What would you choose?

lucy333springer

Well,
If you where out shooting pheasant's, would you try to shoot more cock's or would hen's be the order of the day, I mean do we need more of one sex over the other, you see I came across this when shootin`, two bird's flew out from cover, cock and hen, I thought of leavin` one as if I should keep the population goin`but did'nt know which to show some mercy for, so I shot both, and ask question's later.

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now?

endasmail

i only ever shoot the cocks
think ya need a license to shoot the hens

foxshooter243

lucy333springer wrote: »

Well,
If you where out shooting pheasant's, would you try to shoot more cock's or would hen's be the order of the day, I mean do we need more of one sex over the other, you see I came across this when shootin`, two bird's flew out from cover, cock and hen, I thought of leavin` one as if I should keep the population goin`but did'nt know which to show some mercy for, so I shot both, and ask question's later.

---

now?

ask yourself the same question if it were two mallard ducks at dusk or dawn, or two geese flying in amongst a skein.......or would you?:)
We are drawn into thinking too much about pheasant because they are an introduced species, the crux is , if the habitat is supportive enough it wont matter as one cock in an area will cover a lot of hens;)

foxshooter243

endasmail wrote: »

i only ever shoot the cocks
think ya need a license to shoot the hens

lucy is shooting in the north so free to shoot both Enda:)

lucy333springer

Enda,
have'nt heard anything about licenced hen's, except the one's with handbag's. he he

homerhop

South of you we are restricted to cocks only unless you have a licence to shoot both. For me I have shot both and ate both so there is no difference except in the colour of the feathers when they fly.

HUBERTUS

If you shoot a hen or for that matter a female of any species it is a breeding line gone forever whereas a cock or a male is only one creature less .

HWH.

homerhop

HUBERTUS wrote: »

If you shoot a hen or for that matter a female of any species it is a breeding line gone forever whereas a cock or a male is only one creature less .

HWH.

Does that apply to Doe's also?

HUBERTUS

It applies to Does and Hinds as well .
Most of the problems with Deer are caused by too many males being shot and not enough females hence over-stocking .
Scotland has had this problem for generations on many areas with high winter mortality .
If you have swarms of pheasants by all means shoot hens as well if legal to do so .

HWH.

lucy333springer

homerhop wrote: »

South of you we are restricted to cocks only unless you have a licence to shoot both. For me I have shot both and ate both so there is no difference except in the colour of the feathers when they fly.

homer,
that's a first for me, about licence for shootin` hen's, I thought any could be downed, in any county.

homerhop

Afraid not. To shoot hens here you have to apply for a licence off your local friendly ranger. You have to release x amount of birds to be granted this.

ayapatrick

homerhop wrote: »

Afraid not. To shoot hens here you have to apply for a licence off your local friendly ranger. You have to release x amount of birds to be granted this.

AFAIK Ireland is the only country in Europe to have the hen protected.

Mellor

you say it like its a bad thing.

numbers are low, if we were shooting hens for the last 30 years, there would be now left here

ayapatrick

Mellor wrote: »

you say it like its a bad thing.

numbers are low, if we were shooting hens for the last 30 years, there would be now left here

Is it my post your referring to? I think its a good idea that they are protected so they wont be wiped out!

lucy333springer

Mellor,
how could hen's get low in number's, surely they could be incubatored, there is a fun farm for children near me and the young boy in the farm incubat's all breeds of exotic bird's, this season he reared pheasant's, 100s, an let them into the wild when they where big enough.