release site bird numbers not adding up.

[Stilly bay]

all season long I had the suspicion that they weren't releasing the same amount of birds at my local site ( leque/smith farm) as they have in the past. I have been chalking it up to an above average amount of hunters frequenting the release site this season.

last friday I talked the volunteer who releases pheasants and he confirmed that they are releasing about 40-45% less birds than they did last year at smith farm.  the weekends getting a grand total of 60-70 birds when in past years they were releasing around 120

he also said that they will no longer be releasing all the leftover birds for thanks giving like they have in the past.

what I would like to know is why this shortage of birds  not mentioned when they gave out the schedule BEFORE we bought our licenses.

I would also like to know if other people are finding their local release sites lacking in bird numbers this year.  if you would rather not air you opinions publicly, send me a PM.

[CP]

I’ve noticed less birds in the last week or two at Cherry V & Ebey island but earlier, no there have been plenty of birds released.

[Stilly bay]

I should also ad that the birds being released at smith farm are let go entirely too close to the river, highway, and no shooting areas so that many fly out of the box straight off the release site before anyone gets a chance at them the next day.

since we pay for these birds with license fees and taxes they are considered assets, and IMO are being mishandled but thats a whole 'nuther can of worms.

[CP]

I don't know about Smith farms but they are running out of dry land in the Snoqualmie Wildlife Area.

[Stilly bay]

don't those shut down because of flooding?

[CP]

If it gets bad enough they will stop releasing birds.

[NW-GSP]

I liked it allot more when you had to buy the punch cards. Seemed like a lot more people hunted the sites back then

[Stilly bay]

I liked it allot more when you had to buy the punch cards. Seemed like a lot more people hunted the sites back then

from what I am seeing over at the smith farm site there is no shortage of people hunting them now. the way its working out its probably five hunters per bird released over at smith farm on the weekends, and the weekdays aren't much better. t

[Mr56Jeep]

I liked it allot more when you had to buy the punch cards. Seemed like a lot more people hunted the sites back then

I wish I could say I had seen that but my personal observations show as many as ever.

[singleshot12]

maybe they're releasing more birds on other sites where the true elitists go and that deserve special treatment . that's bs if they're doing that, they're suppose to release the same amount of birds at all sites. maybe the volunteers are taking a few to release elsewhere to hunt for themselves, iv'e heard of that before .. Time to get some answers, let us know what you find out Stilly

[Wa hunter]

Seems like a lot less birds in years past

[Stilly bay]

maybe they're releasing more birds on other sites where the true elitists go and that deserve special treatment .

but Im a true elitist and I never got that memo...

maybe the volunteers are taking a few to release elsewhere to hunt for themselves,

I think I would prefer to be boned by WDFW than find out a volunteer was doing it.   

[Mr56Jeep]

I have been wrong before but don't they ask you where you hunt the most when you buy the license? 

I think they use that to allocate how many birds go to what release site?   

[Stilly bay]

I have been wrong before but don't they ask you where you hunt the most when you buy the license? 

I think they use that to allocate how many birds go to what release site?   

I am pretty sure they don't use that information for bird release purposes since no one is bound to a particular site, but I have been wrong before.

[singleshot12]

yeah but you are one of few out there Stilly

bird production was suppose to be way up this year to accommodate the increase of hunters so  ...

maybe they're releasing more birds on other sites where the true elitists go and that deserve special treatment .

but Im a true elitist and I never got that memo...

maybe the volunteers are taking a few to release elsewhere to hunt for themselves,

I think I would prefer to be boned by WDFW than find out a volunteer was doing it.   

[singleshot12]

I have been wrong before but don't they ask you where you hunt the most when you buy the license? 

I think they use that to allocate how many birds go to what release site?   

No I heard from the horses mouth that that is just for survey purposes only

[Stilly bay]

I heard they were dumping extra into that miserable site at Bow, I don't know if there is any truth to it or not.

its all a conspiracy theory to get hunters to lose interest in leque island so that when the time comes to flood it again we won't put up a fight.

[akirkland]

Fort Lewis has no shortage of hunters, thats for sure. But it appears to me way less birds are being released. Less birds on weekends and they only released one or two Wednesdays so far. The States pheasant farm in Chehalis has a TON of birds as well. I just hope the program continues for years to come. What I noticed at Skookumchuck is the releaser pulls over on the shoulder, opens a crate and the birds fly into the trees. I like hunting there but ive never sone very well. Anyone have any good words about Scatter Creek?

[singleshot12]

I heard they were dumping extra into that miserable site at Bow, I don't know if there is any truth to it or not.

its all a conspiracy theory to get hunters to lose interest in leque island so that when the time comes to flood it again we won't put up a fight.

I heard that too

Conspiracy theory or not it could very well be true and be the only thing as to why

[Maverick]

From what I understand the state is cutting down on pheasant release sites. I believe its because the state thinks it (costs too much)

[Mr56Jeep]

 Anyone have any good words about Scatter Creek?

Nope... Splatter Creek scares the crap out of me. 

[Stilly bay]

From what I understand the state is cutting down on pheasant release sites. I believe its because the state thinks it (costs too much)

this is why I will be requesting financial statement and records. with all the pheasant hunters I have seen this year (at $90 a pheasant license) something just isn't stirring the koolaid.

What I noticed at Skookumchuck is the releaser pulls over on the shoulder, opens a crate and the birds fly into the trees. I like hunting there but ive never sone very well. Anyone have any good words about Scatter Creek?

I love the skookumchuck release site, but as you said they fly right into the trees or across the river. luckily you can hunt all around the release site or up off thompson creek road.

similar problem with scatter creek, they can run right off the property. I always did way better there when the creek flooded. it would keep the birds from running off.

[Atroxus]

Good luck with the statement request. I hope you figure out what's up.

Sent from my DROID BIONIC using Tapatalk 2

[Roo]

Anyone seeing the same thing on the east side? I have only found one bird this year that's it!

Sent from my PC36100 using Tapatalk 2

[wildweeds]

Haven't had a problem with the bird count,seems to be more than in the past. This past weekend I spent 5 hours afield and had 9 bird contacts,8 of the contacts were gotten by a 14 month old pup.Went at 10 on saturday and at 830 on sunday.Was the only rig in the lot on sunday at the area I hunted.Hunted the pup two hours each day.On saturday at 315 I went an ran an old dog for 45 minutes,she found one hen.Two weeks prior to that I ran that same old dog for 50 minutes and she found and pointed 4 roosters and a hen.Bird numbers seem about right to me.The parking lot here is chucker block full every morning and I can go at the end of the day and still find birds.

 

[singleshot12]

which release site is that?

[Stilly bay]

which release site is that?

yeah, everyone should just pass by smith farm and head up to XXXX where wild weeds hunts.

[singleshot12]

must be a secret release site for the special elite

[wildweeds]

It ain't a secret Gazillion hunters from as far away as bellvue there every weekend.If it weren't for this pup I wouldn't go until after noon.The pup is my buddies,I gave it to him,I gun, he handles,sometimes we co handle.He's the one who wants to go early.We went against my wishes one morning at 8............. FIASCO!!! After that day he agreed that later is better,Perhaps you guys are going to early,the birds come out of the brambles in the afternoon when the traffic is down,to dry off for one,and sun themselves if the sun is out...........................That is the secret.

[Stilly bay]

,Perhaps you guys are going to early,the birds come out of the brambles in the afternoon when the traffic is down,to dry off for one,and sun themselves if the sun is out...........................That is the secret.

..... that is the secret true enough.... I don't show my face until at least 10:00. every time I go early I regret it.

but we can't implement the secret if there are no birds to implement them on. 

EDIT: there are always holdovers just not in the numbers I have enjoyed in the past

[Shannon]

I bought a $90 stamp this year to get my dogs some action before we hunted wild birds but I refuse to hunt the Bow site. Thats the worst site I have seen. I know it well since I've hunted deer there for 20 years. I've complained to the State but get the feeling they don't really give a *censored*. Whoever picked that site needs a new job. Pheasant hunting in a clear cut with a postage stamp size field is a joke. I know there aren't a lot of places to choose from but come on! Its the last year they get my money.

[Stilly bay]

you obviously haven't been there since they added the new hip deep mud feature. its the chit.

[Birdguy]

It has been several years since I have hunted release sites but this year my daughter wanted to hunt birds instead of deer so I bought licenses for both kids and myself  . The youth hunt was cancelled as was the first several weekends in our area due to fire danger  . Then the weekends we have made it out there certainly seems to be fewer birds than I remember. Seems we used to get 60 birds three days a week, the volunteers I spoke with two weeks ago said they only release about 40 birds now but still three days a week. The one site is so bad (clear cut) that I will not take my dog back as I am certain I am asking him to hurt himself (impailed on stick or stump) and the other is not much better but it is a little, so I will continue to go there for the kids. IF the kids decide to hunt west side next year I will only go as a dog handler and save my $$ for sure. Release sites could be such an awesome tool for the state to get folks into upland hunting, dog training, and a real love of the sport. It is too bad our state is constantly telling the sportsman to suck it up, the good old days are gone, you will pay lots more for less or you will have none  .
  I still believe that if the state got proactive the volunteer base in our area could put in heck of a release site that would last a long time and be a place that sportsman could take their kids and or dogs for a great time.
   Stilly good luck in your search  , post your findings, thank you.

[Stilly bay]

Release sites could be such an awesome tool for the state to get folks into upland hunting, dog training, and a real love of the sport. It is too bad our state is constantly telling the sportsman to suck it up, the good old days are gone, you will pay lots more for less or you will have none  .
  I still believe that if the state got proactive the volunteer base in our area could put in heck of a release site that would last a long time and be a place that sportsman could take their kids and or dogs for a great time.
 

Lets put our heads together and make it happen! the state seems to just be going through the motions. I wish I knew where to start, hell I got the time.

I tried contacting Pheasants forever about working on the release site situation but so far no one has got back to me, and its been awhile.

[wildweeds]

This is going to carbon date me........................... I can remember vividly hunting wild roosters in western washington.I wasn't gunning but rather tagging along.Newcastles diesease was the  reason for the start of the "Release" program.Old enough to remember not old enough to gun.

[MP123]

you obviously haven't been there since they added the new hip deep mud feature. its the chit.

Yeah, all those clearcuts are flooded now.  It's all one nasty swamp, the birds probably drowned.  It wasn't too bad before it started raining but the area is just too small.  Better than the old Samish Is. site I guess but I doubt they'll use it next year.

[akirkland]

Release sites could be such an awesome tool for the state to get folks into upland hunting, dog training, and a real love of the sport. It is too bad our state is constantly telling the sportsman to suck it up, the good old days are gone, you will pay lots more for less or you will have none  .
  I still believe that if the state got proactive the volunteer base in our area could put in heck of a release site that would last a long time and be a place that sportsman could take their kids and or dogs for a great time.
 

Im all about saving the release sites. Thats first in my opinion. Then build on them. I am more than willing to help any way I can.

Lets put our heads together and make it happen! the state seems to just be going through the motions. I wish I knew where to start, hell I got the time.

I tried contacting Pheasants forever about working on the release site situation but so far no one has got back to me, and its been awhile.

[fethrduster]

maybe they're releasing more birds on other sites where the true elitists go and that deserve special treatment .

but Im a true elitist and I never got that memo...

maybe the volunteers are taking a few to release elsewhere to hunt for themselves,

I think I would prefer to be boned by WDFW than find out a volunteer was doing it.   

OMG.  Too funny. 

[bracer40]

This was my first year back to the Wet side release sites so I could find more action for my young dog. So far, the numbers (of birds & hunters) seem comparable to what I remember 10 & 15 years ago.
What's been very dissappointing is the drop in birds on the East side sites though. Plenty of quail, barely any pheasants. The few we've seen so far struck me as wild birds by the way they flushed and flew.

[singleshot12]

Release sites could be such an awesome tool for the state to get folks into upland hunting, dog training, and a real love of the sport. It is too bad our state is constantly telling the sportsman to suck it up, the good old days are gone, you will pay lots more for less or you will have none  .
  I still believe that if the state got proactive the volunteer base in our area could put in heck of a release site that would last a long time and be a place that sportsman could take their kids and or dogs for a great time.
 

Im all about saving the release sites. Thats first in my opinion. Then build on them. I am more than willing to help any way I can.

Lets put our heads together and make it happen! the state seems to just be going through the motions. I wish I knew where to start, hell I got the time.

I tried contacting Pheasants forever about working on the release site situation but so far no one has got back to me, and its been awhile.

TTT     The Pheasant Release Program is a great thing but WDFW apparently needs help to keep it up and running or other wise we may loose it.

[BurleyDog]

does anyone know what they do with the hens they raise?

I bet if they opened it up for Volunteers they could get quite a few birds raised by retired folks, etc.

[singleshot12]

They release the hens too but keep enough along with a few roosters for egg production for the following year.
Yes we may have to take over some day if we, our kids and our dogs want to hunt pheasant in the future

[rangerGSP]

I hunt the shilapoo (Vancouver Lake ) site in Clark County. it is done by pheasants forever who in previous years have dine a fair job of getting them out onto the release site and some what spread out. However this year they have been releasing them from the road so that half of them fly onto a strip of county land that is no hunting. When they do actually take them out onto the refuge they are literally dumping them in one spot. on three diffrent Saturday morning i have seen groups of thirty plus birds standing where the overgrown fence becomes an area they wont run Thur. I love a covey rise as much as the next upland game bird hunter just not with pheasants. So what ends up happening is the hunters walking the line that day have a slaughter and head back to their vehicles by 8:15. There is a very good gravel road they could drive on to release but i am observing just plain old laziness

[Bullkllr]

 
That is verbatim what I would say about Skookumchuck this year. All/90% of the birds planted in a couple  shall we say "popular" spots, shootout in a crowd, over very quick (and I choose not to participate in the 8:00 footrace/shootout).
I've been doing the release site thing off and on for about 40 years. Still enjoy it. But I would say its getting tougher to find birds in "off" areas or later in the day.

Clearly remember the first day I pheasant hunted on the old release site in a clearcut off Mckenna Hwy.
I shot at 11 different birds with a Stevens single shot!