pheasant count

Staloejunior

Well lad three weeks to go till the pheasant season.

How are other people getting on in pre season? Are birds scarce or pleasant?

flossy1

How would they be scarce when Clubs feed them like chickens ,then on 1st Nov let them out and SHOOT THEM;

mallards

flossy1 wrote: »

How would they be scarce when Clubs feed them like chickens ,then on 1st Nov let them out and SHOOT THEM;

If they are then they are doing it wrong. Adult birds are usually released in the spring to breed in the wild long before the shooting season starts. Otherwise poults are put into mostly open top pens in mid July and in roughly three weeks the poults are strong enough to fly over the fence and out into the wild. Feeding chickens probably a good analogy when they are in the pen. But once out they will be feeding on the wild seeds and insects. Shoots also put out barrel feeders full of wheat etc that the Pheasants and a host of other small birds and mammals will use over the winter months. But as I say if a shoot is releasing birds on the 1st of November and feeding them like chickens and shooting them at their feet as you imply, then they're doing it wrong!

Staloejunior

lads im not here to start a debate on how to release birds, I just wanted to know if other lads are finding this year a good year for breeding birds is all.

dodderangler

Staloejunior wrote: »

lads im not here to start a debate on how to release birds, I just wanted to know if other lads are finding this year a good year for breeding birds is all.

I'm seeing a lot of birds about and I'd say they're wild as there's no club about this area anymore.
Seeing a lot more cocks about.
Pity I've no dog this year

mallards

I'm having a good year so far. We seen a good few early broods and some with twelve or so young ones in it. The grass got away early with the good weather so we lost track of the birds again until the silage was being cut. My released birds all faired well and they have spread well through the shoot. Our partridges have also bred this year again. And if I'm topping up the feeders I'll bump equal numbers of these single reared birds and groups of wild birds still with the hen.

Capercaille

mallards wrote: »

If they are then they are doing it wrong. Adult birds are usually released in the spring to breed in the wild long before the shooting season starts. Otherwise poults are put into mostly open top pens in mid July and in roughly three weeks the poults are strong enough to fly over the fence and out into the wild. Feeding chickens probably a good analogy when they are in the pen. But once out they will be feeding on the wild seeds and insects. Shoots also put out barrel feeders full of wheat etc that the Pheasants and a host of other small birds and mammals will use over the winter months. But as I say if a shoot is releasing birds on the 1st of November and feeding them like chickens and shooting them at their feet as you imply, then they're doing it wrong!

I thought for pheasants only a tiny percentage of reared pheasants will breed in the wild.

Cass

Lads,

All threads inevitably go off topic, but not from the first response. Mallards has written a good reply to flossy1's post so let's leave the discussion of breeding and releasing and try to keep to the OPs topic, at least for a little while anyways

Thanks.

jap gt

dodderangler wrote: »

I'm seeing a lot of birds about and I'd say they're wild as there's no club about this area anymore.
Seeing a lot more cocks about.
Pity I've no dog this year

What happend to the dropper you had

dodderangler

jap gt wrote: »

What happend to the dropper you had

Unfortunately I had to move house to another one and strictly no pets allowed.
Broke me heart.

Woodcock shot

I reckon slightly down in my area, we don't rear or release so all wild, but still a decent few around

shotie

Capercaille wrote: »

I thought for pheasants only a tiny percentage of reared pheasants will breed in the wild.

birds let of in the spring time would be very wild birds caught up from a shoot. it wouldnt work or pay for a shoot to hold adult pheasant this is why they sell them off once caught up to gun clubs and release same day of buying .the shoot then buys in poults and starts over again.

theres a good number of wild pheasants here seen a good few wild poults around this year and there is a good number of last years released birds still knocking about .so numbers should be well up from last year again.

Remember me?

Met 6 cock yesterday on my way into flight ponds no shortage here .hopefully will still be around in few weeks!!!

allan450

im meeting a lot of birds and i mean a lot.i dont bother with them really only on the big days and for comps snipe,woodcock is my thing.

dodderangler

allan450 wrote: »

im meeting a lot of birds and i mean a lot.i dont bother with them really only on the big days and for comps snipe,woodcock is my thing.

Prefer the challenging shots eh?
Show off

allan450

well now that you say it ha ha.They are easy shot most of the time but you will get the odd old bird will give you the chase.

dodderangler

allan450 wrote: »

well now that you say it ha ha.They are easy shot most of the time but you will get the odd old bird will give you the chase.

Wouldn't know it's been that long since I shot a fast bird. Although I did manage to take a jack snipe with a size 4 cartridge at about 40 yards last season. Was well chuffed at that

djflawless

Looking good around my parts.birds are good on the ground.
was out with the pup yesterday and put him thru a decent hunt.
a lot to do but great potential.
roll on the 1st

Buggs

Meeting a good few late clutches, with birds only half coloured