Solid Season Predicted For Upland Birds

Idaho wildlife biologists are predicting good pheasant and Hungarian partridge hunting in the Idaho Fish and Game Department’s Lewiston region.

They believe the pheasant populations in Latah and Nez Perce counties are slightly higher than those of last year, which was considered by many hunters as a good year for pheasants.

Counts of pheasant broods showed a slight increase in numbers over those of last year.

Much of the best pheasant and Hun hunting will be on land under the Conservation Reserve Program, said Rod Parker, an information officer for the Lewiston region. Vegetation on hundreds of acres that have been under the program for 8-10 years is thick and high, in some cases 5-6 feet high.

Parker said the best pheasant and Hun populations are south of Lewiston and in the Moscow-Deary areas. Some of the largest Hun coveys are in the Kendrick area.

Pheasants are numerous enough in a few cultivated areas in the Panhandle for good hunting. The best hunting is in Kootenai and Benewah counties, but there are birds in Bonner and Boundary.

, DataTimes MEMO: Idaho upland bird seasons Pheasant: Oct. 11-Dec. 31. Valley quail: Sept. 20-Dec. 31. (Closed in North Idaho.)