Report Nr. 3040 1986 Rural Mail Carrier Pheasant Brood Survey

The 1986 Summer Brood survey further substantiates the decline in ringneck pheasants. Food and cover during the winter was probably the best in several years due to a wet fall which reduced corn harvest and fall plowing. The population appeared to reflect a good carry-over of breeders, as noted by the increase in number of broods observed. Unfortunately, heavy severe rains throughout lower Michigan during the hatching period reduced the average brood size (3.79) to the lowest recorded in 40 years of data collection.