WALSH — Considering the timing, it seemed almost irresistible for someone trudging through the aftermath of southeast Colorado’s spring drought to seize upon the extent to which pheasant hunting mirrors politics.
This realization came with a cackle and a rush of wild wings from the edge of a cornfield. Here, a brightly plumaged rooster became briefly airborne, then settled noisily back into the thicket of cornstalks that formed a perfect sanctuary from the little band of hunters taking a traditional, yet hapless flier at Saturday’s opening day.
Given the circumstances — a great majority of grain still unpicked — pheasants currently are riding a run of good luck, much like the winners in last week’s elections.
But it should be remembered that the fortunes both of hunting and politics are governed by a similar pendulum effect. While the blade swings much more quickly where it involves pheasants, the process proves just as inexorable in American politics — a fact that should be remembered when one is tempted to crow too loudly.
With the pheasants, the change could come rather quickly in the dry southeast, where large machines finally have shifted into gear to gather the crop.
The transfer will take longer in the northeast, where Monday’s sudden snowstorm portends a further delay for a harvest already delayed by too much moisture. Some observers believe the crops won’t be gathered at least until Thanksgiving, perhaps later, a development that further will frustrate hunters in areas where birds find refuge in broad swatches of off-limits grain.
The storm dumped up to a foot of snow along the state line in Phillips and Yuma counties, lesser amounts to the west and north. The snow cover created an immediate opportunity for hunters, some of whom sped back east Tuesday to take advantage of the shift in conditions.
Weekend success could be gauged along a well-defined line formed by Interstate 70; fairly good north of the highway, disappointing to the south. In Phillips, Yuma and Sedgwick counties, where good spring moisture propelled nesting success, diligent hunters using public walk-in property averaged about 1.5 roosters each Saturday; those with access to private land managed about half a bird more.
Much of the success came in the early hours of the hunt, when unsuspecting roosters lolled in places with abundant natural cover. Prosperity declined measurably Sunday, when wily birds typically settled into coverts where hunters could not go, usually unpicked grain. Generally, 60 to 70 percent of crops remain standing, more in certain regions.
Hunting proved much tougher in the southeast, where a brutal spring drought squelched nesting while suppressing weed growth. When rains came in August, the cover that sprouted proved much thinner than usual. Given a choice, pheasants opted for the jungle-like shelter of irrigated corn, from which they won’t emerge until dislodged by the noisy rumble of harvesting machines.
That event will be determined by moisture conditions, along with the whims of individual farmers. The net result almost certainly will be the most unusual season in recent recollection, one which will cause pheasant enthusiasts to shift their attention well into January — just about the time the next round of political action begins to percolate.
Charlie Meyers: 303-954-1609 or cmeyers@denverpost.com
