Sadly, releasing non-native species often doesn't go well for the critters, even those that have been here for long times.
Many people, my brother-in-law included, believe pheasants are native to the Midwest. "The Ring-Necked Pheasant in Iowa," a book put put out decades ago by the Iowa Conservation Commission, goes into detail about how and when the Chinese natives were introduced.
The book is more than a little dry, but it's where I learned that pheasants and chickens are genetically related; both are Galliformes --or chicken-like birds. Probably why I've always liked pheasants!
BIL showed some good decision making yesterday when he returned early from annual deer camp -- which involves a bunch of aging guys who often drink too much while carrying weapons. How can that ever go wrong? In any case, the continuously falling snow and extremely limited visibility convinced him to give up for the weekend.
I also felt like giving up when I was faced with 3-4 more inches of snow by mid-afternoon. At least all the shoveling should improve my upper body strength.
It's supposed to warm up here, too, after double-digits below zero. The cold weather advisory expires at 10 a.m. Then I can close the cupboard doors under the kitchen and bathroom sinks and shut off the little heaters aimed at them. I'm grateful for small mercies!
Many people, my brother-in-law included, believe pheasants are native to the Midwest. "The Ring-Necked Pheasant in Iowa," a book put put out decades ago by the Iowa Conservation Commission, goes into detail about how and when the Chinese natives were introduced.
The book is more than a little dry, but it's where I learned that pheasants and chickens are genetically related; both are Galliformes --or chicken-like birds. Probably why I've always liked pheasants!
BIL showed some good decision making yesterday when he returned early from annual deer camp -- which involves a bunch of aging guys who often drink too much while carrying weapons. How can that ever go wrong? In any case, the continuously falling snow and extremely limited visibility convinced him to give up for the weekend.
I also felt like giving up when I was faced with 3-4 more inches of snow by mid-afternoon. At least all the shoveling should improve my upper body strength.
It's supposed to warm up here, too, after double-digits below zero. The cold weather advisory expires at 10 a.m. Then I can close the cupboard doors under the kitchen and bathroom sinks and shut off the little heaters aimed at them. I'm grateful for small mercies!
