THEMAKKER13

I'm interested in buying some pen raised birds (where I live, there really aren't any wild pheasants) and trying to establish a population of them. I've been researching about the kind of things to plant, I am also willing to thin out the predators, and have been reading about other proper wildlife management techniques. However, I'm wondering if doing this is theoretically possible? I don't really want to waste my time and money on a project like this. Oh, I'm also interested in quail, rabbits (which we have a small population of), partridge, chukar, grouse (which we have a small population of), woodcock, or anything that will survive. Thanks.

Topgun 3006

The first thing to do is to check with your state F&G Department to see if it is even legal to do what you are talking about where you live. The state of Michigan tried to do it unsucessfully with public money and quit the project after a few years because it was too costly and was not working. You may be better off just doing a put and take type of deal where you plant a few birds that you raise right before your hunt like a preserve does if your state allows that. However, to have decent shooting in that type of situation you need to have a big flight pen so the birds will have wing strength and fly like a wild bird. Otherwise, they either won't fly at all or are too easy to shoot if they do get up.

THEMAKKER13

Ok thanks, I'll check into it, especially the legality. I live in PA, where the game commission has a program where they will send a wildlife biologist to walk your property with you and tell you what to improve on, if you're interested in raising the population of species of interest or something. So, I think it would be legal.

Dakota Swede

The key to any wildlife - pheasant, chukars, rabbits, ect. - is always habitat, habitat, and more habitat. Something we seem to be getting short of all over the nation.

Phil from Maine

I agree with this statement.. Also a problem with what I have found was the simple fact most pen raised birds will nest but not set. They will build a nest and lay the eggs in it and just walk off. I think it is because they are being mass produce so much they have been loosing the instinct. I have tried this a couple of times raising pheasant chicks in a flight pen. They would not sit on the nest either inside or outside the pen. I was told this is because of the gene pool is not watch very good when mass producing and that a lot of cross breeding gets done this way.. I currently have a trio of silvers that were hatched by the female bird. ( the male is froma different line ) To try and get some ringnecks hatched out from under them this summer. I am hoping this way will get some ringnecks hatching on their own.

Here in order to do this you need to get a propagation permit. Also if eggs, chicks, or birds are brought in from out of state we need to make sure they are equiped with a paper from the Veternairian. This is to make sure that the birds or flock where the eggs were purchased has been tested against bird flue and the like. So as not to bring in any diseases that may infect our native population of game birds or any other birds and or humans..

Don Fischer

Years ago the state of Oregon raised them but they found out that 9 of ten birds would die in the first week. Beyond habitat is the ability to find food, water and avoid preditor's. The habitat could be there but the pen raised birds have no idea how to use it or how to avoid winged preditor's. You can try to thin out the preditor's but you can't shoot the hawk, they are really hard on them.

I might add that the only game birds that have been introduced to a new area and made it were those captured wild and moved.

THEMAKKER13

Thanks for the info guys, it seems like more trouble than it's worth, considering it would probably never happen.

Kid

Here is another thought.........www.pheasantrestoration.com