Ring-necked Pheasant Ecology in the High Plains of Texas
Request for Proposals November 2023

Introduction

Since 1976, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) has annually monitored ring-necked pheasant population trends via roadside surveys in the High Plains Ecoregion. Following introductions and natural immigration, pheasant populations stabilized between 1988 and 2010 before experiencing declines the following decade. The onset of the historic drought in 2009, along with the authorization of emergency grazing and haying on Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) acres, had a significant impact on pheasants by drastically reducing the quantity and quality of available grassland habitat. While periods of favorable weather conditions have bolstered populations (e.g., 2015 to 2016), pheasants have not been able to regain their historic footing.

The evolution of clean farming technology, increased harvest efficiency, and changing agricultural practices over the last half century have also pressured pheasants and other grassland birds into smaller, disjunct patches of habitat. Exacerbating these challenges, total enrolled CRP acreage in Texas’ 37 pheasant focal counties dropped from 3.3M to 1.5M acres between 2010 and 2020; this trend coincided with a reduction in rental payments and increased competition from the commodities market. In turn, reductions in habitat quality and connectivity have resulted in habitat islands within which demographic performance is reduced (e.g., survival, reproduction), environmental susceptibility is increased (e.g., drought), and local extirpations become likely. A complex matrix of agricultural production, emerging energy infrastructure, and novel land-use changes illustrate the scope of challenges for pheasants in West Texas. While pheasants remain of interest to regional landowners, producers, and recreational users little to no research has been conducted in Texas since the 1980s.

According to Brennan et al. (2017), “Ring-necked pheasant populations are becoming more fragmented in the Texas Panhandle [and High Plains]; therefore, research should be conducted on how metapopulation theory can be applied to determine how to arrange habitat corridors and facilitate movement and dispersal among populations.” Understanding how shifting land use dynamics impact pheasants is relevant to conserving the species, and other grassland birds, and continuing to provide recreational opportunity (e.g., hunting) for our constituents. This research will help establish a baseline of movement patterns, habitat connectivity and suitability, and guide future investigations into pheasant ecology and management in the Texas High Plains.

Justification

Research to further our knowledge of ring-necked pheasants would address several strategies of TPWD’s 2015 Land and Water plan. Specifically:

• Goal 1: Practice, encourage and enable science-based stewardship of natural and cultural resources.
  • TPWD will be an exemplary steward of the public’s lands and waters by using the best available science for ecosystem-based management.
    • Conduct strategic research on species, habitats, and ecosystems.
  • TPWD will maintain the highest level of scientific validity and credibility.
    • Collaborate with other science-based conservation organizations to expand research efforts and improve scientific methodologies.

Pursuing this research will also directly address Goal #3 in the most recent "Upland Gamebird Strategic Plan (2021)" which states, “Promote upland game bird research and the restoration of native habitats for upland game birds using science-based management techniques.”

Research Objectives

The study design should address these two main objectives:

1. Assess ring-necked pheasant movement ecology using GPS-cellular technologies as a basis for understanding the value of land cover and landscape features (e.g., CRP, playas, fallow fields, cropland) in the High Plains of Texas and,
2. Assess habitat connectivity and suitability (e.g., spatial arrangement, value) using movement, demographic, and count data (e.g., spring cock, fall roadside).

In response to advances and successes in ongoing upland game bird research in Texas, TPWD has a strong preference for and will give priority to proposals that use GPS-cellular technology solutions from Druid Technology Co., Ltd (https: //druid.tech/; e.g., LEGO); other solutions may be considered but a compelling justification will be needed to support any alternative.

Expected Management Implications

As TPWD and our conservation partners begin to expand grassland programmatic offerings in West Texas, and as private landowners begin to contend with long-term water security issues, identifying solutions which meet the needs of both wildlife and producers has become relevant. By investigating pheasant ecology in the region, TPWD will be better able to advocate for land-use changes that might have mutual benefits for pheasants, grassland birds, and regional farmers. Notably, along with CRP, it’s been suggested that playas provide critical overwintering cover for pheasants, habitat features which also have uses for other species of birds (e.g., waterfowl, waterbirds, shorebirds). These data would provide TPWD the first in-depth information as to how pheasants are utilizing available resources and address knowledge gaps related to movement patterns. With a foundational understanding of how pheasants use the land, TPWD will be able to effectively promote practices which might advantage populations and private landowners.

In addition, small game hunter participation has declined nationwide, a trend which we have also seen in Texas. The loss of hunters and their associated revenue (e.g., hunting license, upland game bird stamp sales) impacts our ability to manage not only game, but non-game species as well. The loss of conservation and hunting advocates, as well as the lost economic impact from hunters coming to the region affects everything from local economies to statewide strategic planning. This research is likely to generate interest from local landowners, sporting groups, conservation organizations, and others putting our community in a better position to respond to inquiries about habitat and hunting in Texas. Collectively, this research will elevate the pheasant management conversation, broaden our audience, and benefit populations in the region.

Supporting Literature

• Brennan, L.A., D.L. Williford, B.M. Ballard, W.P. Kuvlesky, E.D. Grahmann, and S.J. DeMaso. 2017. The upland and webless migratory game bird of Texas. Texas A&M University Press, College Station.
• Guthery, F.S., J. Cuter, and M. Owen. 1980. Texas Panhandle Pheasants: Their History, Habitat Needs, Habitat Development Opportunities, and Future. General Technical Report RM-74. Rocky Mountain Forest and Range Experimental Station, Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture.
• Taylor, J.S., editor. 2021. National Wild Pheasant Conservation Plan: Second Edition. National Wild Pheasant Technical Committee, Agencies of the National Wild Pheasant Conservation Plan and Partnerships.