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09-28-2017, 02:01 PM
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Banned
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Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: edmonton
Posts: 11,434
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Another great day in the fields and release site. IMG_3805.jpg
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10-02-2017, 08:11 AM
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Join Date: Apr 2012
Posts: 43
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Was at South Plain on Friday afternoon. Flushed 3 birds within an hour before the pup got too hot and had to call it a wrap. Saw lots of what looked like predator kills.
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10-02-2017, 08:15 AM
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Banned
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Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: edmonton
Posts: 11,434
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Quote:
Originally Posted by AVA
Was at South Plain on Friday afternoon. Flushed 3 birds within an hour before the pup got too hot and had to call it a wrap. Saw lots of what looked like predator kills.
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Good point. A person does come across a lot of predator kills.
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10-03-2017, 10:11 PM
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Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Edmonton
Posts: 100
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Not many birds at Daysland today - 2 birds up in 3.5 hours of walking. Fair bit of snow so they were in the trees & sitting tight. Not many shots heard except somebody with 2 Brittany's running wild: I guess his constant yelling and shooting were supposed to be calling the dogs back. Didn't work as they must have been 1/2 mile from the guy. I guess the fancy electronic collars weren't helping. Didn't really I appreciated his dogs running through my hunt.
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10-03-2017, 10:27 PM
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Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Camrose
Posts: 45,112
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ursus
Not many birds at Daysland today - 2 birds up in 3.5 hours of walking. Fair bit of snow so they were in the trees & sitting tight. Not many shots heard except somebody with 2 Brittany's running wild: I guess his constant yelling and shooting were supposed to be calling the dogs back. Didn't work as they must have been 1/2 mile from the guy. I guess the fancy electronic collars weren't helping. Didn't really I appreciated his dogs running through my hunt.
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You noticed that circus as well? He must be hoarse from all that yelling. It was a lot tougher walking in that snow today, and the grass was down flat pushing the birds that were left into the thick brush.
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10-04-2017, 09:30 AM
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Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Edmonton
Posts: 100
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The Daysland dog circus was pretty hard to miss. It did detract a little from the experience when there's someone yelling for hours - it was moronic but who am I to judge someone else's hunting methods. Who knows, maybe all that yelling flushes birds (his dogs weren't doing him much good).
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10-04-2017, 09:45 AM
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Join Date: Jan 2009
Posts: 121
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Had a day last week at Daysland with my dog and was very impressed with how much good cover there was . Sadly though as per my last trip 90% of the birds were on the same 20 acres as last year when I went. If you want to get some contact you have to wade into a war zone were every shot is a call for all other hunters to join you in the hunt. Ended up in a crowd of 8 people and tried to get away by walking opposite of everyone else and as I left the area my dog flushed a bird 5 yards from me. I didn't even raise my shotgun as I was so close to multiple hunters but 3 other guys all took shots from 60 plus yards. Of course bird kept flying and I went home.
Great site but could be so much better if the would spread the birds out more.
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10-04-2017, 11:26 AM
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Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 528
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Everytime I've been to one of these release sites I end up leaving with a bad taste in my mouth. I wish they would stop the program, invest in good habitat and concentrate on bring back wild populations.
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Friends don't let friends buy Labs!
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10-04-2017, 11:50 AM
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Join Date: Sep 2013
Posts: 367
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Quote:
Originally Posted by angery jonn
Everytime I've been to one of these release sites I end up leaving with a bad taste in my mouth. I wish they would stop the program, invest in good habitat and concentrate on bring back wild populations.
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Is it because you aren't successful at these release sites?
How else can an average person who doesn't own land or know someone that owns land hunt for Pheasants?
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10-04-2017, 12:21 PM
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Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Edmonton
Posts: 100
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Hunting mid-week is the key for me. Rather than closing the program, I'd support opening more sites. There is a lot of interest out there: it's a fun hunt. Self-sustaining pheasants in central AB is unlikely but I'd like to see it tried. The tendency for others to flock to the shot is noticeable at times but when I see hunters, I just change direction. The birds do spread out but it would be nice to see a wider distribution if possible.
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10-04-2017, 01:15 PM
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Join Date: Sep 2013
Posts: 367
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ursus
Hunting mid-week is the key for me. Rather than closing the program, I'd support opening more sites. There is a lot of interest out there: it's a fun hunt. Self-sustaining pheasants in central AB is unlikely but I'd like to see it tried. The tendency for others to flock to the shot is noticeable at times but when I see hunters, I just change direction. The birds do spread out but it would be nice to see a wider distribution if possible.
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You can have self sustaining pheasant populations if you own private land. I have seen a Hen and 3 or 4 pheasants hanging out together in a Small strip of forest on private land right by a Release site. I wonder if the owner of the property brought in a hen for the purposes of having reproducing population on his land. Lord knows that escaped released pheasants love hanging out on his property. Nice little refuge.
On his property, (I saw from the road) I saw a Pheasant hanging out with a covey of Hungarian Partridge one day!
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10-04-2017, 01:28 PM
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Join Date: Apr 2017
Posts: 15
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Went to Hopewell yesterday, arrived around 9 am very few hunters. Road was a little dicy getting in. Walked for about 2 hours didn't see anything, didn't hear any shots. The snow had flattened everything there was no cover in the area I walked in. I did see 2 as I was leaving, sitting off a row of trees on the property to N.E of the site. Smart birds no one can get them over there.
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10-04-2017, 04:14 PM
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Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 528
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 1stLand
Is it because you aren't successful at these release sites?
Yes I am very unsuccessful at the release sites... not sure what I’m doing wrong.
How else can an average person who doesn't own land or know someone that owns land hunt for Pheasants?
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The same way you hunt everything else in this province that doesn’t have a release site...
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Friends don't let friends buy Labs!
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10-04-2017, 07:47 PM
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Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: North of Cochrane
Posts: 6,670
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Buffalo lake at 4:00 pm Wed Oct 4
2 shooters and 4 dogs, and it wasn't all that bad. The dogs got the first one. The rooster ran into heavy cover and when he jumped he hit a branch and Sienna had him. One bird with no holes. Second one flushed from inside heavy cover again but wf hit him (a bit far back) with her 20 ga. and as soon as he hit the ground took to running back into the cover. Jose had him in no time and brought him back to wf. That was it for us.
Jump shot some ducks on way home, got a blue bill so evidence that some northerns have arrived.
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"The well meaning have done more damage than all the criminals in the world" Great grand father "Never impute planning where incompetence will predict the phenomenon equally well" Father
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10-04-2017, 08:56 PM
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Join Date: Mar 2008
Posts: 2,168
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Quote:
Originally Posted by angery jonn
Everytime I've been to one of these release sites I end up leaving with a bad taste in my mouth. I wish they would stop the program, invest in good habitat and concentrate on bring back wild populations.
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I have had great success on release sites as well as wild pheasants. But maybe that’s because I own a Lab.😜
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Moral indignation is a technique used to endow the idiot with dignity.
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10-04-2017, 09:35 PM
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Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Spencer Hills
Posts: 19
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1 rooster on Friday at Hopewell, not even a track today. There were 18 parked trucks though
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10-04-2017, 09:49 PM
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Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: My House
Posts: 13,458
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South Plain
Daysland today. Arrived at 5pm. Hunted with three dogs and got our four birds, well three because my dog brought back someone else's fairly fresh kill to me. Sloww compared to what we have had in weeks past.
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10-05-2017, 04:06 PM
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Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Edmonton
Posts: 100
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Daysland today. 2 hunters, 1 dog, 2 birds flushed, none shot. Heard a bit of shooting. Birds deep in the bush.
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10-06-2017, 12:39 PM
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Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Edmonton
Posts: 8,303
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Went to Daysland this morning with my eight year old Daughter. Not much going on. The golden put one up and I was fortunate enough to fold it. Walked about 4 kilometres then the girl was wanting to head back. Notice our 8.5 year old golden was kind of limping, could find anything wrong but instead of pushing her or my daughter for another bird I called it and we came home.
Spoke to one other hunter and he had one bird as well. A few shots as we were packing up from across the site.
Tons of geese in the air and in the fields along Hiway 14 and 855.
BW
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10-06-2017, 02:03 PM
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Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Edmonton
Posts: 2,788
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Got one bird at Daysland today. It was the first for the dog and I both.
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10-06-2017, 03:35 PM
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Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Camrose
Posts: 45,112
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SamSteele
Got one bird at Daysland today. It was the first for the dog and I both.
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Congrats to you both. Was hoping to meet you, but got away a little late. I heard 40 shots or more, and all were coming from the same area by the water, I assume someone shooting ducks
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Only accurate guns are interesting.
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10-06-2017, 03:38 PM
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Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Edmonton
Posts: 2,788
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Quote:
Originally Posted by elkhunter11
Congrats to you both. Was hoping to meet you, but got away a little late. I heard 40 shots or more, and all were coming from the same area by the water, I assume someone shooting ducks
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I was too, but we needed to leave around 1. I heard close to 40 shots as well, around the south central side. They were definitely after pheasants. My son and I joked that they must have run out of shells.
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FB: HarderOutdoors
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10-06-2017, 03:56 PM
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Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Edmonton
Posts: 1,941
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SamSteele
I was too, but we needed to leave around 1. I heard close to 40 shots as well, around the south central side. They were definitely after pheasants. My son and I joked that they must have run out of shells. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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We were walking out to the east access and the release truck did a drop in the big clearing -- all birds released from one spot. There were about 6 to 8 people close in on the area quickly. Watched from distance for a bit and there were lot's of shots We walked away and out. Got one bird early in the am.
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10-06-2017, 04:24 PM
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Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Sylvan Lake
Posts: 3,419
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I know that beggars cant be choosers, but last year the guy released the birds at Bigelow in many different areas. This year they are always near the parking areas.
There is many acres that take a 1/2 hour to walk to where there was always birds for those willing to make the effort. I have walked these areas at least once a week and the dogs have never once even got birdy. It is a damn shame as it is some of the best habitat on the property.
I always manage to get some birds but always near the truck. It must be a new guy this year and perhaps he doesn't know the extent of the property??
On a more positive note, I have seen several large wild looking roosters on the hi-ways far from the release sites from a couple to many miles. One big fellow I saw today was nothing short of impressive with a very long tail. He was in front of a farm house where the people are perhaps helping him out a bit. A beautiful critter to see and hopefully the mild winters will continue to allow them to take root and flourish.
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10-06-2017, 04:42 PM
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Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Edmonton
Posts: 8,303
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MK2750
I know that beggars cant be choosers, but last year the guy released the birds at Bigelow in many different areas. This year they are always near the parking areas.
There is many acres that take a 1/2 hour to walk to where there was always birds for those willing to make the effort. I have walked these areas at least once a week and the dogs have never once even got birdy. It is a damn shame as it is some of the best habitat on the property.
I always manage to get some birds but always near the truck. It must be a new guy this year and perhaps he doesn't know the extent of the property??
On a more positive note, I have seen several large wild looking roosters on the hi-ways far from the release sites from a couple to many miles. One big fellow I saw today was nothing short of impressive with a very long tail. He was in front of a farm house where the people are perhaps helping him out a bit. A beautiful critter to see and hopefully the mild winters will continue to allow them to take root and flourish.
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Agree with you. Random releases at the sites are perfect, would even be better with random release with in the site. Or no hunting after 2pm and all releases remain random but after 2pm.
BW
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10-06-2017, 05:22 PM
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Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Sylvan Lake
Posts: 3,419
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I am not sure exactly how the relationship with the farmers work. Obviously the land is farmed, but are the farmers leasing the land from ACA or vise versa?
Regardless of the relationship it would be awesome to have some acres of standing corn. I would definitely pay towards the planting and I believe many others would as well.
Standing corn provides protection from predators, including humans with dogs, provides both food and shelter for the birds and could be left or harvested for feed if possible after the season.
I am not sure how much a farmer needs to profit from an acre but if hunters pooled together it would make the release sites much better and the birds would be spread out with many more survivors. A few rows standing in those open fields would add much more room for hunters and dogs. I think it would eliminate the release day only being good as I think the numbers would remain once built up. The local birds were numerous at Wessex the last time I was there because of the good habitat and at WWBirds property.
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10-06-2017, 05:24 PM
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Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Camrose
Posts: 45,112
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SamSteele
I was too, but we needed to leave around 1. I heard close to 40 shots as well, around the south central side. They were definitely after pheasants. My son and I joked that they must have run out of shells.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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I was North of where they release the birds , and initially I heard shots from the release area, but the later shots were all to the west near the big body of water. There were up to five and six shots in a volley, and no single shots, so I assumed that they were not shooting pheasants. There was one group of four people that did a lot of shooting in the release vicinity though. Two of the birds that they missed flew right past me, but I prefer to only shoot birds that my dog points, so I just watched them fly by. We found our birds well away from the release area. We also found two cripples that couldn't fly.
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Last edited by elkhunter11; 10-06-2017 at 05:33 PM.
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10-06-2017, 06:28 PM
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Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Edmonton
Posts: 1,190
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I was also out at Daysland this afternoon and it sounded like a war zone coming from the pond area. Sounded like someone hunting ducks. However, I didn't see any other hunters all afternoon.
My britt pointed a couple pheasants and retrieved them both, although I only shot one. The second was a runner that someone previously wounded, the dog caught it and brought it back so I finished it off and called it a day. Both birds were in the grass, not in the bush.
Saw some large flocks of geese coming in to land on the ducks unlimited site just south of hwy 26. I was gonna stop and jump shoot some but I didn't have my waders or kayak and I have no idea if my dog would do a water retrieve. We've only ever hunted upland birds.
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10-06-2017, 09:29 PM
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Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 1,248
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Sadly it was a group of 3 parked at the West entrance shooting shotguns and a SKS at the parking lot near the lake. We noticed a guy sitting there when we got there with the rifle and couldn't figure out why. English wasn't his first language as we told him we were hunting birds but he had 2 others with him that were bird hunting so figured that it was safe but wish I got a plate#. They opened up when we were on the backside of the lake and it was not a great feeling. SKS rounds ricocheting off the water at a pheasant release site has anything beat I have seen. We tried to go around and get their plate# to report them but they left. It was unreal.
S
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10-06-2017, 09:39 PM
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Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Camrose
Posts: 45,112
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Quote:
Originally Posted by shedcrazy
Sadly it was a group of 3 parked at the West entrance shooting shotguns and a SKS at the parking lot near the lake. We noticed a guy sitting there when we got there with the rifle and couldn't figure out why. English wasn't his first language as we told him we were hunting birds but he had 2 others with him that were bird hunting so figured that it was safe but wish I got a plate#. They opened up when we were on the backside of the lake and it was not a great feeling. SKS rounds ricocheting off the water at a pheasant release site has anything beat I have seen. We tried to go around and get their plate# to report them but they left. It was unreal.
S
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And yet every time something careless or unsafe is reported to be occurring at a release site, the same individual responds that it couldn't possibly be happening, and it must be fake news.
Only an idiot would be ricocheting SKS rounds off of the water at a release site, with other people in the near vicinity.
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