Each year weather, wild bird population, speculation by producers, and economics result in extra birds in some areas of the country and sometimes shortages in other areas. Our farm has wholesaled birds from one area to another for years. One of the biggest considerations in making the movement work is controlling freight costs.
This season a large number of birds moved into South Dakota because of the diminished wild population there. So far the winter in the upper Midwest has been mild, with only one significant, hunt-stopping snowfall.
We have been moving birds aggressively in the past few weeks. This week we took our largest load of pheasants ever, 6,500 pheasants, out of the area.
The market isn't long or short right now. The weather (both temperature and snowfall) in the upcoming weeks will determine if the market will start to be short.