Post by: TimberCutter on July 24, 2012, 04:39:34 PM
Post by: Cascade_fisher on July 25, 2012, 08:30:57 AM
Post by: wildweeds on July 25, 2012, 04:26:18 PM
I am not specifically aware of the Raymond site but probably just a rumor, there are always rumors about some site or another that won't get birds. Most of the time it is a volunteer shortage as no one has committed to do the bird release. It is a thankless job but when done poorly makes a big difference in the number of birds shot and the number eaten by coyotes. I have seen the whole site's birds released from a moving truck about 20 yards into the front field, mostly because the fields were so muddy the guy didn't want to risk getting his truck stuck again ;-)
Post by: Stilly bay on July 25, 2012, 05:21:55 PM
The biggest problem with release site hunting is the turning out of birds after dark the evening before,it's disheartening to know that the 1 dozen feather piles you just walked by were kilt the night before by either an owl or coyote............. There's plenty of daylight duriing the limited 6 week release season to hold the opening hours off until 10 oclock and let it remain open until a half hour before sunset.Release the birds at 7 am............... just my take on lessening the wasted birds to unwanted hunters(predators) that have been allowed to thrive and flourish.
I prefer them to be released the day before. it gives the birds a small chance to hide and let their instincts kick in. if they were released just before shooting time most of them would be slaughtered when the orange army marches at 8:00.
last season I rarely hunted weekends, never hunted the release sites before noon on any given day, and didn't have a problem finding birds. they will never be wild but the longer they are out in the field the better the hunt becomes and makes the dog work a little more interesting.
I had some birds flush a couple hundred yards away at the sound of my truck door closing. it was on a tuesday afternoon so those birds had been in field for at least three days, thats not typical fresh off the truck pen raised bird behavior.
Post by: dreamunelk on July 25, 2012, 09:26:08 PM
Post by: wildweeds on July 26, 2012, 12:25:10 PM
The biggest problem with release site hunting is the turning out of birds after dark the evening before,it's disheartening to know that the 1 dozen feather piles you just walked by were kilt the night before by either an owl or coyote............. There's plenty of daylight duriing the limited 6 week release season to hold the opening hours off until 10 oclock and let it remain open until a half hour before sunset.Release the birds at 7 am............... just my take on lessening the wasted birds to unwanted hunters(predators) that have been allowed to thrive and flourish.
I prefer them to be released the day before. it gives the birds a small chance to hide and let their instincts kick in. if they were released just before shooting time most of them would be slaughtered when the orange army marches at 8:00.
last season I rarely hunted weekends, never hunted the release sites before noon on any given day, and didn't have a problem finding birds. they will never be wild but the longer they are out in the field the better the hunt becomes and makes the dog work a little more interesting.
I had some birds flush a couple hundred yards away at the sound of my truck door closing. it was on a tuesday afternoon so those birds had been in field for at least three days, thats not typical fresh off the truck pen raised bird behavior.
Post by: Stilly bay on July 26, 2012, 01:26:51 PM
last year the guy releasing the birds dumped them at 3:30 or a quarter til 4:00 a couple times there were still pheasant hunters in the field :yike: seems like they are trying to avoid a night release and it was amazing nobody tried to run the fresh birds down, although a couple could have easily. seems like the late shift pheasant hunters are more interested in hunting than shooting. :dunno:
Post by: dreamunelk on July 27, 2012, 06:49:07 AM
Post by: singleshot12 on July 28, 2012, 01:44:24 PM
I hear a rumor that there will be no pheasants released at the Raymond airport release site .
Some are rumors but most aren't. We almost lost The Pheasant Release Program a couple years back. Hunters who use and enjoy hunting and training their dogs on release sites really need to make thier voice heard in support to help reasure the program continues.
As far as bird release time goes day before evening right before dark is best. The birds have more time to distribute into thicker cover. Sure a couple might get taken out by predators but that helps smarten up the rest for the following day shoot.