From Fencerows to Food Plots: The Evolution of Pheasant Habitat

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How Managing Your Land for Ring-Necked Pheasants (1991) Still Guides Habitat Work Today

In 1991, Wisconsin conservationist Brett Bachhuber published a practical guide titled Managing Your Land for Ring-Necked Pheasants. It was written for landowners, hunters, and anyone who cared about keeping pheasants on the landscape.

More than 30 years later, the message in that booklet still rings true — even though the land itself has changed dramatically.

For those of us who grew up chasing roosters through cattails, corn stubble, and brushy fence lines, the differences are easy to see.

Then vs. Now: What Changed in the Fields?

The Landscape in 1991

When Bachhuber wrote his guide, much of rural Wisconsin and the Midwest still featured:

• Smaller, diversified farms

• Brushy fencerows and windbreaks

• Hayfields and small grains

• Idle grasslands and pasture

• Wetland edges and cattail sloughs

That “patchwork” landscape created ideal nesting cover, brood habitat full of insects, and winter thermal protection.

Today’s Landscape

Since the early 1990s, agriculture has shifted toward:

• Larger, more consolidated fields

• Corn and soybean monocultures

• Removal of fence rows and hedgerows

• Fewer small grains and hay rotations

Grassland loss across the Midwest has significantly reduced nesting habitat. National estimates suggest ring-necked pheasant populations are roughly 14 million birds across North America, but long-term trends show declines across much of their historic stronghold due largely to habitat loss.

In Wisconsin and neighboring states, pheasant harvest numbers are a fraction of what they were in the 1960s and 70s. Weather plays a role, but habitat remains the driving factor.

What’s Working Today?

The good news? Habitat works — when we commit to it.

Conservation Reserve Program (CRP)

Enrollment in CRP has restored millions of acres of grassland nationwide. In areas where high-quality CRP is concentrated, pheasant counts have increased significantly compared to heavily row-cropped areas.

Native Grass & Pollinator Plantings

Modern habitat work emphasizes:

• Diverse native warm-season grasses

• Broadleaf forbs for insect production

• Winter cover like switchgrass

• Managed field borders

These practices closely mirror what Bachhuber recommended in 1991 — proving that good habitat principles don’t go out of style.

How Wings Over Wisconsin Has Evolved

Just like the landscape, Wings Over Wisconsin has grown and adapted over the years.

In the early days, much of the focus centered on direct habitat support and local chapter fundraising. Today, Wings has expanded its impact statewide by:

• Funding habitat restoration projects

• Supporting youth hunts and mentored outdoor experiences

• Offering scholarships for students pursuing conservation careers

• Providing track chairs and accessibility opportunities

• Partnering with landowners and conservation professionals

We’ve grown in membership, reach, and programming — but our mission remains the same: protecting Wisconsin’s wildlife, waters, and outdoor heritage.

For hunters in their 20s and 30s, and for families introducing kids to their first rooster flush, conservation isn’t just tradition — it’s responsibility. The next generation of upland hunters will only enjoy what we’re willing to restore and protect today.

A Resource Worth Revisiting

The wisdom in Managing Your Land for Ring-Necked Pheasants still applies. Whether you manage 5 acres or 500, the principles inside that 1991 booklet remain relevant for improving nesting cover, brood habitat, and winter survival.

We encourage members and landowners to download and read the booklet for themselves.

Download the booklet here:

If you care about hearing that cackle at sunrise — or watching your dog lock up on point in a grass stand you helped restore — this booklet is a reminder that good habitat starts with informed land stewardship.

booklet.pdf

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The Bottom Line

Habitat loss changed pheasant numbers. Conservation changes them back.

The fields may look different than they did in 1991 — but with strong habitat work, engaged hunters, and committed families, Wisconsin can still be upland country worth walking.