Report Nr. 2954 1983 Rural Mail Carrier Pheasant Brood Survey

The summer brood count showed only a slight improvement over last year's record low, with a tally of 1.2 broods per 10 carrier days (1.1 in 1982) in the primary range. This may be somewhat surprising in view of the past extremely mild winter. Thumb area counties continue to lead all other areas with a composite average of 3.1 broods per 10 carrier days. The 1982 estimated pheasant harvest of 250,000 was the lowest in the 46 years of kill records since 1937. The slight increase in broods this year does not indicate that we can expect a much better hunting season than 1982.