Upland Bird Regional Forecast When considering upland game
population levels during the fall hunting season, two important
factors impact population change. First is the number of adult
birds that survived the previous fall and winter and are
considered viable breeders in the spring. The second is the
reproductive success of this breeding population. Reproductive
success consists of nest success (the number of nests that
successfully hatched) and chick survival (the number of chicks
recruited into the fall population). For pheasant and quail,
annual population turnover is relatively high; therefore, the
fall population is more dependent on reproductive success than
breeding population levels. For grouse (prairie chickens),
annual population turnover is not as rapid although reproductive
success is still the major population regulator and important
for good hunting. In the following forecast, breeding population
and reproductive success of pheasants, quail, and prairie
chickens will be discussed. Breeding popu