{"product_id":"pheasant-winter-cover-starter","title":"Pheasant Winter Cover Starter (22 Plants) | Spring 2027","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe shrub and small-tree rows of a pheasant winter shelterbelt: plants that catch snow and hold fruit into winter. Every species here is on South Dakota's Woody Habitat list for wildlife shelterbelts.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"mft-facts\"\u003e\u003ctable class=\"mft-facts-table\"\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eWhat you get\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e22 plants: \u003ca href=\"\/products\/buffaloberry-bundle-of-5\"\u003eBuffaloberry\u003c\/a\u003e (5), \u003ca href=\"\/products\/sea-buckthorn-bundle-of-5\"\u003eSea Buckthorn\u003c\/a\u003e (5), \u003ca href=\"\/products\/golden-currant-bundle-of-3\"\u003eGolden Currant\u003c\/a\u003e (3), \u003ca href=\"\/products\/mountain-ash-bundle-of-2\"\u003eMountain Ash\u003c\/a\u003e (3), \u003ca href=\"\/products\/hawthorne-bundle-of-2\"\u003eHawthorn\u003c\/a\u003e (3), \u003ca href=\"\/products\/dolgo-crabapple-bundle-of-2\"\u003eDolgo Crabapple\u003c\/a\u003e (2) and 1 \u003ca href=\"\/products\/rescue-apple-crab\"\u003eRescue Applecrab\u003c\/a\u003e (Dolgo full size, 4-6 ft., pruned to 5 ft.). Bare root, shipped or picked up in Missoula in spring 2027, roots wrapped in moist sawdust. Guaranteed to bud out.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eHardy to\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eZone 3 (winters to about -40°F). Check your spot with our \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/cold-hardiness-calculator\"\u003ecold hardiness calculator\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eWinter food\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eNorth Dakota Game \u0026amp; Fish recommends native suckering shrubs that bear fruit for late fall and early winter food. Sea buckthorn berries hang on from September through winter, and mountain ash berries stay on the tree all winter.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003ePollination\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eBuffaloberry and sea buckthorn come as male and female plants, and five of each gives good odds of both. Rescue pollenizes the Dolgos.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\u003c\/table\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\u003ch3\u003eThis Is a Starter, Not the Whole Belt\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003ePheasants need wide winter cover. South Dakota GFP says 9 or more rows are needed, because narrow belts fill in with snow. University of Minnesota Extension lays it out as two shrub rows on the windward side to catch drifting snow, then four or more conifer rows, then one or two shrub rows on the leeward side, with shrubs 3 to 6 ft. apart in the row. Use this bundle for the shrub rows and add conifers as you go. Put any food plot on the windward side, close to the cover.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eCost-Share\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eSouth Dakota's Woody Habitat Program reimburses 75% of wildlife shelterbelt costs (90% if it's enrolled in public access). In Montana, FWP's Upland Game Bird Enhancement Program and NRCS EQIP (practices 380 and 612) fund shelterbelts. Most programs need a plan approved before you buy. Minnesota's RIM easements take natives only, and sea buckthorn and Dolgo aren't native.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHeads up:\u003c\/strong\u003e sea buckthorn suckers hard and will spread. Plant it where that's what you want.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eProtect Them\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eDeer, elk and moose browse young plants hard, and bucks rub trunks in fall. Cage each tree until it's out of reach: a welded-wire cage about 5 ft. tall and 3 ft. across works for deer. Where elk come through, MSU recommends an 8 ft. fence with a top rail. Trunk tubes alone won't stop rubs. Water with drip the first couple of summers.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eIs Planting This Baiting?\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eGrowing plants is habitat work. Rules on fruit or nuts you pick, move or pile up vary by state, so check your state's hunting regs before you hunt over it.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFor the full how-to (why these plants work, spacing, protection and timing), read our \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/pheasant-winter-cover-planting-guide\"\u003epheasant winter cover guide\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSee our other wildlife bundles on the \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/wildlife-orchard-bundles\"\u003ewildlife orchard bundles\u003c\/a\u003e page.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003csmall\u003ePhotos: pheasant by \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/wiki\/File:Ring-necked_Pheasant_(24126518932).jpg\"\u003eU.S. Fish and Wildlife Service\u003c\/a\u003e (public domain), via Wikimedia Commons.\u003c\/small\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Montana Fruit Trees","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45838651785282,"sku":null,"price":539.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0626\/5687\/2514\/files\/Ring-necked_Pheasant__2824126518932_29.jpg?v=1793317860","url":"https:\/\/www.montanafruittrees.com\/products\/pheasant-winter-cover-starter","provider":"Montana Fruit Trees","version":"1.0","type":"link"}