Lack of small game.

[First-light]

So living full time at my hunting property I get to hit the woods so much more. What is so disappointing is the lack of small game. I just spent 3 hrs shed hunting with the dogs. We did not see 1 critter. I can remember flushing 2-3 grouse and seeing a bunny or two. Is it a bad cycle they are in or too many predators? My pups in a field! 

[airedale]

It is all about habitat, food and cover, the better those three things are the better your wildlife populations will be. I had a decent wildlife population until the Gypsy Moth Blight, the worms ate everything and left a sterile landscape with no cover and no food. Consequently I killed very few game animals in the hope that their numbers will recover as the habitat improves. I am primarily a small game hunter so for me it stinks big time.

Al

[DoubleDose]

Too many coyotes in my opinion.

[First-light]

This sounds so sad. Is there something we should be doing>? The DEC sends out all kinds of info but nothing on the lack of small game. Me thinks I email them. 

[wolc123]

I went out after small game with my neighbor the last 2 Sunday afternoons.  Two weeks ago we saw (3) rabbits and a squirrel and killed (2) of the rabbits.  Last Sunday, we didn’t see any small game whatsoever.  

 

I think I’ll skip next Sunday.  

[Four Seasons]

4 hours ago, First-light said:

So living full time at my hunting property I get to hit the woods so much more. What is so disappointing is the lack of small game. I just spent 3 hrs shed hunting with the dogs. We did not see 1 critter. I can remember flushing 2-3 grouse and seeing a bunny or two. Is it a bad cycle they are in or too many predators? My pups in a field! 

When we had our coyote problem we had absolutely no small game and the Turkey and Deer numbers were dropping fast. Would see them all hours of the day and have 3 different packs yipping and tapping to each other in 3 different directions.  War was declared and it was not until the 3rd year that we had the dog problem solved and the game came back. Rabbits like crazy but small game birds never really flourished. Turkey and Deer outstanding. 

[airedale]

There have been some big changes in farming also that has had effect on habitat.

Al

[fasteddie]

Farmers have taken out hedge rows to make fields larger . It has taken away refuge for small game . I haven't seen a pheasant in several years . 

[Four Seasons]

32 minutes ago, airedale said:

There have been some big changes in farming also that has had effect on habitat.

Al

No Doubt. We have not changed much on our 1000 acres and still plant pretty much the same crops just in rotation. We seem to have more woodcock the Grouse and of course Pheasants are just a thing of the past. 

[airedale]

3 minutes ago, fasteddie said:

Farmers have taken out hedge rows to make fields larger . It has taken away refuge for small game . I haven't seen a pheasant in several years . 

Absolutely, when I was a kid the hedge rows were one of my favorite places to hunt. They held Grouse, Rabbits, Pheasants and Squirrels in decent numbers. It was also where Woodchucks had burrows and lived.

Today they are all gone.

Al 

[New York Hillbilly]

12 minutes ago, airedale said:

Absolutely, when I was a kid the hedge rows were one of my favorite places to hunt. They held Grouse, Rabbits, Pheasants and Squirrels in decent numbers. It was also where Woodchucks had burrows and lived.

Today they are all gone.

Al 

I sort of went in the opposite direction here. After watching coyotes sweep my fields trying ( I think successfully) to wipe out fawns, I let let my fields grow wild. I figured I would try to improve on the cover, and at the same time cut back on my fuel and time spent mowing them on a tractor to small for the job. It has been a win/win situation. 

[airedale]

12 hours ago, First-light said:

The DEC sends out all kinds of info but nothing on the lack of small game. Me thinks I email them. 

They have a tree and plant program for not a whole lot of money that provides the kind of trees that produce ideal habitat and food so a land owner can make the improvements needed to provide for wildlife. Every little bit helps.

Al

[GreeneHunter]

I recently swapped out chips on my Trail Cam's , On one particular Trail Cam I had = Turkeys , Rabbits , Foxes ,  Racoons and Squirrels ... but I also had two Coyote's that looked well fed !

[First-light]

I have great habitat for game. Even our new farmer leaves standing corn for the critters in every field he plants. Plenty of hedgerows by me. I planted 300 white spruce years ago from the Saratoga nursery trees are beautiful! 

[First-light]

I remember getting that survey from the DEC every year. In fact I got the patch after ten years of reporting. I haven't gotten a survey in a while. Wonder if they still do it? Would be ideal for me now that I spend so much more time in the woods. 

[Four Seasons]

33 minutes ago, First-light said:

I remember getting that survey from the DEC every year. In fact I got the patch after ten years of reporting. I haven't gotten a survey in a while. Wonder if they still do it? Would be ideal for me now that I spend so much more time in the woods. 

I use to get them also. Probably got such bad responses they gave up. The Vermin have done a number. Fur prices in the crapper a guy has to still go get them and just take them out. Sad but true. Left unchecked and you will be paying taxes on trees and no critters to chase. 

[Doc]

I have noticed that over the past several years, I have seen a significant increase in hawks. Man, they are perched on the electric wires everywhere. I know that they are very effective predators of small game. Yes, they are a very effective control animal when it comes to mice and rats, but that all comes with a pretty high price in small game numbers.

[airedale]

Doc is right about raptors, raise some free range chickens in a country setting, it will soon become apparent what wildlife is up against.

Al

[catskillkid]

Grouse and rabbits love dense cover. I'm a big proponent of Timber Stand Improvement. I am always cutting cull trees to promote forest regeneration. I leave the tops on the ground and let brush grow up between them.

Lots of grouse on my land, flushed 10 last weekend. I do think our rabbit population is in its down cycle though. Only jumped one the same day. 

Edited February 21, 2023 by catskillkid