Things have been good for Colorado pheasant hunters for the past few years.

The seasons have seen strong populations of the birds, which has made the state a great place for hunters compared to other areas across the nation. The pheasants have had to withstand difficult winters the past 3-5 years in other areas, but Colorado has done well.

This year, though, things have taken a turn for the worse and it’s all thanks to the drought that overtook most of the US throughout the summer in 2012.

The drought has taken its toll based on observations of the pheasants in Colorado. No formal numbers will be available until after the season when the final harvest reports are in, but experts are weighing in already on what they’re seeing and things aren’t looking good.

The common news is that drought is the worst weather for pheasants and other similar game. The summer months of heat and no rain devastated the habitats of the birds and made it difficult for the young birds to survive. The drought carried on and on and fires ravaged the state. There is now just a smaller area for the birds to inhabit and it’s going to make it difficult on the hunters.

Experts in the state do have recommendations for the hunters to ensure that there is some success.

Scouting: It’s suggested that hunters take extra time early in the season to scout areas where they have hunted in the past. The habitat may or may not be there. It’s best to find out early if your favorite hunting spot is still good for the birds or if you’ll need to find a new area.

Irrigated Areas: Another suggestion is to find areas where there was some irrigation throughout the summer. The birds will go where the water is and where their habitat is. That means they’ll find the irrigated areas.

While things are looking down in Colorado this year for pheasants there will still be birds out there for the dedicated Colorado pheasant hunter.