Pheasant Season

[Sashi]

With peasant season opening on Wednesday Sept 1, does anyone know If pheasants will have been dropped off at the Daysland site for opening day.

[elkhunter11]

There will be birds on opening day, and there will likely be a huge crowd chasing them as well. I drove up opening day a few years ago, and there were 26 vehicles parked, so I kept right on driving, and came back a few days later.

[buckman]

Opening day gong show,dangerous and not very gratifying.

[fishnguy]

Are the release days posted anywhere to know what dates to avoid? I want to “go for a walk” at one of the sites up north and would definitely prefer no crowds (though maybe it isn’t as crowed up north?). Don’t have a dog, so getting a bird would be a bonus, lol. Never been, but have been thinking to take a look for a few years now. Maybe this is the one.

[Prewar]

Originally Posted by fishnguy

Are the release days posted anywhere to know what dates to avoid? I want to “go for a walk” at one of the sites up north and would definitely prefer no crowds (though maybe it isn’t as crowed up north?). Don’t have a dog, so getting a bird would be a bonus, lol. Never been, but have been thinking to take a look for a few years now. Maybe this is the one.

Do you really think it would be intelligent to announce the release dates?

[ghostguy6]

They specifically dont release the dates or it would be total mayhem. I have heard of people shooting as soon as the door on the truck is opened.

[Big Grey Wolf]

Fishguy, if you have few hunters with dogs it will help your success, their dogs will flush birds that are missed many times and can come in your direction. Just as mentioned, they mix and match release days to confuse hunters?? that might follow the meat wagon.

[elkhunter11]

Originally Posted by ghostguy6

They specifically dont release the dates or it would be total mayhem. I have heard of people shooting as soon as the door on the truck is opened.

Years ago, I saw people sitting on lawn chairs drinking coffee, waiting for the truck at one site. Obviously , they knew when the truck was coming. When the truck drove in, they followed, loaded their guns and waited. As the driver opened the crates and released the birds, the fools opened fire at birds that were within 50 yards of the truck. Then they ran up, each grabbed two birds and left. There were cripples birds that other people took, and within 30 minutes, it was if nothing had happened. Now they release randomnly, to try and prevent this.

[buckman]

Originally Posted by elkhunter11

Years ago, I saw people sitting on lawn chairs drinking coffee, waiting for the truck at one site. Obviously , they knew when the truck was coming. When the truck drove in, they followed, loaded their guns and waited. As the driver opened the crates and released the birds, the fools opened fire at birds that were within 50 yards of the truck. Then they ran up, each grabbed two birds and left. There were cripples birds that other people took, and within 30 minutes, it was if nothing had happened. Now they release randomnly, to try and prevent this.

No "Hunting"if you can call it that should be allowed for 48 hours after the release. Its pathetic what some people will do to shoot a bird, and call it sport. The release date could be posted at the site and anyone violating the rule should have there license revoked.

[elkhunter11]

Originally Posted by buckman

No "Hunting"if you can call it that should be allowed for 48 hours after the release. Its pathetic what some people will do to shoot a bird, and call it sport. The release date could be posted at the site and anyone violating the rule should have there license revoked.

48 hours would never work, the predation by coyotes/hawks/owls would get way too many birds and many would leave the site. Even more importantly, it would also cut the available days to hunt in half, and concentrate the hunters on the days remaining. That would leave only one day on the weekend, and the crowding would make it unsafe. With the random releases, those "shooters" seem to have given up, I haven’t seen them in years. I can't comment on weekends, because I avoid weekends, but the system seems to be working much better now on weekdays.

[270WIN]

Originally Posted by elkhunter11

48 hours would never work, the predation by coyotes/hawks/owls would get way too many birds and many would leave the site. Even more importantly, it would also cut the available days to hunt in half, and concentrate the hunters on the days remaining. That would leave only one day on the weekend, and the crowding would make it unsafe. With the random releases, those "shooters" seem to have given up, I haven’t seen them in years. I can't comment on weekends, because I avoid weekends, but the system seems to be working much better now on weekdays.

I agree.
ACA is doing a great job of running the release program. It ain't broke so don't try to fix it..
Publishing the release dates or times would be a huge step backwards. In fact it would ruin the program in my view.

[buckman]

Originally Posted by elkhunter11

48 hours would never work, the predation by coyotes/hawks/owls would get way too many birds and many would leave the site. Even more importantly, it would also cut the available days to hunt in half, and concentrate the hunters on the days remaining. That would leave only one day on the weekend, and the crowding would make it unsafe. With the random releases, those "shooters" seem to have given up, I haven’t seen them in years. I can't comment on weekends, because I avoid weekends, but the system seems to be working much better now on weekdays.

You are right about the predation,I guess dead is dead shot or eaten. I wish they would find another way for pheasant hunters to get some sport. Was a time when wild birds did well in Alberta.

[FCLightning]

Originally Posted by buckman

You are right about the predation,I guess dead is dead shot or eaten. I wish they would find another way for pheasant hunters to get some sport. Was a time when wild birds did well in Alberta.

You mean that time when Brooks was raising over 100,000 birds a year to release?

[bessiedog]

There are many places where wild birds and few-no hunters exist in Alberta.

When I lived in Edmonton, I even knew of a semi-wild group that lasted from ‘86-‘90 when we had warmer winters right along the Sturgeon River……

Not a big fan of release birds….

[James M]

Originally Posted by FCLightning

You mean that time when Brooks was raising over 100,000 birds a year to release?

I’m pretty sure they still are. I came across this flock of 14+ in 2016.

[Gary]

No, before that. Back when habitat was abundant. The birds were wild. As a kid growing up in Brooks in the mid 60's, part way through the season, the limit went from 3 to 5 roosters a day. There were pheasants everywhere. The habitat was thick. All the irrigation ditches had cattails and willow all along them. Ditches along the roads had cover. Farm fields had lots of cover in the corners. Farming practices became more intense. The EID has buried pipes where there used to be canals. I believe pesticides, herbicides have also played a part in the demise of the wild pheasant population.

[Simplefarmer]

There are still areas which hold a healthy population of birds, as some have mentioned, habitat is the key... Here we have an abundance of the ditch parrots.

Jim

[smith88]

Originally Posted by Simplefarmer

There are still areas which hold a healthy population of birds, as some have mentioned, habitat is the key... Here we have an abundance of the ditch parrots.

Jim

I agree, I have quiet a few birds near my house. But I live near coulees with a slough and lots of cover and ag field close also

[270WIN]

It's reassuring to hear that there are still a few places with the habitat needed to support wild populations. Like others on here, I wish there were more places like that as there were back in the good old days. Unfortunately, I'm not optimistic about changes occurring which will permit that so I'm glad to have ACA running the release program and doing the excellent job they are doing in managing same.

[Big Grey Wolf]

Just as already mentioned we had many wild birds when Provincial Brooks Hatchery was operating and releasing 100,000 birds per season. Then Klienken gave our million $$ hatchery to some good PC supporters. However ACA is doing good job with the limited $$ resources they have to work with now.

[pdog15]

No hope at Hopewell this morning. Arrived about 8:45 - about a dozen hunters and a half dozen dogs. All was quiet - no shots and the dogs were not finding anything. Apparently about 80 birds were released last evening and whatever remained overnight were cleaned up by hunters arriving by day break. Always neat to watch the dogs working but have to wonder about flushing dogs working 100/200 yds from a handler. Sloughs and wet spots are dried up and there wasn’t much foxtail on the SE area.

[elkhunter11]

Originally Posted by pdog15

No hope at Hopewell this morning. Arrived about 8:45 - about a dozen hunters and a half dozen dogs. All was quiet - no shots and the dogs were not finding anything. Apparently about 80 birds were released last evening and whatever remained overnight were cleaned up by hunters arriving by day break. Always neat to watch the dogs working but have to wonder about flushing dogs working 100/200 yds from a handler.

That is why I don't bother with opening day. As for the flushing dogs over 100 yards from the handler, I see it regularly, and it doesn't work out very well, the dogs flush birds well out of shooting range.

[catnthehat]

Originally Posted by pdog15

Always neat to watch the dogs working but have to wonder about flushing dogs working 100/200 yds from a handler.

I have never owned or shot over a good flusher that worked that far out, and I have hunted with them a great many years.
Anybody I have ever hunted with kept their dogs close .
Cat

[Ursus]

I had a good 1st day out but I was on site at sunrise. My golden retriever put up 4 birds all within range and we got 2. The other 2 got away due to me being slow to pick up the sign that a bird was about.https://i.imgur.com/6aibAHK.jpg

[Red Bullets]

To make it interesting...Can't comment much except that an ACA email I got mentioned, and I quote:

"We will be releasing another batch of melanistic pheasants on our Provincial Pheasant Release Sites. Send us a photo if you see or harvest one!"

[spazzy]

Anybody head out to hopewell ? If so how was the fox tail this year ?

[TrapperMike]

When I used to have the release job hunting was shutdown at 2pm thus giving us a safe time to release and time for the birds to get climatized to the area. We released birds every day and received many complements from hunters who had great hunts.

[Springerman]

Originally Posted by spazzy

Anybody head out to hopewell ? If so how was the fox tail this year ?

Spazzy, I was at Hopewell 3x , twice before the season opened to exercise my dog and see what the conditions were like and on opening day.
The fox tail is not bad, it is shorter and sparcer than I have ever seen it. Most of the cover is shorter and very dry.
I haven't been down to the west end where the big pond is.

[elkhunter11]

Was out today, release truck was there, so I ran my dog far away, then came back when the shooting stopped , an hour later, shot my two birds and left. At least 60 shots fired, for maybe 10-12 birds.

[wildwoods]

Originally Posted by fishnguy

Are the release days posted anywhere to know what dates to avoid? I want to “go for a walk” at one of the sites up north and would definitely prefer no crowds (though maybe it isn’t as crowed up north?). Don’t have a dog, so getting a bird would be a bonus, lol. Never been, but have been thinking to take a look for a few years now. Maybe this is the one.

I always go without dogs. I usually fill my limit within 2-3 hrs or less sometimes. It’s a blast and adds a little more challenge to the hunt. There’s some beautiful country out there.