Clean-farming practices, where every bit of ground is put into production, can reduce the diversity of food and cover which pheasants prefer. Winter food and cover are important to local pheasant populations. Pheasants locate food in areas melted or blown free of snow, or by scratching. Pines provide excellent cover for roosting and daytime resting. Pheasants also seek out densely vegetated marsh or creek-side areas during bitter weather.
Farmers can manage their land to produce more pheasants.
Forest edges can be cut to increase low, brushy growth, which makes good cover. Autumn olive, honeysuckle and pine plantings also improve cover. However, these things, of themselves, will not increase the pheasant population. Safe nesting cover will. This is the most important factor when bird numbers fluctuate widely from year to year.