In the '70s, pheasant chicks, for the first few weeks of life, could find all the food and cover they required without leaving the hay field they were hatched in. Now, if a hen is able to even hatch her brood before the hay is cut, she and her young must range farther to obtain adequate food and cover, greatly increasing their exposure to predators, cars and other dangers. 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.