Pheasant Release Sites are a Joke....

[SpencerUSMC]

Maybe I'm a little spoiled when it comes to Pheasant Hunting due to the fact that I grew up in Kansas (I'll actually be heaed back there a week from today for the opener!! )  But at any rate these release sites have got to be one of the bigest shambles known to hunters...  From my experiences at these release sites its either a bunch of yuppies running around in shorts with their girlfriends trailing right behind them, or its guys that are actually there for the sole purpose of working their dogs.  I see absolutely nothing wrong with getting the dog some work, I had my pup out there last weekend for a couple hours.  The guys that actually go there and think they are "Hunting" need some serious help. 
        Every and I mean Every rule I was ever taught, through hunters safety or just the common sense rules that seemed to come pretty natural while hunting are thrown out the window.   You have 15 groups of guys all walking from different directions towards each other, hey there Einstien thats probably not too smart!  The very first time I went to one of these places it was the site up at Skagit Flatts, I had no idea how these places worked.  I had only been in WA for a few months at the time,  So I was out there the night before checking the place out and saw a few birds here and there, pulled in the next morning around 745ish and the entire parking lot was overflowing with vehicles, and not all of them were your typical "Hunting" vehicles...... Stupid yuppie wanna be hunters toting their 2 dolar orange vest from Walmart, their buddies borrowed gun, and absolutely no common sense or any idea what positive control of a shotgun should look like.  I have never ever had to tell so many people to watch where they where pointing their barrel.  Not that I was running around playing release site sherriff but in talking to 3 or 4 guys 2 of them had their barrel flagging me numerous times, I had half a mind to snatch the damn gun out of their hands.  Their were dogs fighting in the parking lot, I got peppered 3 times in a matter of 25 mins.   I could go on and on....
       This was the most recent excuse I got....it may have been a joke but who knows  "well i don't have a dog, so the pheasants have to be stupid.  that way i can see them instead of blindly walking around until i flush them myself."  ITS CALLED HUNTING FOR A REASON!!!!  I mean c'mon, release sites are not "hunting" period.

[rainshadow1]

Back in the day I can remember my Dad saying, "You wanna go to the Shootin' Gallery?!?!" I've participated in the "8AM wall of Orange" at Dungeness a few times. It's just too insane.

[merlo105]

I agree to that. Thouse places are just a huge wast of time for anyone knowing anything about hunting. I dont know how many times I have had run in's with the wonabe hunter. Out grouse hunting with two dog's me and a friend wearing game vest's and yuppie's pulling over you guy's after elk seriously you just want to bend them over your knee and spank them. Sad thing is they were hunting but they obviously didnt know what they were hunting for Elk wasnt open deer wasnt open huh odd.

[bobcat]

I go to the one that is just across the road from my house, but only to get my dog into some birds, and I only hunt the afternoons. Most people only hunt from 8 a.m. to around 10 a.m. anyway. Give the afternoons a try. It's a lot more like real hunting then.

[Shannon]

I went to Skagit yesterday at 3 PM and shot two, got the dog on five more and she retrieved one wounded bird from someone else. I did not see another hunter except for the guy leaving when I pulled up. I did try the Monday after it opened and when there was cars parked down the road out of the parking lot I just told the pup "Sorry not today". I go there only to get the pointer a few bird contacts but yesterday was enjoyable. Now were primed for Montana.

[Clumber]

Hey Bobcat, we must be neighbors!   

We are newbies to hunting, only started about 7 years ago when our Jubilee finally decided that birds were the reason for living.  We have tried many of the release sites around here (don't worry, we don't consider that hunting either... but great work for the dogs, some yummy meat, and so on) and have settled on swinging by our "backyard" site at off times - which we do normally year-round just to run the stink off the dogs, anyhow.  This part of the year we just happen to carry shotguns with us. AND the Ft Lewis sites because they limit the number of hunters at each site each day.  It is still a bit of a ridiculous flurry at 8:00:01 am, with guys and their semi-trained (maybe) dogs taking off and running and gunning, BUT since our dogs were originally created in order to never pass a bird, we just hang back until the runner gunners are well out of range, and start then.  We ALWAYS flush birds that the other guys and dog raced on past.  That's what Clumbers do - they work the field deliberately and are scenting freaks.

So they may indeed be a joke at the runner gunner times of the day, but if you avoid those times, it's still a chance to get out with the dogs for the day, shoot at some birds, and maybe bring home the centerpiece for a tremendously yummy Parmesan dinner. And on the WEsTside.  Can't really ask much more unless I want to buy up a ton of land and become a pheasant reserve myself.
 

[swanny]

I was driving around Whatcom county yesterday and found two release sites. Only saw one hunter out at the Lake Terrell site. I would say either go week day or like others said in the afternoon on a weekend day.

I remember seeing the wall of orange at Belfair several years ago and it was insane!

[ABMGENERAL]

i generally stop by stillwater or Cherry Valley in the afternoons and get some birds up! there is hardly ever anyone there in the afternoons compared to the 8:01 madness. its not real huntin but its good excercise and stress relief from work.

[Aperson]

does anyone know of good areas in Ft. Lewis for pheasent and such?

[Bighorse]

Since I don't live and hunt there anymore I'll add.........I enjoyed the midweek hunts I experienced at the sites near Ferndale.

I found some huge fat delicious birds in there.  It was sporty for my Spaniels as well.  The birds would hold up in the trees with various vine underbrush.  We would have to dive right in there and get a flush.  The shooting was interesting with the birds rising strait up into the trees.  We'd get some situations where the birds would run and only get airborn in between clearings and back into the Blackberry they would dive. 

I was grateful to have a site close to home and well stocked.  We did find some cripples and witnessed some rookies at work but if you got in there and put in your time you found common holding areas.  We even enjoyed finding deer in some stands of trees.

I know we all want hunting Nirvana but when time and distance divide us from the birds we do what we have to do. 

Now quit your bitchin'  I gotta hike from sealevel to 2,500' and traverse ridgelines without trail just to hunt a few Tarmagain.  I've done it twice this year and I'm usually beat by the time I get there and my dogs are not nearly as driven.  I'm better off deer hunting....at least I can sit and glass.

I have to admit.....I find myself daydreaming of wide open country and the happy wanderings of my dogs.   I still haven't seen my new Spaniel do any real field work yet.

[Yummy and Tasty Animal]

hey thanks for quoting me!!!

[SpencerUSMC]

hey thanks for quoting me!!!

Hey no problem, I will gladly use your stupidity to further validate my point any day! 

[abe henderson]

I dunno, I went in on Monday morning and hiked five miles and didn't see another hunter.  Got my birds and my pup worked real hard.  I thought it was good hunting, even if the birds were released.

Now don't get me wrong, its not to be confused with those wily old wild roosters...

Abe

[Yummy and Tasty Animal]

same here...i hiked for about 4 or 5 miles to get 2 pheasants and 2 quail

[guyg]

I'm mighty happy to hike miles per year for an opportunity at only a couple of wild birds. And mighty happy to take one or none out of a covey of wild huns or quail and then leave them alone til next year. Don't worry, you'll never find 'em. 

I'll leave the release sites you you guys. And that's fine, they're what they are, and I'm OK with that.

The problem is the money now all goes to pheasant release programs, and none to wild bird habitat and promotion. Pheasant hunting in Washington has been reduced to the kind of hunting the wetsiders are used to. Give WDFW the cash on the eastside to establish and promote wild bird populations, manage and promote quail, huns, and chukar, all on public and ffth lands, and keep the release programs (affectionately known over here as "coyote feeds") on the west side.  Then y'all can have it all...chickens for the table and a chance to show off your new clothes to the local guys, and a real live hunt with a reasonable opportunity for success when you come over here.