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.

[Rainier]

I've found release sites are really good for the pup and mid week they can be a nice close escape.  Granted they aren't the same as hikng up a mountain but it is nice to get out and do somethin, especially since you usually get a shot or two and some delicious dinner  .  And as i said before the dog LOVES it so the more i can get him out the better.   

[Bigshooter]

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.

+1

[backwoods_boy]

last year i went to cherry valley and to stillwater about 15 times and we got birds up almost every time.
i agree its not hunting but its a ton of fun to watch my buddys dog work.
and yeah its good practice.
and you cant beat the excercise.

[Kain]

I don't know guys, I see them as a real good thing.  The Shillapoo wild life area has two release sites down here in Vancouver.  There are  lots of people who would not consider themselves "hunters" if this area did not exist.  We need as many people to be "hunters" as we can, they may even catch the hunting bug hard and eventually get good at it.  They may even find there way here (to hunting-washington.com) where you all can guide them in the right direction.  I have seen a lot of old guys out there with there old dog that probably couldn't make it out to where you guys are talking about "real hunting".  I look at those old guys and think "it beats the hell out of golfing!"  Took my two year old daughter out to the release site just to get her into the whole thing.  She kept saying "we are hunters, right dad?".  Of course I told her "yep we sure are", even though we never made it more than a half mile from the parking area and all we saw was frogs.  There was only two other cars in the lot so I wasn't to worried about getting peppered.

[Intruder]

I don't know... I always wonder how much $ goes into raising birds, managing the land, etc, etc.  If they were to spend that money on habitat, cooperative efforts w/ private land owners and such, would we be getting more bang for the buck? 

The sites do seem like an OK thing in respect to training, introducing kids to hunting, or access for older folks.  They, however, don't compare in any way, shape, or form to hunting wild roosters.  Dogs that only exposed to pen raised birds will often get totally worked by wild birds... as do their masters 

[Kain]

I don't know... I always wonder how much $ goes into raising birds, managing the land, etc, etc.  If they were to spend that money on habitat, cooperative efforts w/ private land owners and such, would we be getting more bang for the buck? 

The sites do seem like an OK thing in respect to training, introducing kids to hunting, or access for older folks.  They, however, don't compare in any way, shape, or form to hunting wild roosters.  Dogs that only exposed to pen raised birds will often get totally worked by wild birds... as do their masters 

yeah must be quite a bit of money my pheasant tag was $40 for 8 birds.  Hopefully that cover the cost to buy them from ranchers.

[guyg]

Look, I don't know why we just have to have one kind. Now, it's release sites, and over here the birds don't last 48 hours. Why can't we have release sites, and wild birds?  Why must WDFW manage everything, fish, birds, everything, for hatcheries, and ignore wild stuff....?

[clindsayrun]

I would rather get out to a release site that not get out at all. And I know for sure that my dog would. Besides, it's not like you're going to find a wild pheasant over there. I come out to the release sites on the eastside for the same reasons. It's a great way to kill a couple hours and be virtually guaranteed a couple of birds. And usually I'm out there alone.

You know what's funny.  I grew up in the Skagit Valley and have hunted all of the different public hunting areas. I have met hunters from all over the westside driving up to hunt.

In college my brother and I used to hit Cherry Valley and Stillwater a few times a week. I can't tell you how many times we were the only one out there or just another couple of guys.  We also always got our birds.

Why drive all the way up to Skagit to hunt elbow to elbow when you can stay down south and have a unit to yourself.

Just an observation.

[Hermit]

I go up to Smith Farm on opening day just for laughs....... People fight, chase each other, shoot each other, scream, yell, swear ect. It's really pretty funny as long as you stay back and just watch.

[FrankDown]

Hey Hermit, you'd like opening day of quail and chukar in southern California then.  Once there werre two guys arguing and one shot his truck with a shotgun.  Everyone (well most) wear safety glasses when they go theres so many people.  The polycarbonate ones are the best as they deflect the pellets better.  One guy got shot in the face with his glasses on, I saw a pic of him and the pattern was nice and tight in his face.  You could see where the safety glasses had been lol.  They were not good for another use after that though.  They dont appear to help too much in a fist fight though. 

People hunt so close to the parking areas that it is not uncommon to have a vehicle peppered when you get back.  I always waited a couple weekends or went where it was not easy to get to (most there wont hike very far from the road whether it be fishing, hunting, or just hiking).  Once you get several hundred yards from the roads youre much safer.  So were the chukar and cali quail.

[12Gauge]

If you guys don't like them, that means more for birds for me.

[singleshot12]

Look, I don't know why we just have to have one kind. Now, it's release sites, and over here the birds don't last 48 hours. Why can't we have release sites, and wild birds?  Why must WDFW manage everything, fish, birds, everything, for hatcheries, and ignore wild stuff....?

good point

[magnanimous_j]

SpencerUSMC,

I take a little umbrage to your use of the term yuppie. Mainly because I kind of am one (however, I leave the shorts and girlfriend at home. Know your activity etc.etc.) To me, as a new hunter, I see these release sites being so packed with noobs as a sign that there is a lot of new people interested in the sport. Its funny, I always read on hunting sites and in magazines about the importance of getting new people into hunting, and I think the attitude of a lot of experienced hunters (not to just call you out) is damaging to that.

I assume that you've been hunting for most of your life. But as someone who is new, let me tell you, getting into hunting is WAY more intimidating than starting camping or fishing or boating or skiing or even shooting. New people have NO idea where to go hunt, and if you don't have people to teach you, you will end up at one of these "pheasant farms" because thats where google says to go.

Take it as that you have a lot of potential fellow hunters out there, or at the very least, people who will be supportive of hunters in the future. 

[merlo105]

I dont think that anyone really has a problem with helping a new hunter its the fact that they dont give respect to the people who have been hunting there whole life. Deer hunting sees it the most people trying to invade in a clear cut your glassing just trying to get out in front of you it gets annoying. So there for no ones wanting to care about the new guys in the field.

[Old Dog]

   I'm from the "wet side", and I've been preaching that same thing for years.  Put the East side release money into habitat, and bring the wild birds back.

[12Gauge]

Look, I don't know why we just have to have one kind. Now, it's release sites, and over here the birds don't last 48 hours. Why can't we have release sites, and wild birds?  Why must WDFW manage everything, fish, birds, everything, for hatcheries, and ignore wild stuff....?

So that the WDFW can justify charging you/us $39.42 for the permit.  If you notice that there is no charge/permit needed for Eastern WA.