Marcus: Spring whistle counts have been conducted annually throughout Indiana since 1947 (except from 1958 through 1976) to assess changes in bobwhite abundance. The number of whistling quail was counted along 79 routes in 2006. Long-term trend data continues to show that the northern bobwhite population remains near historic lows in all four of Indiana's physiographic regions.

In recent years, Indiana's pheasant population could be deemed as "flat-lining." We have seen no significant increase or decrease in the population if one views this on a statewide basis.

However, individual or localized populations come and go quite frequently, due to the prolific nature of the species. This also has to do with specific land-management practices in a specific locale.

We have seen good pheasant population response in specific areas where land management has resulted in habitat. This may be a result of a farm bill practice or perhaps some other changes in land management. Conversely, where the habitat is destroyed due to a change in land management, whether it entails more intense agricultural practices or the encroachment through development, we have lost birds.

The poorest harvest of pheasants in Indiana occurred in the late 1970s and early 1980s. The horrible winters of that era, combined with "soil bank" plow up resulted in the statewide pheasant harvest struggling to obtain 10,000 in number.

G&F: Have the new incentives from the Pheasant Habitat Development Program and the Quail Habitat Development Program helped to add habitat for pheasants and quail? Moreover, are the new ethanol fuel plants that are popping up going to hurt the Conservation Reserve and land-management programs?

Marcus: In the last two years, over 3,000 acres of quail and pheasant habitat were created through the quail and pheasant habitat priority areas. As a result of Priority Area incentives, the state has over 8,000 acres of cropland enrolled in CP33 -- Habitat Buffers for Upland Birds.

The Division of Fish and Wildlife is participating in a national CP33 monitoring program to assess the benefits that these cropland buffers are having on quail, pheasant and songbird populations. This year's monitoring data represents the first year of data collection and will form the baseline for determining population responses to CP33 establishment.

The intense efforts to expand corn ethanol production could, indeed, have a substantial impact on our small-game populations, including rabbits, pheasants and quail. The increased demand for corn for ethanol production has pushed the price of corn up to $3.50 per bushel, and it is expected that this increase will lead to additional acreage being devoted to corn production this summer.

Wildlife biologists are concerned that the increase in demand will lead to existing hay, pasture and whole-field CRP fields being converted to corn production. The Indiana Farm Service Agency is already seeing an increase in acres being removed from CRP this year. Whole-field CRP tracts are significant sources of nesting and brood-rearing habitat for Indiana small-game populations and contribute significantly to hunter access to private lands.

Biologists are also concerned that the high prices will reduce farmer participation in other CRP programs, like CP33 -- Habitat Buffers for Upland Birds and Division of Fish and Wildlife habitat development programs. Overall, we could see a significant loss of idle nesting and brood-rearing cover across the state in the next couple of years.

EASTERN WILD TURKEYS
Biologist Steve Backs shared his knowledge on Indiana's turkey population dynamics.

G&F: How is the state's turkey population faring these days?

Backs: The wild turkey population in Indiana is continuing to grow, as indicated by increasing spring harvests, although the rate of growth is slowing down as wild turkeys saturate suitable habitat and populations stabilize. In the long term, wild turkey populations will reflect changes in the extent and interconnection of suitable habitat across the landscape.

As human/urban sprawl increases across the landscape, we can expect changes in not only wild turkey populations, but also wildlife in general. Wild turkey populations are expected to continue their growth for several more years, but annual fluctuations in the statewide spring harvest and hunter success should be expected as turkey population growth levels off.

G&F: Has there been a great deal of interest in turkey hunting?

Backs: Wild turkey hunting, especially in the spring, is one of the fastest growing forms of outdoor recreation across the country.