Sounds like you had a fun day, thanks for sharing.

Released birds are not wild. No comparison. It's still a 'canned hunt' in my books. Doesn't matter if they are planted minutes before or days later.
However, it is as good as it can get to train dogs whether a pointing breed or a flushing breed.
I've planted thousands of birds. Spent hundreds of hours training mine and other peoples dogs and judged versatile pointing dogs for 20+ yrs.
Nothing compares to wild.

I joined a Gun Club 20 years ago
Mostly as I wanted a decent place to hunt waterfowl and upland birds
Not greatest for either one ,but it is only 10 miles from my house

Well the club has 400 acers of upland fields where we release Quail , Chucker and Pheasants for hunts

These are pen raised birds
But they do fly well and taste good

Well fast forward to now
I had a nasty fall at work and now I am disabled
So I hunt as much as possible between Migraines and other headaches

I went out to the clubs marsh this morning to do some Canada Goose hunting

About 10 AM I decided to change and do some pheasant hunting
As there was a release & hunt last Saturday and I had been hearing some pheasants in a field close to the area I was goose hunting

I put the geese in my truck and put on a orange vest

For arwanatoto, is your disability permanent? Any luck with physical therapy? I tore an ankle in 2022 and am still rehabing everything.

Without a doubt. I have more pheasant hunting experience then anyone on this forum, guaranteed. Grew up hunting Nebraska , as soon as I could walk I was with my family hunting birds. There is NO comparison to a wild ringneck to ANY pen raised bird. As for bird dog training. It would be a last resort. Perhaps for pups just getting started. I always remember, an article written in one of the major hunting magazines a lot of years ago...author was adamant to buy a bird dog pup, where birds are found...best advice I have ever heard....carry on boys...