pheasant release.

[TimberCutter]

I hear a rumor that there will be no pheasants released at the Raymond airport release site .

[Cascade_fisher]

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 ;-)

[wildweeds]

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 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 ;-)

[Stilly bay]

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.

[dreamunelk]

The port has been trying to close it for a couple of years now.  They finally succeeded.  It is gone!

[wildweeds]

Haven't partaken in the morning march of the zoo for 20 years,I prefer the 3-4 oclock hunt while everyone is watching a football game.The birds they buy from contractors are superior in inherited survival genetics than the birds the state used to raise themselves.I still contend that openinig it at 10 and releasing at 7 is better than turning them out after the cover of darkness.In the dark a bird flys until it crash lands and that's where it stays.

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.

[Stilly bay]

i should have added I agree with you 100% about releasing the birds in the dark, they are pretty much screwed unless they land in a lucky spot.

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 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. 

[dreamunelk]

Important thing to realize is many of the people releasing birds are Volunteers.  So they often have work and other things going on that dictates their schedule.  We should be thankful for their dedication and efforts instead of criticizing.

[singleshot12]

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.