When coyotes returned to eastern North Dakota, we had a big reduction in numbers of the three worst predators of ground nesting birds, striped skunks, raccoons, and red fox. Don't know about pheasants, but nest success of ducks seems to have improved even with the big decrease in traditional nesting cover. My friend who runs a Rogator sees good numbers of duck broods in ponds totally surrounded by soybeans. I think no-till and minimum-till have helped in this regard.

Bounties were a real waste of taxpayer dollars in the past and would be even worse today with so few bounty hunters.