May be another pheasant hunt come spring

[32-40win]

Mayor of Drumheller is floating the notion of putting together a pheasant event there. May be an idea to let him know you support it.

http://www.drumhelleronline.com/loca...t-in-the-works

[Sceptreguy]

Just curious. Why would you not need a license if you are hunting in an open field? I get that you wouldn't if you are shooting your own birds in some sort of enclosure but how can you guarantee that there were no birds in the field before you released yours. You may in fact be shooting wild pheasants.

Or is it if you release say 10 birds you can shoot 10 birds. May be 8 released and 2 wild as long as the overall number is equal to the birds you released?? Or does the license the organization get take into account that wild birds may be located in these fields as well as released birds.

[catnthehat]

The shooting grounds permit would cover the lusence issue .
Same as if you went to Wessex or a white Wolf to hunt birds
Cat

[densa44]

IME you need a doggy person/hunter involved, plus volunteers and interested land owners. That's about it. There is a new one running this fall in Oyen, and a group of hunter/volunteers from Calgary is doing the work. I say good for them. The more of these derbies or festivals the more birds will be released, new hunters will be encouraged and from my perspective more hunters will be encouraged to hunt with a trained dog.

[bessiedog]

The more of these hunts... The better!

I don't know why Magrath, Raymond or Cardston dosen't do this.

[trapperdodge]

I'm ok with shooting released birds. What I'm not ok with is taking wild birds as collateral damage.
Wild pheasants are precious things in AB as there are so few. A pen raised bird is not the equivalent of a wild bird. Not even close.
If these shoots are taking wild birds F&W should shut them down and fine them appropriately.

[catnthehat]

Originally Posted by trapperdodge

I'm ok with shooting released birds. What I'm not ok with is taking wild birds as collateral damage.
Wild pheasants are precious things in AB as there are so few. A pen raised bird is not the equivalent of a wild bird. Not even close.
If these shoots are taking wild birds F&W should shut them down and fine them appropriately.

A released bird does not get shot for an number of reasons, flying out of bounds, missed, not found by the dogs, etc.
How long does it take for that bird to become a "wild " bird? Not long I would suspect.
Cat

[SLH]

Originally Posted by catnthehat

A released bird does not get shot for an number of reasons, flying out of bounds, missed, not found by the dogs, etc.
How long does it take for that bird to become a "wild " bird? Not long I would suspect.
Cat

And you would be wrong.

If these releases are happening on the same grounds as wild birds already exist there is only downside for the wild birds.

[Newellknik]

Those release hunts have been the undoing of a few good wild bird
patches in that Duchess , Rosemary area .For all the good work the
Pheasant company might have done ,their released birds corporate
hunts really didn't contribute to the numbers .
The reason no release hunts in Raymond , Magrath area is because
they do have wild birds and want to keep it that way .
Good for Drumheller, , I won't want to miss that one !

[32-40win]

For the area I hunt up that way, I have only seen one pheasant there in 10 yrs.
Could be, I don't frequent the right zones around there, as well. But, my view is that wild birds around there are not something to worry about too much.

[Ormachek]

There's no such thing as a wild pheasant in alberta....they're feral pheasants

[SLH]

Originally Posted by Ormachek

There's no such thing as a wild pheasant in alberta....they're feral pheasants

Well for the more enlightened lets call them Self-sustaining Populations.

If you dont have an SSP then knock yourself out. If you ever want an SSP give them habitat

[trapperdodge]

About 10 years ago the province if SK trapped pheasants and sent them to Ontario. I think 300 was the number. They did not fare well. Im told the project failed largely because of habitat.
They did release pen raised birds because of the extreme mortality. I've been told by the biology community that mortality approaches 100% within 24 hours with pen raised birds. If you want to establish a population you don't use domestic birds.
So even if a bird isn't shot and escapes off property it's chance at survival is extremely low. Certainly not the equivalent of a wild bird.
As I stated above. Albertas wild pheasant population is fragile and needs to be carefully monitored or we will lose an important hinting opportunity.
I'm ok with shooting released birds. It should never take place anywhere near wild pheasant habitat.

[catnthehat]

Originally Posted by SLH

And you would be wrong.

If these releases are happening on the same grounds as wild birds already exist there is only downside for the wild birds.

Ya figure?
I don't think so , but then everybody has their poisons on released birds .
If you first to the guys who are raising and rekeasing birds, there is not 100% morality for pen raised birds .
Cat

[M.C. Gusto]

Originally Posted by catnthehat

A released bird does not get shot for an number of reasons, flying out of bounds, missed, not found by the dogs, etc.
How long does it take for that bird to become a "wild " bird? Not long I would suspect.
Cat

Not long at all because they usually are dead within days.

[sns2]

Well naysayers, I know that Stettler's Pheasant Festival has contributed a number of hens and roosters that have made it through the winter, and have in all likelihood hatched this spring.

Has that now not contributed toward a self-sustaining, wild if you will, population? I'd say if they avoided hawks and coyotes for the winter they are pretty wiley birds.

I say the more the better!

[aulrich]

There were wild birds on our parcel at taber last year, they were the ones that flushed wild at 300 yards when I blew the whistle to turn the dog.

And promptly flew across the river.

Wild birds take care of themselves mostly fine.

[pikergolf]

I took part in a pheasant release today. Was pretty cool to see those youngsters disappear into the cover. I guess this winter will tell the tale as there are no wild birds in this particular coulee.

[MathewsArcher]

Wild stock all came from pen raised birds, they had to start somewhere, so some must survive.

[MathewsArcher]

Those self sustaining populations had to come from somewhere, pretty sure it was from pen raised birds in this province, at least some of them must be smart enough to adapt and survive.

[Sledhead71]

Originally Posted by M.C. Gusto

Not long at all because they usually are dead within days.

My findings are that mortality rates for released birds will be 85 to 90 %. This based on actual knowledge and probably thousands being released. The shooting permit is per quarter section, disturbance is minimal to existing birds. The population of the tail draggers increased to the point where it's been a few years since I've had birds in the pen.

[bessiedog]

Being concerned about wild rainbow trout.

Thems an invasive species.

I think the economic benefit for the community (and the possible realized economic value of having 'cover habitat')... Should pretty much outweigh the 'cost' of a few feral birds taken.

These activities WILL generate a perceived value in local habitat.

This stuff should be promoted.

Be concerned about the stuff that provides the opportunity for wild birds.

[elkhunter11]

Originally Posted by sns2

Well naysayers, I know that Stettler's Pheasant Festival has contributed a number of hens and roosters that have made it through the winter, and have in all likelihood hatched this spring.

Has that now not contributed toward a self-sustaining, wild if you will, population? I'd say if they avoided hawks and coyotes for the winter they are pretty wiley birds.

I say the more the better!

I saw several pheasants along the roads North of Stettler last November. This was about a month after the festival, and it was several miles from the nearest release site, so some of the released birds did last at least a month in the wild

[densa44]

The local people are very pleased, there are pheasants in many areas in the country this year. For those worried about the wild population mixed with the newly released birds, the birds that we release can have leg bands but we didn't put them on because there were stories of some of the roosters that survived losing a foot due to the band. We didn't have any "wild" birds when we started.

Anyway this year there will be "wild" hens out there so be careful don't shoot the hens.

If you wish to volunteer to help or offer your land just give the Board of trade a call.

See you soon.

[trapperdodge]

At one time within memory pheasants occupied habitat north as far as Camrose. Lots of the locals there remember hunting them into the 60's.
Habitat was lost to Ag and the birds disappeared. They ended up hanging on in the south in local populations.
Sacrificing even one wild bird on the alter of a canned shoot is not right.
I'm good with economic promotion and canned shoots to get it done I just think thinking a shot wild bird is not replaced by a released bird that wasn't harvested.
The genetic pool of domestic birds is significantly inferior to the wild population.

[angery jonn]

Where did the "Wild" birds come from? Does anyone actually know? I've looked, can't seem to find any info on the original lineage in Alberta.

[catnthehat]

Originally Posted by angery jonn

Where did the "Wild" birds come from? Does anyone actually know? I've looked, can't seem to find any info on the original lineage in Alberta.

Fist introduced to Alberta in 1908
Cat

[angery jonn]

Yes, I could find that info easy enough. What I can't find, is what sub species of Ring neck was first introduced here.

[catnthehat]

Originally Posted by angery jonn

Yes, I could find that info easy enough. What I can't find, is what sub species of Ring neck was first introduced here.

PM wwbirds or Old Gutpile, or Reeves1 they will know for sure.
IIRC the were pure Chinese Ringnecks but I a be wrong.
Cat

[M.C. Gusto]

I am expecting a good number of wild birds this year, we had such a mild winter. Huns bounced back huge on my training grounds.
I have heard stories of pheasants up around Camrose back in the day. The farthest north i have seen wild pheasants are Cornation area. A friend of mine spent thousands on habitat and raising pheasants on his farm around Cornation. Even had wild birds come in an mate. They never really could make it through the fall.
I have released and helped raise pheasants in the past. I have released as many as 500 on a weekend and they were all dead within days. Coyotes, owls, hawks, and ravens took them all. The main thing imo to help keep these birds alive is a pen large and high enough where they can fly and build their flight muscles. Also, i have always thought it seemed like the birds sure have it easier from Brooks on south to the border.
I hunt along the Red Deer river and on the edge of Dinosaur Park and populations seems ok there.