Numerous hunters have been afield in North Dakota for a few weeks pursuing such things as doves, sharptailed grouse, partridge, waterfowl, antelope and bow hunting deer. The state’s first big group rush of hunters, however, began Saturday with the statewide pheasant opener.

Tens of thousands of hunters are in the fields this morning to fill their limit of roosters for the opening weekend. As many hunters found out yesterday, the landscape continues to change, with considerably fewer acres remaining in the federal Conservation Reserve Program. The state’s Private Lands Open to Sportsmen (PLOTS) program that provides public access also is feeling the impacts of the CRP reductions.

The CRP acres are invaluable in providing necessary habitat for numerous wildlife species, but is especially helpful for pheasants.

Changes in the CRP include a different emphasis that is helping to eliminate acreage across the state, but is most seriously impacting western North Dakota. The bad news is the worst has yet to come, as the largest withdrawal of acres from the CRP in North Dakota is ahead in the next few years.

North Dakota Game and Fish officials pull no punches this year in telling everyone that pheasant numbers are down considerably from recent years. The return of a real winter to North Dakota last year did considerable damage to the state’s overall pheasant population. Game and Fish staff say this year’s pheasant outlook is equivalent to what was forecast back in 2000. That is about when the state’s nearly decade-long drought became firmly established, and included mild winters that substantially improved the state’s pheasant population over the next eight years.

As we take a few steps back regarding pheasant numbers this fall, we encourage hunters -- residents and nonresidents -- to continue their efforts to improve landowner-hunter relations in the state. There are some simple, basic steps that all hunters can do to help in this regard.

The first is to show some common decency in asking for permission to hunt on private land. When asking for permission, do not tell the landowner it’s just you and your one buddy who want to hunt when you have a dozen people and four dogs waiting in SUVs.

When you gain permission, treat the land with respect by carefully opening and closing gates and going over or under fences. Do not leave garbage behind, including the entrails of any birds you may clean.

Lastly, return to the landowner and let him/her know you are leaving and extend a hearty thank you that should include offering a portion of the game that was taken.

By following these three simple steps, landowner-hunting relationships would improve radically across the state. Unfortunately, we still have too many individuals -- residents and nonresidents -- who insist upon driving through unharvested fields, shoot near buildings and residences, mislead landowners when given permission and simply abuse the privilege of hunting on private and public lands.

The future of hunting across the country and in North Dakota continues to be threatened by increasing costs and declining natural resources. We all need to exhibit our best behavior afield during these truly challenging times.