Hopewell (Langdon) Pheasant release site
 

Just wondering how others are making out with the birds this year at this site. Not sure if I keep hitting the tail end (just before the next release), but in years past it seems my dog and I have had much greater success. Have they scaled back the amount of drops per week, amount of birds dropped or anything different than in years past? I noticed the site opened at the end of August this year, wondering if they are doing the same amount of birds but over a longer period of time...or it's just me :)

My dog and I pushed two birds up the other day but we had to go out of our way and into some really tough areas to find them (hasn't been this bad in years past).

I really enjoy this site (how close it is to Calgary) but I suspect with it's popularity finding left over birds days after the drop will only get harder in years to come.

hopewell
 

The first year over 150 birds but they have been dropping the numbers for a few reasons. One reason being, the lady that is right against the section is tired of people shooting right near her house. So they have only released about 95 last year and shortened the time to mid November.
A great deal of hunters out from and around Calgary. One day I counted 22 trucks. Hunters were only about 50 -80 yrds apart. Too close for me.

Better off going down to Rosemary where there are plenty of wild birds.

The number of birds released has not changed. The start and end dates were shifted forward to provide some additional opportunity earlier in the season, but the overall number of birds released on this site has not changed.

The 22 trucks full of guys clean up 80% of the birds within an hour of the drop off

How do 22 trucks full of guys know the birds are coming? I thought the releases were supposed to be random to a degree.

Where are the birds coming from for the new Capital site West of Edmonton? Are they releasing more birds in total, or are they reducing the numbers at other sites to compensate?

The trucks sit on the road waiting for the stocking truck to arrive. Truck leaves, the "hunt" begins

They are releasing more birds in total.

Then either the truck is using a regular schedule, that people have figured out, or someone has inside information as to the releases. I used to see vehicles waiting at other sites, but not in the past year or so.

Not only that but,....
 

When we were searching for the lost Setter puppy last week one of the hunters I approached to see if he had seen the pup said he got his 2 roosters that morning right after the truck left and here he was at 5 PM hunting again. Now if 6 guys came back several times a day to get a daily limit each trip it wouldn't take long to clean out 25 or 30 roosters.

Poachers like that need to be reported, and prosecuted.

What part of "Daily Limit" do those guys not understand?

100% agreed, ruins it for the rest of us that play by the rules. The tough part here is that it would be hard for anyone to prove that he actually limited out in the AM. All he has to do is claim that he was just BS'ing and he's off the hook for the time being. There's always the bad apples.

Chicken Hunters
 

This debate happens every year. Lazy hunters have the most to say it seems. I want all my birds to be 100 yards from the parking lot and my dog is the best in the world and he didn't find birds. Somebody has a buddy of a buddy that knows the delivery trucks arrival.

If you can't handle getting skunked you should quit hunting before your ego explodes. Hunting is about being outdoor with friends and dogs smelling the fresh fall air. If you get a shot its a bonus end of story. The pheasant release program owes you nothing, just be glad you have a public place to hunt so close to the city. Quit trying to blame the ACA. Go to a hunting club if you want a really canned hunt.:angry3:

I clicked on this thread out of curiosity, but now I have even more questions.
So am I to believe that hunters, and 'sportsmen', are literally parked and waiting for farm-raised pheasants to be released into the wild, then opening fire on said birds as soon as they are released??? Are the released birds not given a grace period or chance to survive? And everyone is ok with this?
Jeez I really hope this is not the case.

I don't think many expect to shoot birds within 100 yards of the truck, however, not hearing a shot for many hours on end with multiple groups moving through the area usually says something. I also look at the area covered by my pointer on the GPS (and he doesn't miss much), and it is extensive with not many areas left to hide...with the exception of the water...and no birds on a number of occasions...that is, no shots by anyone on the property.

That is exactly what happens. As you can see in this thread, there are plenty of people (actual hunters and sportsfolk) who are not okay with it, but it's technically not illegal, so what can you do? They need to start varying the drop-off days/times, like they do at some other sites.

What happened to closing sites in PM after truck releases birds, it use to always be used around Brooks a few years back.

With so many sites, many releases have to take place in the morning, to get everything done.

I think 25% of the released birds at this site escape onto private land. I have seen them on private property when I have driven down the gravel roads in the area. Lots hang out in the ditches too.

I hope they survive the winter and flourish.

Heck I even saw a Hen surrounded by 5 males on an adjacent property.

Personally, I would rather Hunt Grouse on crown land where I am away from other hunters and gunfire.

My suggestion for what its worth

Pay the release truck operator the night shift premium and release the birds after sunset.

Owls, coyotes and foxes would love that !

It’s pretty bad when my 12yr old son shakes his head and says let’s get out of this gong show.... we’ve gone twice, once to Hopewell and once the Biglow this year hoping to get him some easy birds before the season starts. Both times I was completely disgusted by the way grown men were conducting themselves. The people that promote these sites can have them and to the new guys going to them, I suggest you go buy some combat gear....

I don’t live far from the release site, I’ve driven out to hopewell several times and never left the truck.... 20 or so vehicles parked on the side of the road, and all the hunters concentrated in a small area. I can only assume it’s where the release truck dropped the birds. Im surprised nobody gets shot.

In talking with a few folks that go out there and they say it’s bad. Almost like a war zone- as folks try to each shoot some birds with little regard to who or what is between them and the bird or behind it. I’m surprised that a pheasant is worth so much!

While it is a great opportunity to hunt pheasants close to the city, I would be in full support for having the site closed to hunting in the afternoon to allow the release truck operator a safe opportunity to drop the birds and at least give the birds half a chance to settle before being shot, and potentially provide a safer hunting opportunity for those using the site.

On the trajectory of the current “hunting” practices out there it’s only a matter of time before an accident occurs.

Very well said newf
I am planning on bringing my dog there for a run tomorrow I hope it is not the usual mayhem that seems to happen right in the centre of the field.

I don't hunt Pheasants often.When I do its only for wild birds,more challenging,better tasting and not like shooting farm raised chickens.

Also you usually have fewer, if any other hunters around.

not all, the trucks released after 2pmm and not all the sites were closed after 2pm.
I read on the ACA site that the 2pm rule was taken out, not sure why
Cat

According to the biologist I talked to, it was taken out because they don't release after 2PM, so the closure just reduced opportunity, with no benefit. Because there are so many sites, spread out over such a large area, there isn't time to do all of the releases after 2PM.

Anyone who thinks this is sports is really never hunted wild birds. Just a chance to go kill something. Sad

Was out on Saturday AM. Probably 6-8 groups, almost all running dogs between 07:00 and 11:30. Even with that amount of people, everyone that I came into reasonable range of was cordial - hand gestures for direction of travel, etc...

I've heard of a few guys being mad if they leave without birds because they "paid their $22". Clearly this isn't the right attitude. For me, it's an excuse to get out for a quick walk in the morning. If I happen to flush something, great, if not, there's always next time.

Better than spending the morning on the treadmill.