Establishing Food Plots for Pheasants

Winter Pheasant Biology & Food
Food is not considered a limiting factor in the traditional pheasant range. In fact, starvation of wild pheasants is practically unheard of. Why, then, do most biologists consider food plots an essential part of good pheasant management? The answer is simple—winter cover is much more effective with a high-energy food source nearby. Food plots are critical for pheasant management because of the relationship between food, winter cover, movement and mortality. That being said, most landowners will have the greatest impact on their pheasant populations by establishing large blocks of secure nesting cover and quality winter cover. Food plots actually comprise the smallest piece of the habitat puzzle.

The protective nature of cover on the landscape changes remarkably during winter. Grain stubble and weed patches that concealed feeding birds during fall are soon buried in winter’s blowing snow. Unlike fall when birds are widely scattered, pheasants concentrate in limited heavy roosting cover during winter, venturing only as far as needed. They hesitate to feed beyond a quarter mile from cover, even if abundant food exists beyond that range. Thus, food near these islands of habitat is quickly reduced. Pheasants feeding on waste grain buried in the snow are forced to forage further from cover each day, exposed to predation and harsh winter weather in the open.

It’s even trickier for hen pheasants, however. It’s not merely staying alive--they must actively gain weight through mid-winter in order to replenish that lost during the previous nesting season. Hens that undergo a great deal of stress during the winter months suffer their highest mortality rate the following spring during nesting, and there is a strong correlation between spring body weight and successful chick production. Well-placed food patches establish safe foraging patterns, restrict unnecessary movements, and provide dependable food to carry female birds through harsh winters in good condition. Even in a mild winter, the closer secure winter cover and food are positioned, the more pheasants will benefit.

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