Hunters have their choice of pheasants or wild turkeys starting Saturday as both seasons open. The outlook is poor for pheasants and excellent for wild turkeys.
Throughout much of the nation wild pheasant hunting is one of the more popular sports. Both species of birds are not native to California. In fact, pheasants aren’t even native to North America.
The primary pheasant hunting area is in the Sacramento Valley where Department of Fish and Wildlife (DFW) biologists predict a season comparable to last year. Hunters struggled a year ago after the opening weekend. The pheasant population has been steadily shrinking for several years and the reason is the so-called “clean farming methods” now used throughout much of the valley. Whereas a few years ago, farmers would leave a swath of grain or rice for the birds, now they harvest every stalk. The result is pheasants have little cover or food.
With the exception of the refuges there are few areas left in the valley that have truly wild birds. Most of the private hunting areas are supplemented with pen-raised birds. Lake County has a few wild pheasants but the numbers are so few it isn’t worthwhile to hunt them.
Pheasants aren’t native to California or even the country. They were first brought here by the American Ambassador to China in 1881. They were released in the wild and thrived. In 1889, California received pheasants from Oregon and the rest is history. They are now considered to be one of the most popular upland game birds in the state.
Pheasants are one of the wiliest of all game birds. They prefer thick cover and would rather run than fly. They can fly if necessary and when flushed the rooster often gives out a loud and raucous cackling sound. More than one hunter has become unnerved by the cackle and fired three shots at a flushed bird without bringing down a feather. Most hunters agree it is nearly impossible to hunt pheasants without a good dog.
Pheasants face a challenge to survive. Only about 35 percent of chicks live to be a year old and most pheasants live only three years or less.
Turkeys
Whereas pheasants are not common to Lake County, it’s just the opposite for wild turkeys. The turkey population has literally exploded in the county and the big birds can even be seen within the city limits of Lakeport and Clearlake. Just take a drive on any country road in the county and you will probably see wild turkeys. In fact, at times wild turkeys have wandered into the waiting rooms of doctors at Sutter Hospital in Lakeport where they are often seen walking on the hospital grounds.
A few years ago it was rare to find wild turkeys on public land, but that has all changed. Wild turkeys now populate the Mendocino National Forest. The Cache Creek Wildlife Area also has a large population of wild turkeys. The Payne Ranch, which borders the Cache Creek Wildlife Area, is now owned by the Bureau of Land Management and is home to a large population of wild turkeys.
Whereas spring turkey hunting is the fastest growing hunting sport in the state, few hunters in California have embraced fall hunting. Part of the reason could be that hunters are concentrating more on the duck and pheasant seasons.
While hunting wild turkeys in the fall isn’t as exciting as the spring season when a thundering gobble can raise the hair on the back of your neck, it is often more challenging. During the fall turkeys don’t respond to a call the same as they do in the spring. Rarely will you hear a gobble and when you do the tom normally has little interest in you.
Most of the birds taken during the fall season are either young jakes or hens. The adult gobblers tend to stay in small and isolated flocks and are extremely shy. The hens and jakes weigh about 10 pounds.
During the fall season most of the successful turkey hunters either sneak up on the bird or flush the flock and then try to call in the scattered singles.
The most important part of fall hunting for turkeys is to be completely camouflaged. Turkeys have an eyesight equal to four-power binoculars and they can detect the slightest movement.
