Hunting Wife
Well-known member
I think most hunters have heard people talk about hail being hard on birds, but I’m not sure how many people get the chance to actually see the damage we’re talking about.
Walked around the office doing some damage assessment after the hail storm last night and took a few pics.
This used to be cattail/bulrush/wet meadow, about mid thigh high. Now it’s more like walking a soggy mowed lawn. Walked about a 15-20 acre chunk of wet meadow/tame grass upland.
One of about 17 dead pheasants. The vast majority were hens, and the brood patch indicates she had a nest, somewhere.
Several dead hens like this one, lying next to the nest. They sit tight and won’t leave until it’s too late.
One of several hail-damaged duck nests. This one was probably just a couple days from hatching.
Hen pheasant that had actually tried to crawl into an old badger hole to hide.
One of several dead ducks- bluewings, gadwall, pintail, and scaup. Most have signs of traumatic injury- broken wings, broken legs, head trauma and open wounds. We did find three duck hens with nests that managed to survive through lucky orientation to cover.
Most damage is within a swath about a half to 3/4 mile wide but maybe 10 miles long? Guessing based on other reports of damage. Saw way more dead pheasants than live today. Birds are kind of dispersed and can still fly so not as bad as some hail storms I’ve seen when ducks are flocked up and molting. But still not great.
Walked around the office doing some damage assessment after the hail storm last night and took a few pics.
This used to be cattail/bulrush/wet meadow, about mid thigh high. Now it’s more like walking a soggy mowed lawn. Walked about a 15-20 acre chunk of wet meadow/tame grass upland.
One of about 17 dead pheasants. The vast majority were hens, and the brood patch indicates she had a nest, somewhere.
Several dead hens like this one, lying next to the nest. They sit tight and won’t leave until it’s too late.
One of several hail-damaged duck nests. This one was probably just a couple days from hatching.
Hen pheasant that had actually tried to crawl into an old badger hole to hide.
One of several dead ducks- bluewings, gadwall, pintail, and scaup. Most have signs of traumatic injury- broken wings, broken legs, head trauma and open wounds. We did find three duck hens with nests that managed to survive through lucky orientation to cover.
Most damage is within a swath about a half to 3/4 mile wide but maybe 10 miles long? Guessing based on other reports of damage. Saw way more dead pheasants than live today. Birds are kind of dispersed and can still fly so not as bad as some hail storms I’ve seen when ducks are flocked up and molting. But still not great.
Just wind and rain last night.
