STATE'S PHEASANT, QUAIL TRAILS LEAD NORTHEAST

COLUMBIA, Mo. -- "Go northeast Missouri hunters!" seems to be the best advice for those on the trail of pheasant and quail. The latest Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) population surveys of pheasant and quail numbers show the highest concentrations of both birds are in the northeastern part of the state.

The 1995 August Roadside Survey (ARS) showed the number of pheasants in the state increased by 18 percent compared to last year. Survey results reflect counts of pheasants seen along designated 30-mile routes in several counties across the state. The ARS figures are in line with statistics gathered during the Rural Mail Carrier Survey (RMCS) in April. Mail carriers reported an average of 1.03 birds per 100 miles of survey route, a 14-percent increase from last year.

The region north of the Missouri River from Central Missouri to the Mississippi River posted an average 7.2 pheasants per 30 miles in the ARS.

MDC's Pheasant Range Expansion program offers promise of greater pheasant-hunting opportunities in north Missouri in the future. Since 1987 MDC has worked to increase the number of birds by relocating wild-trapped pheasants in counties throughout the state. The best results have come from releases in Knox, Macon, Randolph and Shelby counties. This year 93 wild-trapped pheasants from South Dakota were released in Clinton County's West Keystone area.

A tally on quail conducted by conservation agents during the first 15 days of August show little change in the quail population. The agents kept daily records of the number of quail counted along 30-mile routes in 112 of the state's 114 counties. No counts were taken in Jackson and St. Louis counties. The total quail index, or number of quail per 30 miles is 8.2. The 1994 quail count was 8.5 per 30 miles.

Based on the August survey MDC wildlife researchers say the outlook for quail hunting is fair. The places where hunting success rates will likely be best are in the northeast, all along the western border of the state and in the Bootheel. Quail numbers are rated as high in those areas.

The hunting season for quail is Nov. 1-Jan. 15 with a daily bag limit of eight and a possession limit of 16. Pheasant season in the north zone is Nov. 1-Jan. 15. The daily and possession limits are two and four males respectively. In the southeast zone pheasant season runs from Dec. 1-12, with daily and possession limits of one male each.