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Factors influencing pheasant Phasianus colchicus harvesting in Tuscany (Italy)
Francesco Santilli & Marco Bagliacca
Common pheasant (Phasianus colchicus) is one of the most popular game-bird species in Europe. In Italy their populations are commonly managed in order to improve the number of birds for the hunting season. For this reason we have analysed the effect of management strategies, hunting effort, land use and characteristics, on the number of pheasants harvested in the nineteen Hunting Districts (HDs) of Tuscany during three years to detect the best strategies. Results showed that, in addition to the hunter density, protected areas, number of wild pheasant relocated and different years were selected in the final multivariate model which explained the harvested pheasant number. Restocking using wild pheasants captured in protected areas seems to have much more importance than releasing farm-reared pheasants. The key-tool to sustain hunting pressure seems the correct management of the habitat with a sufficient number of protected areas which can safeguard and produce wild pheasants (by capture and relocation or by natural spread).
Key-words: Phasianus colchiucus, Bag record, land use, wild population, farm-rearing, protected areas, game-birds