Taber Pheasant Festival

KANTRESIST · #1 08-03-2011, 02:32 PM

Taber is hosting its first pheasant Festival this is the info from the Poster they asked me to put up at my dealership. October 15 -22 they are going to release 3000 birds in 30 sites in the MD Taber. First day oppurtunites for novice hunters including gun safety clay target practice and a mentored pheasant hunt. Im told its going to be a three year deal if its sucessfull the will keep it going the contact info on the poster is Todd Zimmerling Alberta Conservation 1877 969 9091 .It also sponserd by Pheasants Forever UBA MD TABER TOWN TABER . Just Passing on the info this could turn into something great for hunters . Have Great Day guys

Rockymtnx · #2 08-03-2011, 03:20 PM

Sounds like a great idea for promoting the sport, and even tourisim for the MD of Taber.

Whos interested in attending? So far this post caught my eye. I will have to look into the details.

Pixel Shooter · #3 08-03-2011, 03:28 PM

I'm in

mikeo2 · #4 08-03-2011, 03:28 PM

I'm definetly interested in this, I will have to look into it as well.

Scotty P. · #5 08-03-2011, 03:29 PM

I'm more than confident that I could get 2 or 3 people interested no problem. I've never hunted Pheasant but I'd love to try. I'll definately have to find some more info. Thanks for posting!

catnthehat · #6 08-03-2011, 03:34 PM

JEEPERS- We may just be on the "Great Alberta Bird Safari" that week, may have to check things out and pencil it in!!!

Cat

Fish Feathers Game · #7 08-03-2011, 04:43 PM

Dan, I might be interested.....depends on some timing with some special tags though!!!

hunterfisher · #8 08-03-2011, 04:50 PM

count me in if nothing pops up.

Tabers Best · #9 08-03-2011, 09:50 PM

It just wouldn't be cool without Tabers Best.

Rockymtnx · #10 08-03-2011, 09:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fish Feathers Game

Dan, I might be interested.....depends on some timing with some special tags though!!!

Jim that special tag should easily be filled the weekend before. Plus I think tht K-Country guide of yours will be leaving on a hunting trip right around this time.

Cowtown guy · #11 08-03-2011, 11:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rockymtnx

Sounds like a great idea for promoting the sport, and even tourisim for the MD of Taber.

Whos interested in attending? So far this post caught my eye. I will have to look into the details.

I think this may be a good time also. I will most likely be in as well.

oldgutpile · #12 08-04-2011, 05:12 AM

Great idea! Someone in Taber is definitely on the ball. Will have to watch this one to see if it will catch on in other communities.

RockyMountainMusic · #13 08-04-2011, 07:01 AM

I may be down in that area that week hunting antelope, would love to try shooting some pheasants. I guess i will know next thursday.

bessiedog · #14 08-04-2011, 09:20 AM

My oldest girl is going to be able to shoot birds for the first time this season! We got friends on Taber we can stay with. This is super news!!!

Last year the pickings were a bit slim around Magrath. I'd love to get her and my new dog out together on a release.
I usually avoid releases, but with a new dog and hunter.... it'd be good medicine!

BTW.... We're still desperately looking for a good used 20guage (junior sized) for her to start working with. If anyone has a lead on this, please fire us a PM.

We got a gun show here on the 6th...fingers crossed.

coldredneck · #15 08-04-2011, 10:34 AM

Count me and hopefully a couple more in !!!
Yee haw !!

whitetail Junkie · #16 08-04-2011, 03:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KANTRESIST

Taber is hosting its first pheasant Festival this is the info from the Poster they asked me to put up at my dealership. October 15 -22 they are going to release 3000 birds in 30 sites in the MD Taber. First day oppurtunites for novice hunters including gun safety clay target practice and a mentored pheasant hunt. Im told its going to be a three year deal if its sucessfull the will keep it going the contact info on the poster is Todd Zimmerling Alberta Conservation 1877 969 9091 .It also sponserd by Pheasants Forever UBA MD TABER TOWN TABER . Just Passing on the info this could turn into something great for hunters . Have Great Day guys

This sounds exellent,my wild birds took a pounding last year in my pheasant hole and the numbers are still down...dont really want to hunt there this fall,but I'm off work from oct 20th to 23rd so this taber thing would work out...any info on the exact location of release sites? or could you please post a link to the poster..thanks! WJ

trapshooter · #17 08-04-2011, 05:38 PM

Me and my hunting buddy will be there for sure.

kinwahkly · #18 08-05-2011, 05:05 PM

Im in for sure.

Zimmerling · #19 08-05-2011, 08:54 PM

I can give you some quick info on the Taber pheasant festival. It is being led by Alberta Conservation Association, with the help of a large number of other groups including local AFGA clubs, PF Calgary, Taber Kinsmen, UBA, AHEIA, Canadian Pheasant Company as well as numerous local businesses and individuals from Lethbridge and Taber.

We don't have the details up on our webpage yet, but hopefully by the middle of this month (ab-conservation.com). On the 15-16 there will be novice hunter training and hunts. Then from the 17th to 22nd we will be releasing 3000 pheasants across 30 sites, all within one-hour drive of Taber. To ensure that you get a quality hunt we will be taking reservations or hunting a morning or afternoon on a release site (four hunters per session). So far we have close to 40 land owners who have indicated that they would be willing to allow the pheasants to be released on their land and allow hunters for the week. Our next step will be going out to each site and determine which 30 we will use. So at this point I can't tell you where the sites are, not because its a secret, but just because I don't know yet. As soon as we work it out we will post the locations on our website so that you can then phone and reserve your hunting spot for half a day (3 sessions in the week but only 1 in a day). There is no cost to participate in the hunting.

On Friday the 21 we will be having a tradehow/meet and greet at the Taber community centre. It will be open to everyone to come down and learn more about the various groups involved, learn a bit about pheasants and pheasant habitat and play a bunch of games. AHEIA will be there with their various shooting game trailers so it shoudl be fun.

On the final Saturday (October 22) we will be having a wind-up celebration dinner at the Taber Community Centre. The event will include a dinner, entertainment (Tim Hus) and prizes. You will need to purchase a ticket for the dinner.

So far the people in and around Taber have been very supportive. The Town Council, MD and Chamber of Commerence all see the great economic benefit that hunters can bring to their area and they are really doing all they can to make sure that pheasant hunters have a good time. Now what we need are hunters to come to Taber to hunt pheasants, and hopefully 400 will buy tickets to the wind-up dinner as well.

One of the posts mentioned that this was a three year event. In reality our goal is to get this festival up and running, find appropriate corporate sponsorship to keep it going and then move on to the next town to try and get another hunting related festival started. Our hope is that this can be done within a three year timeframe. If not we will have to evaluate if we are achieving our goal of increasing the number of pheasant hunters in the province, creating economic benefit to a local community, and improving hunter/land owner relations.

If you have any questions you can call me at work (780) 410-1990 or email me todd.zimmelring@ab-conservation.com

Hope I see you at the festival

Todd

SLH · #20 08-07-2011, 04:20 PM

Thanks for the update Todd sounds like an interesting event. I was hoping you could shed a little more light on the planned events.

Seeing that PF Calgary is involved there must be some conservation and habitat seminars planned; as a major directive of Pheasants Forever is not to release pheasants but rather concentrate on habitat so I must assume they are leading the effort on that end. I think this would be important considering the number of landowners and businesses that are lining up to have birds released on their land and to benefit from the potential upswing in hunter business. They have to be made aware that releases are not the answer to low pheasant numbers habitat is. It is also important to remember that this is going to cost $300 000 just for the birds so someone must be considering that if local dollars are to be used to push this into the future that the money would ultimately be better spent creating the conditions that would see the land producing those birds and not a hatchery.

Are all the birds coming from Brooks? I ask because of the talk that Brooks is all but shut down but this makes it sound like that information is not accurate. I also remember a couple of events last year that Brooks supplied the birds for and they were less than the quality one would expect. With the numbers of birds you are planning to release I know that there are a couple of producers that would probably be very interested in getting involved as well.

Also I’m curious as to who or what this UBA outfit is all about. They seem to be in more than a couple of news articles and now this event, yet it is difficult to find them on the net or any contact info for them. Could you enlighten us on who they are and what they are charged with as a group and in the effort to put on this event? Are they the group that is helping financially with the Brooks Hatchery?

At any rate thanks for the update and I hope this works out for everyone involved.

densa44 · #21 08-07-2011, 10:43 PM

There are at least 6 or more of us and three maybe more dogs. Where is this web site that I hear about.

Great idea by the way.

I'm guessing that Taber does not have a lot of motel rooms, are there dog friendly B&B's? If not can we use a trailer?

Zimmerling · #22 08-08-2011, 07:28 PM

PF's interest is in promoting pheasant hunting, getting more young people involved and talking with landowners regarding the importance of habitat. All groupps involved realize that pheasant releases are not a long term solutions, we have to improve the habitat and get more wild pheasants on teh landscape, but the habitat loss has happen over decades so we don't figure we will be able to slove the problem over night. We (ACA) do have a habitat program that we are running in partnership with PF and we will be promoting this program during the festival.

We are releasing 3000 birds so the cost is closure to $60,000 not $300,000, but your point is taken. The local groups I have talked with all recognize that have a high density of wild pheasants would be much better and the only way we will get there is with improved habitat. The majority of the birds will be comming from Brooks, but I think we have about 500 comming from a local grower as well. Given that we are looking at doing the releases in October there should be no problem with the maturity of the birds.

UBA is Upland Birds Alberta. They are a group of concerned businessmen that are funding some projects to try and come up with a more cost effect approach to the current pheasant release program. As you are probably aware the current government release program has been extended for only one more year. UBA is concerned that if teh government release program disappears so will pheasant hunting in Alberta. To the best of my knowledge they want to come up with a plan to keep the release program going and expanded while at the same time working to improve habitat. I believe their long-term is to eliminate the release program once we have a much larger number of wild birds available.

To the best of my knowledge UBA has nothing to do with the hatchery. Ken Bailey is their managing director I woudl encourage you to flip him a quick email to findout more on what they are doing (kbailey1@telusplanet.net). Their role with teh festival is as support. I am hopeful, they along with others can help us find some corporate sponsorship.

densa44, the website is www.ab-conservation.com, but I don't have the information posted yet. As soon as I do I will let you know on this thread.

Todd

SLH · #23 08-08-2011, 09:44 PM

Thanks for the clarifications, again I hope this all works out for everyone the way we all hope it can.

I'm encouraged by your acknowldgement of the limitations of releases and the importance of conservation and habitat improvements as the means to long term improvements to all wildlife populations. I will definitely be getting in touch with Mr. Bailey.

I strongly suggest that those wishing to utilize the release sites try to find a young or novice hunter to bring along. The true benefit of such an event is the exposure and hands on education to someone that has not been exposed to such hunting.

I look forward to hearing more details as they become available and will try and attend the open house.

Thank you again Todd.

Zimmerling · #24 08-24-2011, 06:02 PM

Information is now posted on the ACA website regarding the pheasant festival. Not alot more detail than I have already provided, but you can now purchase tickets to the Saturday night dinner and concert.

Maps for the release sites are will not be avialable until next month.

The web address is www.ab-conervation.com look for Taber Pheasant Festival on the right side.

Hope to see you there.

Todd

densa44 · #25 08-24-2011, 08:33 PM

I know this site allows a lot of originality where spelling is concerned, I enjoy it.

However it doesn't work so well with links, can you pls check. Thx.

Pixel Shooter · #26 08-24-2011, 08:42 PM

Had the same problem but figured it out, try this

On the top right hand side of page. cheers

www.ab-conservation.com

Pixel Shooter · #27 08-24-2011, 08:49 PM

After reading thru this, great opportunity to introduce others to the sport, why not offer it up on fellow AO'ers, father and son or daughter or others who have never had the opportunity to experience pheasant hunting. Careful it is addicting. Be happy to take a few out to have the opportunity to hunt under some great working dogs

if we can make it work.

Be great as well to meet up with other AO'ers for those who are going to take advantage of this!

Nothing like pheasant hunting!!

Zimmerling · #28 08-25-2011, 06:37 PM

Sorry about the link, glad you figured it out.

Pixel Shooter, I am not sure I understand exactly what you are saying. Are you suggesting we should have a seperate father son/daughter event as part of the festival? It is a great idea, but to be honest we have all the activities we can handle for the first year. The novice hunters certainly can go out with their Dad or Mom or any other family memeber if they wish on Oct 16 and you can sign-up for several different hunting times if you would like to take some new hunters out yourself during the week.
The response has been tremedous already and I think we are going to be overwheled in this first year, but hopefully we can gain momentum and do something even bigger next year.

Pixel Shooter · #29 08-25-2011, 07:07 PM

Thanks, to clarify, I was offering AO members who have never had the opportunity to pheasant hunt, whether father, son or daughter or just members to join up with me sometime during these dates to join up and have the opportunity to hunt pheasants, nothing like watching dogs do what they luv to do :0) . Secondly if there are a bunch of AO members going, be great to join up at end of day.

Sorry should have been more clear. Just trying to encourage those who have never experienced pheasant hunting or dont have dogs to take in such a great event with a little encouragement, no better place to offer then here

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zimmerling

Sorry about the link, glad you figured it out.

Pixel Shooter, I am not sure I understand exactly what you are saying. Are you suggesting we should have a seperate father son/daughter event as part of the festival? It is a great idea, but to be honest we have all the activities we can handle for the first year. The novice hunters certainly can go out with their Dad or Mom or any other family memeber if they wish on Oct 16 and you can sign-up for several different hunting times if you would like to take some new hunters out yourself during the week.
The response has been tremedous already and I think we are going to be overwheled in this first year, but hopefully we can gain momentum and do something even bigger next year.

densa44 · #30 08-25-2011, 08:59 PM

I think this is a wonderful idea, it creates a tourist attraction where there wasn't one before.

Believe it or not the doggy world has changed, for the better I think, most of our handlers in the Wild Rose Navhda are women. They are women, and rookies but their dogs are anything but! They are all looking forward to having a go and seeing the sights of Taber.

This will be great, we have an English setter, large and small munsterlander, GSP, PPs, Vizlas, Brittanies, wiemeraners, and a french one whoes breed escapes me.