We’ve wrapped up our spring call counts for the year at the Research Ranch. Surveys began in mid-May and concluded in early July. Heading into spring, I had some concerns due to limited rainfall from December through March. Fortunately, April brought much-needed moisture—though it also came with hail, which likely caused some bird losses. Since then, the rain has continued steadily, and we’ve already received over 15 inches this year. For comparison, we hadn’t yet hit the 10-inch mark by this time last year.
Our spring surveys included 25 listening stations (mile markers), with 16 surveys conducted at each location—for a total of 400 surveys. We averaged 7.3 birds per stop and 92 total calls per station. These results closely resemble those recorded in 2016, a year often remembered as one of the best in recent memory. So far, the numbers are encouraging and suggest that the spring conditions were more favorable than initially expected.
The consistent rainfall has also spurred a flush of vegetation growth, which should provide critical cover for birds, especially as raptor migration peaks later this fall.
Considering the solid rainfall, decent carryover from last season, and the abundance of habitat cover, we’re cautiously optimistic about the prospects for a strong 2025–2026 hunting season. That said, nature has a way of keeping us on our toes, and we’ll continue monitoring conditions closely. We’ll keep you updated through the summer and fall as we complete additional surveys leading up to hunting season. – by Mitchell Riggs
