RE: Pheasant
 

Just to clarify, my comment was specific to tower shoots and not to game farms/commercial preserves in general.

RE: Pheasant
 

Gus,
Would those "Yuppies" be included in the hunters that should stick together? I run a very small private game farm and also go to South Dakota for pheasanys every year (100% wild - fair chase). I have clients and hunt with all kinds of people. They have different backgrounds, careers, income, education levels and political affiliations. Once we take the field we are hunting buddies. Not rednecks, liberal democrat lawyers, CEO's, truck drivers, mechanics etc. but hunting buddies. If you really want to keep hunters united, then drop the ignorant labels.
I understand the need for tower shoots by larger game farms due to an over abundance of birds at year end. The cost of carry over into the next game farm season (Sept.) is very high and even the largest operations are preparing for the chicks coming in and don't have the facilities to keep both. It isn't my thing, but I try to understand things before I make judgements of the practice and the make-up of the people involved.
I personally think that hunting over bait is so far removed from an ethical hunting practice. However, I accept that we, the small amount of total hunters in this country, need to stick together or the anti's will defeat us very soon.

Good Luck and safe hunting,

Mathewsconquest2

RE: Pheasant
 

I have nothing aginst game farms I just said I would not hunt on one, but I have never done it so I shouldnt nock it and I wasent. This hole thing is not to cool anymore so i am going to lay off. The last report I made was out of anger about the PETA remark. So many guys use that when ever someone says anything that they dont like,and I think it is lame. I am realy not as big of an ass as I come across as. I am trying to get better at my hunting skills so that I dont have to hunt over bait, but it is coming slow. Well I hope this is the last of this, and sorry to any one who was involved in this wast of time.
Latter Guys and good luck out there.

RE: Pheasant
 

I think there is more to it than that. Preserves in my area seem to hold tower shoots throughout the preserve season. It seems like a good way to release a whole lot of birds, and generate a whole lot of revenue, in a single afternoon. Perhaps this what allows some of the commercial ventures to remain afloat? That isn't all bad. I'm just concerned that as preserves become more and more common for upland hunting that some people are losing perspective on ethics and the difference between a good hunt and a big pile of dead birds.

RE: Pheasant
 

I wasnt going to post on this any more but I just had to. Oldgrunt, I wish I could stay as cool as you. Ya make a good point without offending anyone, Nice, and I agree. I just wish I could have said it like you to begin with.
Now I am done, Later yall

RE: Pheasant
 

I realize that tower shoots have become more popular throughout the season. Like I said, I understand them, and they really don't bother me as much as others apparently. I have never participated myself in one. My biggest thrill is working my labradors and watching first timers shoot their first bird.
However, we need to be honest. As I mentioned, I run a small private pheasant farm. I don't believe that wild pheasant hunting in South Dakota is the same as hunting on a game farm and is far from a tower shoot. But many people don't have the opportunity or time to travel to a state with a good population of birds. They hunt game farms. They are still promoting verbally and financially the sport of hunting. Many of these "Yuppies" pump money into the NRA, Pheasants Forever, DU and hunting retailers just to name a few that help keep all types of hunting afloat. I think the PETA reference to Gus may have been a little over the top, however I believe RedDogRunner undrestands the difference between wild pheasants and game farm raised birds. He and I don't look at these game farm raised birds any different than chickens (future poultry). The farm raised birds that get away rarely, if ever, survive out in the wild.

No one out there is pretending that a tower shoot is traditional hunting. But if the birds were raised to be shot at and eaten then I have no problem with it. Just like I have no problem with beef cows, chickens or pigs meeting the butcher.

Hunters need to focus on the big picture- Anti's want to take away our rights to hunt. Discussion is healthy , but bickering is divisive.

-Mathewsconquest2

RE: Pheasant
 

That's a good point.

RE: Pheasant
 

guss in ny there arnt enough wild pheasants to hunt them there mostly on preserves but instead of killing 200 brids why dont you try and raise and release them there FREE]

and can someone give me any advice on raising 50 birds? how big of cage the book says 10 sqt per bird thats a alot of room:eek:

RE: Pheasant
 

Allseasonhunter7,
I would say the 10 sq. ft. is minimum for a flight pen with the birds having peepers on them. I'm more comfortbale with 20 sq.ft. However, I haven't had peepers on them (all roosters) for the past couple of years.

Are you starting with day old chicks ?

I have only been raising them a short time and learn something new each year. But feel free to contact me with questions. Hope I can help.

-Mathewsconquest2

RE: Pheasant
 

yes day old so ill start withthem in side light... etc but when they get bigger ill bring em out side for fifity birds what lenght width should my cage be thanks