. 18-Jan. 4. The statewide youth season has been lengthened to five days, Oct. 4-8, and the resident-only season on public land runs Oct. 11-13. The state pheasant report can be found at: www.sdgfp.info/Wildlife/hunting/Pheasant/Outlook.htm.

Supporters of an amendment that would raise the state sales tax by 3/8th of 1 percent to benefit wildlife habitat, waters, parks and the arts were miffed last week at a poll by Minnesota Public Radio and the Hubert H. Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs.

Seventy-two percent of respondents said that increased arts and outdoors services should be paid out of existing revenues or by users, while 22 percent said the amendment is necessary to maintain the state's quality of life.

Ken Martin, campaign director for Vote Yes Minnesota, a coalition of 200 groups supporting the measure, said the poll was seriously flawed and didn't put the actual ballot question to respondents. His group released the results of five other polls, all done by independent polling services, that showed a majority of respondents support the amendment. Vote Yes commissioned two of the polls.

The polls, conducted from January through July, showed support for the amendment ranged from 57 percent to 63 percent. Those polls asked whether the respondents would vote for the amendment, Martin said. He said supporters need that kind of voter support because those who vote in the election but don't vote for the amendment are counted as a "no" vote.

Meanwhile, he said TV and radio ads promoting the amendment will begin hitting the air shortly after the Sept. 9 primary.

Bear hunting season opens Monday, and DNR officials are asking hunters to avoid shooting radio-collared animals. About 60 bears in the state have been captured and fitted with collars, most of which are blaze orange. Any hunters who do shoot collared bears should contact the DNR. About 11,200 hunters sought bear last year, the lowest number since 1995.

• Minnesota's dove season opens Monday.

• North Dakota's waterfowl season will open Sept. 27 for residents and Oct. 4 for nonresidents.

• After a three-year experiment, the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission has lifted a ban on spinning-wing decoys for waterfowl hunting.

• The Sand Point Beach public boat launch on Prior Lake will be closed from Tuesday through mid- to late-November for reconstruction.

Doug Smith • dsmith@startribune.com