2026 ACA Upland Gamebird Survey

By Jalen Hulit

The cool wet spring that most of the province experienced presented challenges for the gamebird populations during the nesting season. 

As a result, both partridge and pheasant numbers have dipped from the survey results in 2025. In 2026 participants covered 61.6 km over 22.5 hours returning 1.29 grey partridge encounters per hour (singles or coveys). Over 33 kilometers of pheasant habitat was covered in 10.9 survey hours for a flush rate of 1.83 encounters per hour (single or covey).

In 2020, we altered our survey methods by reaching out to the hunting dog community asking for their assistance to gather data. This expanded the area of coverage and effort (e.g., survey time and distance walked) contributing to these annual forecasts. This change in approach makes a direct comparison of results problematic for years prior to 2020 to those after.

Upland hunters have every reason to be optimistic if they put in the effort this fall! Our volunteers moved nearly four partridge and one and a half pheasants for every kilometre walked; with all that boot leather on the ground, it’s shaping up to be a rewarding year! Search for suitable habitat that is preferred by wild birds and seek landowner permissions to foster additional opportunities. In addition, there are lots of pheasant hunting opportunities on the Provincial Pheasant Release Sites ranging from Peace River to Medicine Hat. Visit the ACA website to plan your hunts at over 38 sites.

We wish everyone a safe and productive upland hunting season! A big thank you goes out to all the volunteers and ACA staff who helped pull this year’s survey together!

If you are interested in participating with next year’s fall forecast, please email jalen.hulit@ab-conservation.com.

If you are wanting to know more about the Fall Forecast, we encourage you to check out the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page on the Alberta Conservation Association’s website.  

Here you will find answers to questions such as:

Which species are being surveyed?

Top priority species include sharp-tailed grouse (sharptails), grey partridge (huns), and ring-necked pheasants. However, we are also collecting information on spruce grouse, ruffed grouse, dusky grouse (blues), white-tailed ptarmigan, and willow ptarmigan.