Could 2007 soon be referred to as the good old days of pheasant hunting? It could unless we as hunters get involved in the new farm bill-

Why you ask???- The answer is the massive habitat losses year and into next year from the acres of Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) that are soon-to-expire and the high price of corn and beans.

So what can we do????- Contact your congress man or senator and tell them that you want a new strong farm bill that favors conservation. The Farm Bill will be introduced in the U.S. Senate soon, so get your butt going.

Did you know??? - CRP and other federal farmland conservation programs accounting for over 50 million acres nationwide. You have probably even chased some birds on this land over the past 10 years.

I borrowed some of this info from my buddies over at Pheasants Forever. To read their complete report please visit their site: www.pheasantsforever.com

So I got a call from a friend who apparently thinks I am some sort of farming expert and he wanted to know about putting in a food plot for pheasant hunting. I told him that most of my experience has been in planting food plots for deer but I called my friend Mathew Eastman (A hunting god and food plot expert) and asked a few questions.

Here are my questions and Mathew's responses:

1. What type of plant do you plant for pheasants in a food plot?

Pheasants get the most benefit from food plots in the winter. Plant your food plot close to good cover such as cattails or switch grass. Many pheasants are killed off in the winter traveling from cover to food sources. Plant corn and grains. Sorghum is always a good source of food for pheasants and is a reliable food source. These types of plants are tall enough to stick out of the snow and if planted close enough to heavy cover will help keep your pheasant population high during the winter months.

2. How big should a pheasant food plot be?

Pheasant food plots should be planted in a snow drift-free zone if they will be useful during the winter. Pheasant food plot use increases with food plot acreage so the short answer is plant as much as you can.

3. Is fertilizer and lime important?

Yes, very important. See my article about food plot planting on Foremost Hunting for basic information on fertilizer and lime. In fact, the article is aimed at deer hunters but it has most of the basic info any hunter wanting to put in a food plot can use.

4. Anything else I need to know?

Yes, local chapters of Pheasants Forever often have equipment you can use, labor and seed if you have the land to plant on. Check out your local chapter of PF before you buy all the stuff.

That about sums it up for today!