pheasant release sites releasing less birds this year!

[NW-GSP]

I talked to one of the guys who stocks the release sights and he said that they are only releasing around 55 birds each release day and that its pretty close to half as many birds as in years past. I hunted from open till close yesterday and did not see a single bird and then hunted from ten to four today and did not see a single bird. I am hunting with a ten month old pup so obviously we are prob missing some birds but I never had any problems in years past even if I was not hunting with a dog

[mattaylor81]

Was at a release site today on Whidbey Island for a few hours.  There was 3 of us hunting over my buddies GSP.  His dog is a good one we flushed several last weekend and limited but today we came home empty handed also.  Didn't flush a one today. 

[carpsniperg2]

seemed that way to me also the youth hunt was a bit poor for birds seem like 2 me 

[bobcat]

We hunted for an hour late this afternoon. First time I've been out this year. The Brittany got one rooster up just before 4:00, and I missed him three times.    

Then just a little while ago took the dog out in the back of my property and she flushed 5 roosters.   

[NW-GSP]

Ive got a 10 month old gsp that Im trying to train and its been tough to do any training without any birds. I wish there was a hunting preserve near marysville

[PatoLoco]

Don't know where you've been hunting or who you talked to, but I can tell ya the numbers for the 3 sites south of Monroe are pretty much unchanged for the past few years.

[Wagner]

 I have not had much luck at the Monroe sites but the Skagit sites have been full.

[NW-GSP]

my dog is new to hunting so I could be passing up on birds but my buddys choc lab is a great pheasant dog and has been having the same luck as me this last week

[Grizzle]

This is the first year I've hunting the three Duvall area release sites, but they may have changed the release days.  I'll  have to verify but I recall the Stillwater sign said they would be releasing on Tues, Thurs, and Sat.  I've hunting all three sites hard and can say with certainty that Mon & Tues are a waste of time unless you just want your dog to run.   

That said...there are plenty of Roosters along the road on 203.

[surfj9009]

What's the word on the release sites on the eastern side?

[Grizzle]

On page 4 of the Western Washington Pheasant Release program pamphlet, it states:
"Each year 30,000 to 40,000 pheasants are released on about 25 release sites."
The pamphlet includes 2009 changes so I was hoping this meant they would still be releasing the same number of birds.  The stillwater release site stated that 450 birds per week would be loosed between the three sites.  Considering the season is nine weeks long, that puts about 4050 birds in those three sites.   There are 24 other release sites in Western WA, so to determine how many birds are being released I think we can assume that a maximum of 36,450 birds could be released.   The pamphlet also states that: "The number of pheasants released on each site is based on several factors including the estimated numbers of hunters using those sites."

It would be nice to know.   If they are reducing the number of birds they are toying with the collapse of the program.   I've talked to a dozen other frustrated folks out on the release sites, lots of grumbling about $90 license and not seeing any birds. 

[Grizzle]

Leroy Ledeboer in the Oct 2009 edition of Northwest Sportsman said that "Around 21,000 birds will be loosed this season"

Clarification - this was in an article regarding Eastern Washington so the 21,000 is probably the Eastern number

[NW-GSP]

Leroy Ledeboer in the Oct 2009 edition of Northwest Sportsman said that "Around 21,000 birds will be loosed this season"

wow pretty pathetic to have to pay double the price for half the chance to see have any contact with birds.