WDFW where are you?

[Colville]

I get the premise of public.  But what's the broad state benefit in spending these millions?  Why is this a government function? Will it be revenue neutral or a new expenditure to which we'll have to create new revenue streams? WDFW fees or from the state general budget?  The money is either from those who benefit, or from everyone generally as taxpayers. I'm not generally for tax money to be used to the ends of a very narrow interest group, even if I'm a potential member and supporter. Those other "plantations"are not the only alternative. A charitable org could be created, collect members and money to buy land... then set the terms and conditions that are appropriate for it's use on a turn no profit basis.

[jetjockey]

Like I said!  Your response is we don't have world class field trial grounds, and other states do.

[Colville]

Is this just a complaint or do you want do do something about it?  If you do, a private charitable org is the way home. If there's not enough dog hunters to make the kind of dent needed by that route, that's an indicator the user group is too small for the state to take over that cost and management either.  Catch 22.

[Happy Gilmore]

There are a lot of great public lands east. Don't kid yourself. They aren't just for pointing dogs. Many were developed by waterfowlers in swamp land which nobody else could develop. Some are even maintained by prisoners.

[Happy Gilmore]

Those states also have HUGE bird raising programs to release all the wild birds like we do for trout. So the wild birds are heavily planted. Saw some stats on how many birds South Dakota buys each year compared to other states to make sure the wild bird population can support all the wild bird hunters. 

[jetjockey]

Those states also have HUGE bird raising programs to release all the wild birds like we do for trout. So the wild birds are heavily planted. Saw some stats on how many birds South Dakota buys each year compared to other states to make sure the wild bird population can support all the wild bird hunters. 

Really?  Besides SD, name one!  How many "wild" birds do they release at DiLane plantation?  Those pheasants released are in preserves as well.  On a preserve, for every pheasant taken, a pheasant must be added.  If your not hunting a preserve, your shooting wild birds.

[singleshot12]

If WDFW really wanted or cared about it's upland they would pay farmers to leave habitat and not spray so many deadly pesticides. But WDFW are broke so the only hope is for private entities to pay the farmers to preserve habitat.

[jetjockey]

If WDFW really wanted or cared about it's upland they would pay farmers to leave habitat and not spray so many deadly pesticides. But WDFW are broke so the only hope is for private entities to pay the farmers to preserve habitat.

Or for the farmers to realize they could make a ton of money from trespass fees if they had good numbers of birds in their land.  That's why so many farmers in SD don't cut hedge row to hedge row, and hey leave lots of strips.

[Happy Gilmore]

Colorado has no birds so they're about to start a planting program...

In a state historically known for its resident big game hunting opportunities, a bird originally imported from China could potentially revive the tradition, along with struggling Eastern Plains economies. First, though, Colorado needs to revive its pheasant population.

After multiple years of drought and relaxed federal rules on haying and grazing of Conservation Reserve Program grasslands, habitat conditions are less than ideal for Colorado pheasants. Another dry spring meant fewer chicks were hatched in 2013, and pheasant populations are markedly lower than in 2010 and 2011.

It’s tough timing for the launch of a new Colorado Parks and Wildlife effort to recruit recent hunter education graduates to bird hunting. Working with Pheasants Forever, CPW’s Novice Hunter Program taught beginners the ins and outs of pheasant hunting, then gave them exclusive access to about 9,500 acres of hunting properties this fall as a confidence booster.

Without a reliable stable of birds, however, those early hunts can just as easily foster frustration. For that reason, King is throwing his weight behind another idea that has pheasant hunters excited. The Natural Resources director is interested in the idea of supplementing pheasant populations, much as the state does with fish stocking programs.

“It’s a species just like rainbow trout that was brought here to begin with. It is time to take a look and say, ‘Can we provide that recreational opportunity?’ ” King said. “I think you can make an argument that we can’t afford not to look at opportunities like this, because to do otherwise we’re just (hastening) our demise.”

[Happy Gilmore]

wild out of the orange box in Montana too!!! 

http://fwp.mt.gov/fishAndWildlife/habitat/wildlife/programs/uplandgamebird/release.html

[Happy Gilmore]

Not allowed to train on wild birds in many of the southern states with lots of bird dog enthusiasts..

Bird dog training is allowed year-round in designated areas on the following WMAs.  Training is allowed during daylight hours only or as otherwise specified.  Only pen-raised quail and pigeons may be released and harvested using shotguns with number six or small shot while training pointing, flushing and retrieving dogs.  Dog trainer must maintain proof of purchase if using pen-raised quail.

Georgia is a popular destination for all those quail...

[Happy Gilmore]

From Ames Plantation website talking about pen raised birds being released for the trials.. 


Beginning in fall of 2002, pen-raised quail were released on the field trial grounds. This was the first release in 27 years. The National Field Trial responded very positively and the program was considered successful as it supported that event. Release provided a unique opportunity to study the fate of pen-raised birds when they were released in superior habitat and in the presence of a relatively large population of wild quail. The questions centered around survival and breeding behaviors: would pen raised quail survive in numbers to support the trial, would they survive to breed, would they breed successfully, would they breed with wild quail and would they pass significant genetic components into the resident wild population?

During 2002 and for the next 3 years, 3,200 pen-raised quail were released on the 5,477-acre field trial course. To maintain an equal treatment, 1,600 birds were released on the morning and also the evening courses. Birds were released in coveys of 20 birds that had had time to bond in boxes designed specifically to carry birds. Each covey was released in a food patches, consisting primarily of grain sorghum, but also Egyptian wheat.

[Happy Gilmore]

The National Field Trial at Ames Plantation uses pen raised birds. Says right on Ames Plantation webpage. You must be shocked!!!

[jetjockey]

Colorado has no birds so they're about to start a planting program...

In a state historically known for its resident big game hunting opportunities, a bird originally imported from China could potentially revive the tradition, along with struggling Eastern Plains economies. First, though, Colorado needs to revive its pheasant population.

After multiple years of drought and relaxed federal rules on haying and grazing of Conservation Reserve Program grasslands, habitat conditions are less than ideal for Colorado pheasants. Another dry spring meant fewer chicks were hatched in 2013, and pheasant populations are markedly lower than in 2010 and 2011.

It’s tough timing for the launch of a new Colorado Parks and Wildlife effort to recruit recent hunter education graduates to bird hunting. Working with Pheasants Forever, CPW’s Novice Hunter Program taught beginners the ins and outs of pheasant hunting, then gave them exclusive access to about 9,500 acres of hunting properties this fall as a confidence booster.

Without a reliable stable of birds, however, those early hunts can just as easily foster frustration. For that reason, King is throwing his weight behind another idea that has pheasant hunters excited. The Natural Resources director is interested in the idea of supplementing pheasant populations, much as the state does with fish stocking programs.

“It’s a species just like rainbow trout that was brought here to begin with. It is time to take a look and say, ‘Can we provide that recreational opportunity?’ ” King said. “I think you can make an argument that we can’t afford not to look at opportunities like this, because to do otherwise we’re just (hastening) our demise.”

It's a PROPOSAL!  Do you know what that means?  Besides, doesn't WA state stock  preserves with birds? Last time I checked, the entire western WA pheasant season was based on stocked pheasants.

[jetjockey]

Not allowed to train on wild birds in many of the southern states with lots of bird dog enthusiasts..

Bird dog training is allowed year-round in designated areas on the following WMAs.  Training is allowed during daylight hours only or as otherwise specified.  Only pen-raised quail and pigeons may be released and harvested using shotguns with number six or small shot while training pointing, flushing and retrieving dogs.  Dog trainer must maintain proof of purchase if using pen-raised quail.

Georgia is a popular destination for all those quail...

See, now you just look stupid.  The regs you just posted only have to do with WMA dog training areas.  You CAN train on wild birds.  You just can't do it year round, like EVERY state in the union!  If you want to train year round, i.e., when the birds are breeding, you can ONLY do it on pen released birds as to NOT disrupt the wild birds that are breeding.  Those WMA's are maintained by the state so people have a place to train bird dogs all year round. You CANT train on wild birds year round.   Yet weren't you the one trying to get support to cut some grass on training grounds in WA because the state wouldn't do it?  They don't have that problem since GA supports large training grounds on many of the WMA's.  Many, if not most of the big time pointer guys hold "winter camps" in the south, training and hunting their dogs on only wild birds.

Edit.  Actually I was wrong.  There is no closed season for training bird dogs in Georgia if your on private land.  You can train on wild birds all year round on private land.  There IS a bird dog training season on Federal land, which keeps people off the birds while they are breeding.

 http://www.georgiawildlife.org/node/1053