Dinosaur Country Pheasant Hunt

[oldgutpile]

This is a brand new team shoot coming up really quick. They still have room for a few teams, and a few teams are likely to be needing an additional shooter, so if you and your dog are already having withdrawals, give it some thought!
This is a Badlands Tourism sanctioned hunt, based out of the Patricia community (just north of Brooks). The teams gather Friday Jan 12/18 in the evening for a meet and greet, with supper and appys supplied.
Each team comes back in the morning to take 40 roosters out in the field for release. After a day of fun-filled shooting, and running the dogs, we meet back at the Patricia Community Hall for the wind-up. Supper is again provided.
Prizes are awarded for a banded bird draw, and there will be silent auctions and raffles at the event. This is a community fundraiser, with the proceeds going to the 4H pheasant propagation program, and a dialysis machine for the local hospital.
Each team can have as many as six shooters, with two dog handlers allowed (basically you could rotate out and split the costs eight ways).
Cost per team is 1800.00
Contact: Nanette @ 403-501-4957

The forecast looks like we will be fortunate to have some great weather for the shoot.

[calvin]

is there anything online about this? i looked around but couldn't find anything. thanks

[oldgutpile]

Nothing likely to be online. This is the first year organizing this event. Properties and such are limited so far, so they didn't push to advertise. Being in the Patricia area, there are a number of regulars that come out for these shoots throughout the year, and they basically had it as word-of-mouth advertising right up to crunch time.
I know that they have had a few teams that cancelled out last minute due to unavoidable circumstance, and so I threw this post up here for any potential takers.
The weather is still looking to be incredible for this time of year. Gonna be a fun time!

[Esox]

I don't mean to stir the pot here or side track the thread because if I was home id be all over entering this, love these type of things. However, in places like Patricia that are in wild pheasant habitat, how does an event like this ensure no wild pheasants are killed? I would think fish and wildlife would have a concern over that to. Its honestly just curiosity getting to me.

[Hunter4ever12]

Originally Posted by Esox

I don't mean to stir the pot here or side track the thread because if I was home id be all over entering this, love these type of things. However, in places like Patricia that are in wild pheasant habitat, how does an event like this ensure no wild pheasants are killed? I would think fish and wildlife would have a concern over that to. Its honestly just curiosity getting to me.

We do organized pheasant hunts in Patricia all the time and I asked this same question. The response I got was...if you get a wild bird then count yourself lucky. There’s no real way to tell if it’s wild or released when your dogs are pushing them out. You have permits when shooting so any bird is legal.

[Esox]

Originally Posted by Hunter4ever12

We do organized pheasant hunts in Patricia all the time and I asked this same question. The response I got was...if you get a wild bird then count yourself lucky. There’s no real way to tell if it’s wild or released when your dogs are pushing them out. You have permits when shooting so any bird is legal.

that's kind of what I figured. thanks.

[shortgrub]

Originally Posted by Esox

I don't mean to stir the pot here or side track the thread because if I was home id be all over entering this, love these type of things. However, in places like Patricia that are in wild pheasant habitat, how does an event like this ensure no wild pheasants are killed? I would think fish and wildlife would have a concern over that to. Its honestly just curiosity getting to me.

the wild ones will be wearing orange.

[wwbirds]

Not all the released birds are found so some contribute new bloodlines to the existing wild stock. If you were lucky enough to harvest 1 or 2 wild birds I am sure the lost plants would more than make up for it. I have known Joe at the Patricia Hotel for 25 years and suspect he has contributed many released birds over the years to supplement or perhaps even improve the wild stock numbers in that area.

[oldgutpile]

I would add that there are literally "thousands" of birds released annually into this area, and not just with the provincial ACA birds.
Coulee Game Birds brings in at least 10,000 birds annually for organized shoots on permitted lands. I hunted some of this property as recent as yesterday, and saw way more birds than we released. The wild birds are there, and you do pick up the occasional one.
While everything (both sexes) are legal to shoot, it is good to note that of all the birds I saw yesterday, the first three were hens (which I chose not to shoot)! This is one of the reasons why we choose to shut the season down throughout most of the breeding/laying season so that we dont disturb the nesting hens.
Incidently, thanks to a few "run-away" hounds yesterday, we added significantly to the local population, by leaving half the newly released birds out there for another day!

[wwbirds]

I heard there is a cure for "run away hounds"
Rob

[oldgutpile]

Originally Posted by wwbirds

I heard there is a cure for "run away hounds"
Rob

Pretty tough when it's not my dog!

[catnthehat]

wish we get down there but work has too come first right now, time off too drive down ain't gonna happen!

Cat

[oldgutpile]

Maybe next year Cat! This is the trial run. We'll have all the bugs worked out by the time you get here for the next one.

Seriously though, this is gonna be a fun shoot. The weather is looking good and if Mosquito Creek's birds are anywhere near as tough as the ones we've been chasing lately, the dogs are in for a good workout.

[pikergolf]

You guys really believe that tame birds, released in the middle of winter are going to survive if not shot?

[oldgutpile]

Originally Posted by pikergolf

You guys really believe that tame birds, released in the middle of winter are going to survive if not shot?

Definitely not all of them. Some stats say as little as 10% will survive, but then thats 10% more than we had when we started!
I do know from experience that they are very ardent travellers. Just because you dont see them wandering around the yard a day or two from now, does not mean that they have already been killed off. We know that there are certain areas that really attract the stragglers and left-over birds. They can hear each other and flock together around large sources of feed. Feedlots in particular are a target for them to congregate. One large feedlot manager showed me a picture around his feedbunks during the cold snap. There were at least eighty pheasants hanging out, eating all the spillage.
Raptors are the biggest threat to them. Great horned owls seem to be attracted to a pheasant pen, like a drunk to a liquor store! Coyotes are also making a good comeback this last year, and they take their share too.

[pikergolf]

Originally Posted by oldgutpile

Definitely not all of them. Some stats say as little as 10% will survive, but then thats 10% more than we had when we started!
I do know from experience that they are very ardent travellers. Just because you dont see them wandering around the yard a day or two from now, does not mean that they have already been killed off. We know that there are certain areas that really attract the stragglers and left-over birds. They can hear each other and flock together around large sources of feed. Feedlots in particular are a target for them to congregate. One large feedlot manager showed me a picture around his feedbunks during the cold snap. There were at least eighty pheasants hanging out, eating all the spillage.
Raptors are the biggest threat to them. Great horned owls seem to be attracted to a pheasant pen, like a drunk to a liquor store! Coyotes are also making a good comeback this last year, and they take their share too.

I'm guessing those stats are under ideal conditions, not birds released in the middle of winter.

[oldgutpile]

Spoke with another farmer, just north of one of the more popular release sites, and he figured there was 30 + pheasants in his yard and corrals. He borders onto some massive coulees feeding into the Dinosaur park.
They go where the food is, and being quite vocal, other birds are attracted.
Do they all make it....heck no! But enough do to add to the wild population.

[oldgutpile]

Another update:
Some great prizes and auction items coming in for this one!
Sponsors such as The Shooting Edge (Fabarm shotgun for raffle), William Evans (clothing and gear), Cabelas, and a raft of others.
A few local businesses have pitched in to sponsor a youth team, and the team spots are now all full due to limited land parcels for this time of year.
There is still some spots for some hunters on a few of the teams. Quite a few entries are short 1-3 people and would love to have the extra shooters if you are so inclined. Contact Nan at the number in my original post.

[rae61]

I agree with Pikegolf; the studies just don't support the notion that released pheasants help build the wild populations. Will a few birds make it, sure, but very few. Good article... http://www.pheasantsforever.org/Blog...ll-Futile.aspx A pheasant that has survived predators and the fall hunters has the genetics and savvy that can't be replaced by a "fresh" pen bird. I hope everyone has an enjoyable and safe hunt and the auction items raise some good coin!

[elkhunter11]

Originally Posted by rae61

I agree with Pikegolf; the studies just don't support the notion that released pheasants help build the wild populations. Will a few birds make it, sure, but very few. Good article... http://www.pheasantsforever.org/Blog...ll-Futile.aspx A pheasant that has survived predators and the fall hunters has the genetics and savvy that can't be replaced by a "fresh" pen bird. I hope everyone has an enjoyable and safe hunt and the auction items raise some good coin!

If pen raised pheasants don't survive, how did the wild pheasants get started in Alberta?

[pikergolf]

Harassing wild birds, in the middle of winter, is certainly not helping them.

[wwbirds]

Many WMU are open for pheasants until January 15th. Hunting teams "harassing" them for this one day is a daily occurrence by foxes, coyotes great horned owls and a variety of other predators and still some survive.

Many wily roosters flush at 75 to 100 yards this time of year through being conditioned to escaping predation so I expect these events leave many more planted birds than wild birds are harvested.

Every time a new bloodline is introduced to the wild stock they gain strength.

Many of the unharvested birds released here are quite wild within a week or they would not survive. I expect our late fall and winter releases account for numerous wild birds 5 miles in any direction.

When driving to the neighbors 5 miles south of here it is not unusual to see 15+ birds picking in a stubble field during extreme cold spells. They are not always visible due to the great cover in the area but early on a cold sunny morning in extreme cold it amazing to see how many actually inhabit the area.

[sns2]

Originally Posted by wwbirds

Many WMU are open for pheasants until January 15th. Hunting teams "harassing" them for this one day is a daily occurrence by foxes, coyotes great horned owls and a variety of other predators and still some survive.

Many wily roosters flush at 75 to 100 yards this time of year through being conditioned to escaping predation so I expect these events leave many more planted birds than wild birds are harvested.

Every time a new bloodline is introduced to the wild stock they gain strength.

Many of the unharvested birds released here are quite wild within a week or they would not survive. I expect our late fall and winter releases account for numerous wild birds 5 miles in any direction.

When driving to the neighbors 5 miles south of here it is not unusual to see 15+ birds picking in a stubble field during extreme cold spells. They are not always visible due to the great cover in the area but early on a cold sunny morning in extreme cold it amazing to see how many actually inhabit the area.

Great post, Rob!

[pikergolf]

Originally Posted by sns2

Great post, Rob!

Money wins!

[sns2]

Originally Posted by pikergolf

Money wins!

Please explain

Btw, if I had some money I would be heading down for that shoot!!

Sent from my Pixel 2 using Tapatalk

[angery jonn]

"Every time a new bloodline is introduced to the wild stock they gain strength."

Is there any studies proving this? I would be quite interested in reading them.

In my opinion a released bird that has been raised in a pen until January has next to zero chance of survival. I find it funny when people argue that their the same bird and have a good chance of survival. Whenever I've gone to a release site there is dead birds everywhere, thanks to birds of prey. Yet rarely see it with wild populations, I wonder why that is. A bird that has been supplied food/water all winter and has netting protecting it from aerial predators, will die quickly from starvation, freezing or death from above, IMO.

Personally I really don't agree with releasing birds to hunt during the off season where wild populations exist. But hey that's just my opinion and it's not illegal, so what ever floats your boat.

BTW the vast majority of WMU's that are open for Roosters right now, don't hold a wild population... just saying.

[rae61]

Originally Posted by elkhunter11

If pen raised pheasants don't survive, how did the wild pheasants get started in Alberta?

This is taken for the Calgary PF website:
"If stocking initially established pheasants in my province, why wouldn’t it work now?
When pheasants were first introduced, the landscape was far different from the one we have today. Farming techniques were primitive, field sizes smaller and crops more diversified. These habitat conditions created a situation ideally suited for the introduction of a farmland species like the ring-necked pheasant."


It took over 30 years from the first stocking to the the first pheasant season in 1939, and that was with far better and more abundant habitat than remains today. I firmly believe that the biggest threat to the wild pheasant population is perpetual habitat loss.

The Calgary PF site has some good Q&A here http://www.pfcalgary.ca/portfolio-item/the-facts/

[wwbirds]

chick mortality in wild hatched birds has been studied and clutches of 14 eggs as high as 10 hatch. Of those 10 fewer than 5 will survive 4 weeks due to hypothermia and predation. I have seen 2 wild chicks fledge here only to die in the first cold rain of fall. Southern Alberta is well above the most northern acceptable habitat (South Dakota is prime).
Add to this pheasants are both territorial and cannibalistic so they dont even like each other. The strong breeding birds will always claim the best cover and force any others (male or female) from that territory forcing surplus birds into lesser habitiat where they often fall prey to predation. Good habitat is the key and the release sites are not even close from what I have seen. That is put and take. Patricia area has better habitiat along the river thus a better population spread out over that prime habitiat.

[threeforthree]

Good luck guys,,,,and partridge is Still open too....if you need some dog power, I would drive up for sat hunt,just not interested in the entry fee part of it.PM me if ya need a dog that listens and will not bust birds.