In the Field: December Pheasant Season

by Anna Mitterling, Wildlife Cooperative Coordinator, MUCC

Typically when you think of a hunting season, you think about harvesting animals! One could assume, quite logically, that my blog this week is about hunting pheasants. Yes, it is. It is also about creating future pheasant hunting opportunities. There are some fun things we can do this month, not just with a gun and a dog, but also with seeds and neighbors.

Pheasant Hunting

Despite popular opinion, there are places to hunt wild pheasants in Michigan. With deer season wrapping up, the pressure on state game areas has decreased. You can use the MiHUNT website to find places that are being managed for pheasants and strategize your hunting approach from there.

Pocket Management and Frost Seeding

Now is a great time to start spreading seeds you may have collected in the fall. Every fall I collect black-eyed susans, cone flower, compass flower, and milkweed seeds from my flower beds at home. Once it gets closer to actual winter, I go out and spread the seeds around. The cool thing about Michigan winters is the freeze/thaw the soil experiences helps to work seeds into the ground. If you didn’t collect your own seeds, you can purchase them at the Pheasants Forever seed store.

Cooperative Meetings

While now is not the best time to have a cooperative meeting (Holidays are just around the corner), now is a good time to start planning for one for January or February. These meetings can be used to promote your cooperative and the habitat goals that you have. This time of year is perfect to find habitat project locations and work with your local Farm Bill Biologist to make a management plan for new projects.