Pheasant Country Weather: JUNE
Welcome to the first of PF’s ongoing weather reports for pheasant country. With nesting and brood-rearing season upon us, interest in conditions on the ground is keen. To be clear, habitat – better habitat and more of it – is always the bottom line for pheasant production. But weather events can have its impact; time will tell the effects.
Temperatures:
The first half of June saw significant rainfall in spots across the primary pheasant range. And June 13 and 14, prime dates on the hatching calendar, saw high temperatures that only warmed into the 50s (marked by blue) with soaking rains across parts of the Dakotas and into Minnesota.
Precipitation:
Some locations from northeastern South Dakota into western Minnesota experienced “gully washers” a few days (indicated by red to purple on these maps), with rainfall totals exceeding 6” to 8”. These values are 3” to 10” (200% to 500%) above average. There were also total rainfall reports of 6” to 8” along I-90 in southern Minnesota into northern Iowa. Rain is good for habitat, to a point, but big rain can be tough on hatching broods and young chicks.
Severe Weather:
June saw several days of severe thunderstorms across prime pheasant country. Hail is always a big concern for hens on nests, eggs, and especially young chicks. The black markers on this map indicate hail reports (645 total reports from June 1 to 23). 13 of the hail reports were 3” in diameter or larger; ouch. Hail storms can literally kill chicks.
June Takeaways:
June, particularly mid-month, is traditionally when the most pheasant hatching takes place and brood-rearing begins. Young chicks are susceptible to big rain and heavy hail events, and cold. We had some challenging weather in parts of the primary pheasant range. Others, not so much. But with good habitat, birds are always resilient. Study the maps, see what happened in the places you like to hunt, and stay tuned for more reports.
Read the full report here: https://bit.ly/4kiKStN
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