Hopewell (Langdon) - pheasant site

[pdog15]

Made a trip today - about 4-5pm - to check things out. Not a soul around. No sign of any pheasants from last year on the site nor on the road to it. Did see two covies of greys - but, of course they were on private land and close to buildings. The site is much drier than I thought it would be, given all the summer rain. Zillions of mosquitoes.

According to the web - the site will be "pheasant ready" after Sept 15th. Hopefully measures will be taken against those who think it is cool to shoot the pheasants from, or close to, the truck as it makes it way around the sight on delivery days.

[HungryHunter]

I was there once last year on my first (and last) Pheasant hunt. I'd be surprised to see any birds there right now. From what I saw, most don't survive more than an hour or so after release. Hawks, coyotes and Old Man Winter probably mopped up any stragglers.

[elkhunter11]

I have heard enough about people shooting the birds as they leave the truck, that I will never hunt there.

[hairygrump]

It would be so simple for a conservation officer to hang there for a bit while the birds are being released. Aside from that though, I had several good days hunting there last year, yes, theres less birds a couple days after release but that just means they're a bit harder to hunt and the dog gets a good workout.

[elkhunter11]

Originally Posted by hairygrump

It would be so simple for a conservation officer to hang there for a bit while the birds are being released. Aside from that though, I had several good days hunting there last year, yes, theres less birds a couple days after release but that just means they're a bit harder to hunt and the dog gets a good workout.

It would be as simple as making a regulation that nobody is allowed to shoot within 300 meters of the bird delivery truck. If someone doesn't comply, fine them and ban them from all of the release sites.
The friends that witnessed the people shooting as the birds left the truck told me that they believed that no more than two or three birds actually survived the barrage, and it's possible that one or two of those birds were wounded.
They left immediately afterward, as did the people that slaughtered the birds as they left the truck.

[overhere]

Check the regs. Pheasant isn't open in WMU 156. Till October 15

[Newellknik]

But Hopewell is in WMU 212 Calgary .
Pen raised birds are raised to be killed by gunners .
Left to survive on their own in a place like Hopewell
No chance . I don't think you can make shooting
Released birds sporting . I have never seen a bird shot
Flying from the truck .....unless heading off the property .
In habitatless Alberta it's part of the pheasant experience .

[buckman]

Released birds are like shooting domestic chickens.Having said that if its your thing go ahead,after all better you that the Coyotes.

If you have never hunted wild birds try it, far more challenge and a much nicer bird looks and table wise.

[catnthehat]

Originally Posted by buckman

Released birds are like shooting domestic chickens.Having said that if its your thing go ahead,after all better you that the Coyotes.

If you have never hunted wild birds try it, far more challenge and a much nicer bird looks and table wise.

I dunno, I've shot wild birds that were hard to flush and stuck like glue and I've shot birds in release sites that ran and dodged like the toughest wild bird I have ever chased in four different Provinces .
If they survive the first few days it doesn't take them long to figure things out .
Ever seen a rooster punch a hawk in the gut with its beak that was going to drop on him?
I have and it was a released bird at Long pump .
Cat

[elkhunter11]

Originally Posted by catnthehat

I dunno, I've shot wild birds that were hard to flush and stuck like glue and I've shot birds in release sites that ran and dodged like the toughest wild bird I have ever chased in four different Provinces .
If they survive the first few days it doesn't take them long to figure things out .
Ever seen a rooster punch a hawk in the gut with its beak that was going to drop on him?
I have and it was a released bird at Long pump .
Cat

Exactly! The one release site that we hunt at , doesn't see a lot of hunting pressure, and birds can survive several days, and it doesn't take them long to learn about hunters. I have seen released birds run and evade a dog until they ran right right off of the release site. Other released birds took multiple very experienced dogs on a merry chase for a considerable time until they were finally cornered.

[wwbirds]

Anyone that feels shooting released birds is like shooting penned chickens should come and watch us plant between my west pasture and the 30 acre cat tail slough along the fenceline. Dave and I could get hours of entertainment watching them trying to find, catch up to and get a bird to flush.
A number of ranked shooters tried with field trial dogs a few years ago and after 5 hours and only 3 birds we felt sorry for them loosing so many birds on a paid "as wild as you can make it" shoot. With 3 more shooters and 2 more dogs we got another 3 of the 12 roosters that had been planted along that cover. 50% is about right for 6 shooters 5 dogs against 12 roosters in heavy cover!!!

p.s. I wont run my dogs at Hopewell as I used to hunt the site for coyotes for a local sheep farmer. Most of it is a foxtail slough and the results of a foxtail barb damaging a dog may not be apparent for many months after the outing. Several famous field trial dogs died of foxtails self penetrating into a blood vessel and traveling to the heart months later to kill the dog. Many more have had less serious but potentially life threatening penetrations where the barbs had to be surgically removed from swollen masses in the throat, tonsils or adnoids. One field trial dog I owned many years ago had 2 $600 surgeries in 2 months trying to find the source of the swelling. I wont run a dog near them never mind through them.

[hairygrump]

Wild birds, raised birds, I don't care. At this point, I'm just happy to have a place to go out and work the dog with a chance to pot a couple birds. With a young family and a very busy work schedule, that gives me about 4 or 5 hours a week to hunt. Pheasant release sites are perfect for that. In a few years, I will hopefully have the time to get out and explore a bit more but for I'll take whats close to home.

[aulrich]

I am not too fond of hopewell in general The cover is pretty crappy so it gets shot out fast. I do try to stay out of the foxtail areas I did run into a guy who's dog got stuck I am not sure on the final outcome.

I'll go there if I am bored or I get off work early enough to sneek an quick evening hunt. I think I went there 5 times and saw one bird. and lots of times the dog never even got birdy, and it's his opinion I trust the most.

As for sporting, the dog and I have been lead for marry chases and I have finished in 20 minutes(a precious few times) and skunked plenty of times.

Ironically I sort of feel guilty shooting an actual wild pheasant.

[cotang]

Not sure if anyone checked out the eastern irrigation district near bassano? It's pretty easy to get permission. Just call the main office and you get a printout. Pretty big place. Huge grass fields. Not sure what the bird situation is like but I heard their there.....