Pheasant stocking 2013

[johnnyringo]

http://www.brooksbulletin.com/defaul...contentid=6788

[Mark]

I have a update directly from Jason Kaslow (not sure if I'm spelling his last name correctly), Alberta Upland Game Specialist with SRD.

I call the minister office on Monday and asked about the status of the pheasant release program. The receptionist said she would have someone call me back. Yesterday, I received a call from Jason Kaslow, the person in charge of the pheasant release program. He told me that all the rumors about the government not funding the program this year are FALSE. He said that just last week he signed and approved the grant, with the same funding as last year, for UBA to continue pheasant release program. I mentioned that CPC was closing. He let me know that both SRD and UBA knew a couple of years ago that this possibility was in the works. As a result, UBA has anticipated this closure and in process of securing birds from another source. He also said that he see no changes to program for the up-coming years.

Typically I'm not impressed with the government's response to questions or concerns. However, in the case, I have to give them their dues.

[winger7mm]

Originally Posted by Mark

I have a update directly from Jason Kaslow (not sure if I'm spelling his last name correctly), Alberta Upland Game Specialist with SRD.

I call the minister office on Monday and asked about the status of the pheasant release program. The receptionist said she would have someone call me back. Yesterday, I received a call from Jason Kaslow, the person in charge of the pheasant release program. He told me that all the rumors about the government not funding the program this year are FALSE. He said that just last week he signed and approved the grant, with the same funding as last year, for UBA to continue pheasant release program. I mentioned that CPC was closing. He let me know that both SRD and UBA knew a couple of years ago that this possibility was in the works. As a result, UBA has anticipated this closure and in process of securing birds from another source. He also said that he see no changes to program for the up-coming years.

Typically I'm not impressed with the government's response to questions or concerns. However, in the case, I have to give them their dues.

Thanks mark

[cohod]

Originally Posted by Mark

I have a update directly from Jason Kaslow (not sure if I'm spelling his last name correctly), Alberta Upland Game Specialist with SRD.

I call the minister office on Monday and asked about the status of the pheasant release program. The receptionist said she would have someone call me back. Yesterday, I received a call from Jason Kaslow, the person in charge of the pheasant release program. He told me that all the rumors about the government not funding the program this year are FALSE. He said that just last week he signed and approved the grant, with the same funding as last year, for UBA to continue pheasant release program. I mentioned that CPC was closing. He let me know that both SRD and UBA knew a couple of years ago that this possibility was in the works. As a result, UBA has anticipated this closure and in process of securing birds from another source. He also said that he see no changes to program for the up-coming years.

Typically I'm not impressed with the government's response to questions or concerns. However, in the case, I have to give them their dues.

Good news For a change!
Thanks for posting


cohod

[Jamie]

Originally Posted by cohod

You're right there are no "native" pheasants since they are an introduced spices BUT there sure is self sustaining wild populations just because you don't know where they are dosnt mean they don't exist.


cohod

Cohod.. I know there are pockets of birds around, but do you honestly believe they re in no way supplimented by the released birds?

And do you really think you will still have the chance to hunt these birds if all the other pheasants are not available?


Anyhow, i stopped by the petition booth at the show this weekend.
We as hunters put in 1/3 of he cost of all birds released.
Lets pay for all of it and make this happen. Make the pheasant tag $45 and we should be close to the number.

Upland bird hunters put 10,000,000 into the southern alberta economy.


Crying shame if it doesnt continue.

Jamie

[Jamie]

Originally Posted by Mark

I have a update directly from Jason Kaslow (not sure if I'm spelling his last name correctly), Alberta Upland Game Specialist with SRD.

I call the minister office on Monday and asked about the status of the pheasant release program. The receptionist said she would have someone call me back. Yesterday, I received a call from Jason Kaslow, the person in charge of the pheasant release program. He told me that all the rumors about the government not funding the program this year are FALSE. He said that just last week he signed and approved the grant, with the same funding as last year, for UBA to continue pheasant release program. I mentioned that CPC was closing. He let me know that both SRD and UBA knew a couple of years ago that this possibility was in the works. As a result, UBA has anticipated this closure and in process of securing birds from another source. He also said that he see no changes to program for the up-coming years.


Typically I'm not impressed with the government's response to questions or concerns. However, in the case, I have to give them their dues.

So why kill the cpc?
Why not give a canadian and alberta company the contract if they are competitive?
So why still have the petition at the show?

I dont get this.....

Going to ask some more questions in the AM.

Jamie

[pikergolf]

Originally Posted by Jamie

So why kill the cpc?
Why not give a canadian and alberta company the contract if they are competitive?
So why still have the petition at the show?

I dont get this.....

Going to ask some more questions in the AM.

Jamie

I wonder if the condition of the last batch of birds played into this?

[oldgutpile]

It is too late at this point, to get a release from the CPC. In order to have
20-week old birds available in time for the October release, they would have had to have the breeders indoors now and starting to breed for laying. They couldnt possibly make arrangements at this stage of the game!
Pretty discouraging down our way. When the current inventory is gone, the doors will be closing on a hundred years of history.

[rhuntley12]

There is a self sustaining population here and I'm not far southwest of Calgary. Last summer I saw a hen with a chick.

Have a friend a bit further west and they have tons of pheasants, but tons of good cover in their land and no hunters.

Is sustaining populations but not big enough to support hunters really of the spots I know.

[bessiedog]

Prov govt has a contract, CPC can't compete.
I'm curious about the economics here, price offered vs costs.

It's too late now probably, but I'd bet that most pheasant hunters would pay $50 to hunt birds if the $$ went to releasing birds and securing bird habitat

[elkhunter11]

It's too late now probably, but I'd bet that most pheasant hunters would pay $50 to hunt birds if the $$ went to releasing birds and securing bird habitat

I would gladly pay $75 for a pheasant tag, if all of that money went to securing habitat, and releasing birds, but only if all of the release locations prohibited pheasant hunting for the rest of the day, after the birds were released. I am not in favor paying money, so that some lazy slob can wait for the truck to arrive, then shoot them as they fly from the truck.

[pikergolf]

Originally Posted by elkhunter11

I would gladly pay $75 for a pheasant tag, if all of that money went to securing habitat, and releasing birds, but only if all of the release locations prohibited pheasant hunting for the rest of the day, after the birds were released. I am not in favor paying money, so that some lazy slob can wait for the truck to arrive, then shoot them as they fly from the truck.

What does the securing habitat look like to you, buying land or paying farmers to grow habitat? Paying farmers to grow it, while probably the most effective opens up another huge discussion.

The only other model is for clubs and groups to buy land and lease back to farmers what is not used for habitat.

[Sledhead71]

Sad really that the shelter belt program has been cancelled in this province, my opinion is this is where the problem lies for many species.

Habitat, habitat, and more habitat will sustain a healthy population of many species.

I see the passion on this and other forms in respects to pheasants, but when I have been with groups over the years assisting in projects, well it's typically the same few volunteers who continue to show up.

Help out anyway you can to preserve our heritage and habitat we all enjoy so future generation as well can follow in our footsteps.

[elkhunter11]

What does the securing habitat look like to you, buying land or paying farmers to grow habitat? Paying farmers to grow it, while probably the most effective opens up another huge discussion.

The only other model is for clubs and groups to buy land and lease back to farmers what is not used for habitat.
__________________

I would be open to several options, it's not necessarily going to be a simple process, but unless we do something to preserve the habitat that we have, and expand it, in some areas, we aren't going to have a healthy population of upland birds in the future.

[wwbirds]

I have known Ed for years and they were offering pheasants at a reasonable price for a reasonable product. the problem lies in not knowing from year to year if you should save 25000 breeders and feed them if the Province may buy pheasants. (I heard that 25000 breeders headed south only a week ago by transport truck)

On a smaller scale I have had the same problem with dog clubs who want a good price on a 1000 minimum pheasants, we agree to a volume price and then the executive changes and someone has a friend of a friend who says they can get them for .50 cheaper in eg. Tukniyuktuc or some place in Onscario. I can't compete with a producer that raises 100,000 birds a year and the potential buyer forgets about transportation costs but want to renegiotiate the deal. By giving any priority to a bulk order I marginalize my other great customers who have kept me going all these years so lose a bit of client base each time I make a bulk deal. I am no longer wiliing to risk my solid client base on a "what could be" scenario.
Sure CPC got tired of management by "wondering" as well.

p.s. When the Province was trying to sell that operation many years ago most of the medium producers in Alberta looked seriously at it including Cam, Rick, the Brooks feedlot and many others including myself. Without a doubt we all decided it was too much risk on too much capital expenditure for a full time staff payroll on a 3 year maximum commitment by the Province.

[pikergolf]

Originally Posted by elkhunter11

I would be open to several options, it's not necessarily going to be a simple process, but unless we do something to preserve the habitat that we have, and expand it, in some areas, we aren't going to have a healthy population of upland birds in the future.

Agreed, maybe the province or a group should do a questionnaire or study and see if the hunters along with land owners, can come to some sort of consensus that we can all get behind.

When I drive through the irrigation districts now it looks like a waste land, crops as far as the eye can see. What can't support crops, still has plant growth suppressed, for road safety and I suspect just to keep weed seeds down.

Farmers being able to charge for hunting in the Dakota's I think makes a huge difference. Completely different culture towards hunters there, I think the money aspect plays a big role in that.

[Lefty-Canuck]

Originally Posted by elkhunter11

I would gladly pay $75 for a pheasant tag, if all of that money went to securing habitat, and releasing birds, but only if all of the release locations prohibited pheasant hunting for the rest of the day, after the birds were released. I am not in favor paying money, so that some lazy slob can wait for the truck to arrive, then shoot them as they fly from the truck.

....for the life of me I can't understand why they allow this type of activity....every pheasant release truck should have a F&W truck along with them OR do the release in darkness not during hunting hours.....give the birds at least a 8-10 hour headstart, then let guys who actually want to hunt pheasants (not only shoot them) a chance to do what they love.

LC

[wwbirds]

Lets take a look at what releases cost Albertans in very broad terms.

Base price is estimated at $3-500,000. for lets say 15000 birds. Mendalian ratio suggests that to have 15000 roosters for release you have to hatch 32,000 fertile eggs (49% hens 51% roosters) with normal loss rates for natural mortality. Your average hatch success rate of 65% means you have to incubate 45000 eggs to sell 15000 roosters.
So each planted rooster is valued at $50.-83. So if average licence purchaser wants to harvest 4 roosters per year his licence would need to cost $2-400. to hunt release areas.
In some states in US you can buy a general pheasant licence as well as a CHRP licence (released on farmer paid crop left for cover and food).
We could have a two tier licence in Alberta as well. I think by withdrawing funding by the province they are suggesting a user pay format is required as they cant justify a near half million expense for the 6000 users who buy a licence.

I recently received an email request for a quote for 1500 roosters and I am sure he was not pleased with my reply. To have 1500 roosters for this potential customer I have to raise 3200 birds at an average cost of $12.40 a bird and hope to be able to market the surplus hens. To break even I have to charge 24.80 per rooster and then my profit on deal is dependent on how long i have to feed each hen at a dollar a month to calculate my profit (if any). $15. a rooster planted by CPC was a bargain but the province was looking a gift horse in the mouth. UBA is about to learn the economics of limited supply as many dog clubs have learned. If they pay $25. a rooster they cut the release down to 12,000 birds if the budget is reduced to $300000.
Bulk orders especially if not straight run of hens and roosters are not desirable.

Hens should be planted and then it is not such a put and take operation.
I want to see the (no nationality mentioned) truck followers take a pot shot at birds flying from the release truck if 50% are hens and F & W is standing by. Solves two problems at the same time.

[winger7mm]

wwbirds, do you know if they release any hens at all?? or is it just roosters at release sites??

[wwbirds]

Suspect majority if not all releases are roosters. hens have been bought by Medicine hat fish and Game and a few others for release but I think the releases paid for by government were primarilly if not all shootable roosters.

[BigJon]

Originally Posted by pikergolf

Agreed, maybe the province or a group should do a questionnaire or study and see if the hunters along with land owners, can come to some sort of consensus that we can all get behind.

When I drive through the irrigation districts now it looks like a waste land, crops as far as the eye can see. What can't support crops, still has plant growth suppressed, for road safety and I suspect just to keep weed seeds down.

Farmers being able to charge for hunting in the Dakota's I think makes a huge difference. Completely different culture towards hunters there, I think the money aspect plays a big role in that.

As much as I hate to admit it, I believe this is the only way that considerable tracts of habitat will remain intact or be developed on private lands going into the future. Clubs, NGOs, etc. can't compete with determined farmers when it comes to purchasing land, they certainly make a difference in a positive way but something else needs to be happening so we don't end up with a quarter section of good habitat surrounded by many square miles of poor habitat that lacks the ability to support game.

[Sneeze]

Thanks for that post Rob, I learned something.

While at a bit of a tangent here - (I love talking about the future of rooster hunting in Alberta)....

I would like to see pheasants put on tag system. Perhaps not limited entry, but let’s say $40 per tag, buy as many as you want (up to a suitable maximum) with no daily limits.

It would also be nice to get the government out of the release. All the money from tags should go straight to NPO's dedicated to releasing pheasants and securing Pheasant habitat in Alberta.

And finally (flame on)… Landowners need to be able to earn income from pheasant hunters in some way. Be it a CRP type program, land lease to an NPO, something. If there is no economical reason for a landowner to leave cover up – he is going to pasture it or plow it every time. We cannot preserve our sport on farmers/ranchers backs. For every acre of rooster habitat these guys are leaving up its costing them money right out of their pockets. If we want them to leave cover up we have to pay up.

[pikergolf]

I would like to see pheasants put on tag system. Perhaps not limited entry, but let’s say $40 per tag, buy as many as you want (up to a suitable maximum) with no daily limits.

This system already exsists, go see Rob he'll set you up and I'm sure it will be a lot cheaper than 40 bucks a bird. I hate this idea, it comes down to who's got the money, which seems to be a theme with Albertans.

[wwbirds]

You also missed another important aspect of landowner relations for we have lots of pheasants around here as in several other areas of the province.
Landowners get tired of hunters knocking on the door for permission every Saturday from random drive bys. I have one elderly neighbor (probably told this story before) who had 5-6 knocks on the door from 8 AM to noon for the one rooster who was wandering around his front yard and the ditch in front of his place. he got so tired of the disruption to his Saturday he finally told the last hunter to ask for permission to go shoot the "d%$#@! thing" for it may be the last rooster in the county but at least if you kill it no one else will interupt my morning for the next 4 weeks until the season closes. landowners in pheasant country often see no up side to them except another interuption. We need some PR that it is not only take but hunters willing to give time effort and money to ensure the stock survives. Planting only roosters confirms in many farmer minds that we only put out to "take" not restock. Habitat is the most important factor and like Sledhead I think the shelterbelt program sounds the death toll to pheasants more than not releasing roosters. No cover, no hens no chicks it is that simple. Instead of burning Christmas trees we should be gathering them for ground cover along shelterbelt fencelines for early spring nesting ground cover protection from owls and hawks. Worked for me for 20 years!!!

[catnthehat]

Russian olive Wild rose , burrdocks, Scotch thistles and almost any other thorny bush helps to keep predators away as well - so do cat tails!!
Cat

[wwbirds]

Seen rails float a nest over cat tail water but never a pheasant, maybe diving ducks?? tee hee hee

[threeforthree]

I have been on Many release bird hunts, with cocks and hens, dogs will get between 95-100% of rooster up and only get 40-60% of the hens up.

[threeforthree]

There is only about 5000 hens left at CPC, if any organization want to release Hens ...the best brood stock that CPC has.... give ED a call. he only wants to deal in larger quantities

[catnthehat]

Originally Posted by wwbirds

Seen rails float a nest over cat tail water but never a pheasant, maybe diving ducks?? tee hee hee

You KNOW what I'm talkin' 'bout - that danged "back 40" of yours in the Spring!!!!
A guy could chase a rooster around there all afternoon and not put him up!!

[wwbirds]

I had some "purist" field trial trained dogs with ranked shooters (AA minimum) wanted as natural of a hunt as I could provide with these "pen raised birds" many years ago. took 12 roosters and put them out in the (as you know) very thick cat tails of "good luck, pack a lunch see you tonight land"

After 4 hours they had 3 roosters and I went out with 2 additonal dogs to help them out at 2 PM and we managed another 3 birds with 5 dogs total before dark.
Roosters know instinctively that a guy with a gun and dogs coming down the fenceline with a whistle is not a good thing.