Westside pheasant release site hunting frustration

[jeepster]

I live in anacortes, and accordimg to this epamphlet http://wdfw.wa.gov/publications/01425/wdfw01425.pdf

There should be a ton of awesome pheasant hunting, but I haven't seen any birds yet... Got skunked again today on whidbey island... And I heard the samish was only going to have birds for juniors and seniors, some of the sites on whidbey are closed according to a farmer I talked to (ebey prarie) and the seaplane base sites need permission/navy authorized base hunting lisence from some commander or something like that, which is open to civilians, but you have to go to the navy and get a different hunting lisence from them, and then I heard that the new bow hill site has some issues with parking so, they aren't going to let any birds go yet......

Anybody hunt stanwood?

This is starting to drive me nuts...

Anybody hear otherwise? What do you guys know?

[Sportfury]

Jeepster I have never hunted those sights, but they only release birds on Saturday, Sunday, and Wednesdays and in a limited amount per sight.

[ungrounded]

Just keep at it, you'll get them   

 

[jeepster]

But I thought having a dog with an endless energy supply and a good lookin shotgun made birds appear.....

 

[seth30]

Not sure where the confusion is?   your active right?  If so get over to envriomental and get your license.  There were two classes i even posted about it several times prior to the season.  The is upper game rang lower game range and the olf that realease birds.  If you are active several emails to all hands were made as well.  Need more help PM me.

[Stilly bay]

here is the rundown.

if you were hunting birds today, then the last time they released was saturday night so the birds were hunted sunday morning, monday, and now tuesday. By sunday afternoon most of the birds are either shot or have run off the property. There will be a few left but your odds go down exponentially the farther you get away from 8:00 am saturday, sunday, or wednesday morning.

If you want a bird almost guaranteed, then go to your nearest release site first thing in the morning and march with the "orange army".

[Hermit]

The release sites around Stanwood are great.......... Entertainment.  Sometimes I go there a Sunday mornings just to watch the circus.

[Stilly bay]

The release sites around Stanwood are great.......... Entertainment.  Sometimes I go there a Sunday mornings just to watch the circus.

Stanwood is getting bad in the afternoons too. There might be a shortage of birds, but not people.

This will be the last year for the Stanwood / leque site, they will be flooding it soon.

[Sportfury]

The release sites around Stanwood are great.......... Entertainment.  Sometimes I go there a Sunday mornings just to watch the circus.

It has been a couple of years since I hunted the release sights down south. It seems like this year that there are not as many people out. The runners aren't there anymore and I haven't seen the crazy guys that bring four dogs and let them run everywhere. Maybe it is due to the price going up.

[jeepster]

Ughhhhh.......

Is "this" what it really comes down to?

What ever happened to the days where your friendly neighborhood farmer said "hunt till yer hearts content..."


I just want to shoot roosters, I will even carry out other peoples trash........

Sometimes, I REALLY HATE being the "good guy"........


Why is it..... That the most honest hardworking guys, who want nothing more than to spend a few precious hours with their dog, end up suffering the most..... Where is ducks unlimited or pheasants unlimited when they are needed the most........

[CP]

West side pheasants are easy once you get the system down.  I'm off to shoot some now, I expect I'll have at least one down by 8:05am.

[Stilly bay]

Ughhhhh.......

Is "this" what it really comes down to?

What ever happened to the days where your friendly neighborhood farmer said "hunt till yer hearts content..."


I just want to shoot roosters, I will even carry out other peoples trash........

Sometimes, I REALLY HATE being the "good guy"........


Why is it..... That the most honest hardworking guys, who want nothing more than to spend a few precious hours with their dog, end up suffering the most..... Where is ducks unlimited or pheasants unlimited when they are needed the most........

Welcome to Western Wa where the wild ringneck pheasant can't survive in numbers large enough to hunt.

I don't understand how being the "good guy" factors into the equation?

[AspenBud]

. Where is ducks unlimited or pheasants unlimited when they are needed the most........

Pheasants Forever isn't really big on release sites. The birds are pen raised and habitat really isn't a focus.

They are a habitat organization focused on keeping wild pheasants around in large numbers to hunt.

This may well be my last year buying a western WA pheasant permit. I hate hunting with a lot of orange walking around me and my dogs aren't well suited to that kind of environment. People don't really appreciate a Pointer flying by 100 yards+ from its handler and I don't hunt behind boot lickers.

[Stilly bay]

 

I tried to get PF to help try to save the Leque site and they weren't very interested for all the reasons you say.

I usually wait to run my english setter until the afternoon. He can cover one of the fields in the time it takes me to get my vest on and lock the truck.

[Hermit]

And half the birds they release can't fly. Too young. In  pinfeathers. I've seen a guy with a pointer netting them with a salmon net out of the grass. Thats after they throw them out of the truck and leave. I'd rather buy a chicken.