By the sound of all the crowing, the wild pheasant population in central Wisconsin seems the highest it has been in 10 years, even with habitat loss and the increased urbanization of the rural landscape. To get a handle on the pheasant numbers, WI’s Department of Natural Resources measures the population by traveling along routes and stopping every half mile for three minutes to listen to crowing birds. It seems like this year might be a good hunting season, the roosters are very talkative and there seems to be more that usual. Just pray the weather cooperates and you’ll have something to talk about after opening day.