Nebraskaland

34 Nebraskaland • October 2026 A Naturalized Bird The ring-necked pheasant is not native to North America. The first successful introductions occurred in Oregon's Willamette Valley in the 1880s, and the bird's popularity as a game species quickly spread across the country. With little regulation at the time, Nebraskans embraced the opportunity, capturing wild pheasants and releasing them throughout the state. By 1892, newspapers reported that the birds had established a foothold in eastern Nebraska, according to Lonnie Shafer, author of "Nebraska Pheasant Introduction 101." M u c h l i ke t h e i r n a t ive h a b i t a t i n A s i a , p h e a s a n t s flourished in Nebraska's mosaic of small grain fields, native grasslands and wetlands. This blend of diverse, small- operation farms and natural cover created ideal conditions for the birds to thrive. Abundant small fields of grains, such as wheat and sorghum, provided cover and preferred food sources, while nearby grasslands and wetlands offered secure nesting cover, plentiful insects to fuel chick growth and critical shelter during harsh winter weather. In 1927, the Bureau of Game and Fish — now the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission — established Nebraska's first pheasant hunting season. According to the April issue of "Outdoor Nebraska" that year, each hunter was allowed a limit of five male pheasants in all of Wheeler County and portions of Sherman County, where the birds had become especially abundant. The inaugural season lasted three days, Oct. 6–8, and drew about 2,000 hunters who harvested roughly 5,000 birds. This noninvasive, naturalized bird continued to succeed a c ro s s t h e s ta te, a s s i m i l a t i n g w i t h t h e l a n d s c a p e a s though it had always been there. Pheasant hunting in Nebraska reached its initial peak in mid-1940s, and, after a steep decline, peaked again in the early 1960s thanks Will Stricker, left, poses with four other hunters, unknown, in the Frederick Hotel in Loup City during one of Nebraska's first pheasant seasons. PHOTO COURTESY OF LARRY JONES Nebraskaland artist "Bud" Pritchard hunts pheasants in the early 1960s. NEBRASKALAND PHOTO LIBRARY O pening day felt like a holiday. In rural towns, cars lined both sides of Main Street. People traveled from across the state, and across the country, to hunt this iconic bird of the Midwest. Wherever upland habitat existed, swaths of canvas and wool plaid were sure to follow. And the excitement didn't end with opening day. During its heyday, pheasant hunting was as synonymous with Nebraska as Cornhusker football. It was a fall tradition that brought family and friends together. It gave those who had moved away a reason to come home, and it boosted the economies of small towns. For many, those memories remain vivid, and the nostalgia is still palpable. While there's no denying the landscape has changed, there is much to reflect on this 100th pheasant hunting season. More than a symbol of our sporting heritage, the ring-necked pheasant has become a measure of the resilience of our native grasslands. These birds remind us that while much has been lost, there is still much opportunity to be had.

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