Post by: sisu on June 03, 2007, 08:25:10 AM
Washington outlawed trapping in 1999 (am I correct on the date). With that outcome, does it coincide with the pheasant population decline on the east side? If so would this relate to an increase in skunk and raccoon population? (crows and magpies pose a big problem for pheasant eggs and young chick also).
Also do we have a feral cat problem in Washington? Cats, even the one that returns home everyday can pose a big problem for wild birds.
Next have our farmers switched from small grains to row crops like soy and corn? The lack of protective nesting will allow birds, like I mentioned above, to access the nesting areas for easy food (eggs and chicks).
Post by: Idabooner on June 03, 2007, 10:18:22 AM
Post by: boneaddict on June 03, 2007, 12:43:05 PM
Post by: sisu on June 03, 2007, 07:28:15 PM
... Starlings are another thing that gets nests and kills young, ...I saw a recipe for a fly that required starling feathers in an old tying book by Jacques Herter. Hummm I guess there are two reasons to knock off some starlings.
Post by: boneaddict on June 03, 2007, 07:34:06 PM
Post by: Choclab on June 03, 2007, 09:33:08 PM
Post by: Otto1 on June 03, 2007, 09:46:00 PM
Post by: boneaddict on June 04, 2007, 06:10:53 AM
Especially when the migration is on, they can't stand not trying to get a free meal of pheasant food.
Post by: Choclab on June 04, 2007, 10:00:31 AM
Post by: Slenk on June 04, 2007, 02:03:08 PM
"These new age farmers sure need to start practicing the methods their folks did. I remeber when I was a kid, farmers would leave rows of their crop on the edges of their fields for food and cover. Now you hardly see that anywhere, the kids harvest EVERYTHING. There could be some fantastic hunting, but they don't care.....anything for an extra buck"
Choclab
A few years ago I worked in the Ag.Retail Chemical, Fertilize (Whitman County) . As a feildman I watched the Farmers cut down trees and bulldoze out grass patches and hillsides for more grownd to be farmed . This was back in the 70s and 80s the first year after they started this there was a big decline of birds as well as deer . You can't reason with a farmer thinking he has to have more farm grownd ( I call it GREED) been there done that , it just don't work. After ther trees were cut and the grass areas were gone the little spring dried up also , so there was not the water for wildlife . Also I think urban development has a lot to do with the lack of wildlife of any kind .
I use the heck out of box traps that I build ,for cats, dogs , skunks Etc. ,whatever fits.
Slenk
Post by: boneaddict on June 04, 2007, 07:19:28 PM
Post by: WDFW-SUX on June 04, 2007, 07:34:36 PM
128 N 2nd St
Yakima, WA 98901
(509) 574-2420
Better than the game dept.
Post by: sisu on June 04, 2007, 08:06:13 PM
I came home to find the neighbors 2 irish setters working the brush and killing quail. Awhile ago, they had all but run off all of the birds, quail chukars and pheasants. They then came to my home and killed $600 of birds. He was kind enough to pay me and then fence his damn dogs in. The birds came back. For some reason,right as the quail were about ready to hatch, he lets them out. What a jerk wad. >:( I stepped out and put one between their legs and they ran home to their concerned neighbor. :boxin: I wonder if he will get the point. I guess I could call the game department, but I think they are probably too busy to worry about some idiot and his dogs.Spritz, my first female Rottweiler, was trained to protect the house, children, and anyone else that was considered family. We had neighborhood dogs that got in the garbage, *censored* on the lawn, ran through the garden etc. I tried passive ways of changing their routine, then resorted to #6 shot and/blunts shot by my wife from her bow. All but one dog responded to the negative attention. Finally one day this bearded collie came into our yard. I told Spritz to go on guard, in German while I cracked the front door. As soon as the door was open enough to allow the Spritz to blast I yelled, Nixon. This was her full on bite the snot out of target command. She hit that bearded collie so friggin' hard that they both did a 360 with Spritz attached to it's neck she held the dog on the ground until I told her to release.
End result: bearded collie treated our property like it was pure poison from then on. The dog would walk down the road come to our property turn to the other neighbor's property by pass us until it came to the fence line then head back to the road and go home. Spritz was the best Rott I ever owned she'd of died for our family if it would of been called upon her to do so.
Post by: boneaddict on June 05, 2007, 06:16:49 AM
Post by: Otto1 on June 05, 2007, 07:16:05 AM
I I guess I could call the game department, but I think they are probably too busy to worry about some idiot and his dogs.
Now if you call them about this, before ya do make sure you have video footage of them killing and or harrassing otherwise you would not get a call back and it would be wasting your time and the DFW time
County of Yakima: Animal Control
128 N 2nd St
Yakima, WA 98901
(509) 574-2420
Better than the game dept.
Now that is some good advise!
Post by: WDFW-SUX on June 05, 2007, 07:23:57 AM
Post by: Slenk on June 05, 2007, 07:32:59 AM
You do need to report this to the Game Dept. .
I know that it unlawful to let you birddog run loose in this maner or let a dog hurrass game animals .
Slenk
Post by: jackelope on June 05, 2007, 08:38:00 AM
Quote
These new age farmers sure need to start practicing the methods their folks did
I think in some, if not most cases, these guys are doing what they can to feed their families. i guess i'm not a farmer, nor do i claim to know much about farming, but what i do know is there's less and less money in it every year. they are more concerned with putting food on the table than keeping the pheasant populations up unfortunatley...scraping for every red cent they can. more and more land goes to CRP every year over in pomeroy which is good for wildlife and hunters, and i believe it's some guaranteed money for the farmers every year. BTW these would be dry-land farmers i'm tlaking about. no corn. one farmer i know in the southeast had to hire on people to farm his land so he could come to western washington to teach an AG class this year due to lack of $$$.
Post by: boneaddict on June 05, 2007, 08:58:40 AM
Post by: sisu on June 21, 2007, 06:39:06 AM
Post by: boneaddict on June 21, 2007, 06:41:06 AM
Post by: Curly on June 21, 2007, 07:29:43 AM
Post by: boneaddict on June 21, 2007, 08:56:23 AM
Post by: Curly on June 21, 2007, 10:43:39 AM
I might just have to go a few times to the Western Wa release sites (even though I really don't like hunting birds on this side of the mountains).
Post by: Shadow Cat on July 19, 2007, 01:39:40 AM
Post by: boneaddict on July 19, 2007, 06:48:05 AM
Post by: Shadow Cat on July 19, 2007, 11:38:33 AM
Post by: sisu on July 20, 2007, 01:49:05 PM
For you guys in Eastern Washington: how do you think the pheasant population is going to be for hunting season this year? Are you seeing more pheasants than last year?I've seen a lot of birds where new town, Spokane and I believe the only way to possibly hunt them with land owner permission is by bow and arrow. I spoke with a fella who's land I wish to hunt and he told me the populations don't look promising...he might be saying that just ot get me off his wish list though. That particular area is do south of me and not in an area that would limit shotgunning.
Post by: high country on July 21, 2007, 08:28:54 AM
I have a piece of land that I have hunted for 17 years, I am good friends with the land owner and we visit all year. last year he, for the first time ever, leased his land to a hunt club. I asked for permission and he told me he had leased it, but would ask the manger for an exception...nope. for 2 grand sure. I tell you what, when a local guy can't hunt local land it kills me. I asked if I could simply walk 1/2 mil through his place to access a landlocked section of state land and same deal......nope.
he appologized and said the $$ they offered was too much to resist. the truly sad part is the hunting was so-so but it was only 10 minutes from home. now some wealthy microsoft schmuck drives all day to hunt in my back yard for 40 grand a year, he could have hunted for just the effort of asking.
Post by: sisu on July 22, 2007, 11:14:08 AM
Post by: scottr on August 29, 2007, 10:18:10 PM
But on the other hand farmers also have a lot of land in CRP and this is very good for all types wildlife. The new push for bio-fuels may put CRP at risk as it may be better for these farms to grow corn and other crops that can be used to make ethanol etc.
Also there needs to be more predator control done to deal with raccoons, yotes, etc. I want to get a .17 just to put a few of these varmints down to help the birds.