M1A1ABRAMS
Well-Known Member
None of them left loose ever survive ? Or is there just to many varmints for that to happen ?
Thoughts on antler restrictions
- Thread starter birddog 68
- Start date
Help Support Long Range Hunting Forum
Lenny Foffa
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Mar 6, 2017
- Messages
- 1,673
The farmer says he never sees them after the season. The guys who hunt Mon to Friday may find one or two in the thick swamp. Hawks, Owls and Fox get a lot of them. We estimate 25 to 30 percent fly off the farm. On the average weekend, 6 to 8 dogs, 8 to 10 hunters, we take about 1/2 the birds we stocked. Although we have 28 members, its usually a mix of the same 10 to 12 guys every weekend .As for me, I'm deer hunting out of state , so I never even get to the club till mid December. day before Christmas s Eve Day, I had One flush, so I got one bird, Next day Christmas Eve morning, I got two flushes, so I got two birds. Its fun!! The 28 Gauge O/U works really well, If I miss its always my own fault.
M1A1ABRAMS
Well-Known Member
I assume all the birds you get are cocks ? Or do they release some hens also ? I always remember as a kid when hunting calling them out before shooting. Because cocks were the only shoot able bird. That was part of the fun.
My Dad said when they used to stock around where he hunted you would occasionally see one into the summer but never had one make it a full year or have chicks.
birddog 68
Well-Known Member
I used to run my dogs year round on game lands and would get flushes and or runners on about 50% of outings after the season. I haven't seen pheasant chick's in the wild for close to 30 years. Way too many predators eating eggs and little chick's nowadays.
M1A1ABRAMS
Well-Known Member
Perhaps this is the answer I have been looking for ? There are not a lot of chapters in my area. In fact not many in the State or neighboring State. I am going to run this past a few farmer friends in the area. The ones that enjoyed & experienced hunting these beautiful birds. Quails also seem to be declined also. I never shot any quail. Even as a kid. You just didn't see many. And the few I did see I didn't want them shot. Even when I was a mischievous youth.
Our wild quail in South Carolina have been decimated by a number of things. Some are experimenting with early release and the predators really get their share. But, some are surviving. I do not think they are hatching any new chicks after release though. Feeding and protective Johnny Boxes have helped protect them at night on the roost to some extent. Everything from fire ants to coyotes seem to love quail and their eggs. The odds are against them from the get go. It is very rare to see wild birds these days.
We generally use club imposed antler restrictions but there's always someone out there to shoot the one you have already let walk three times. Everyone's perception of what a big buck is is different and then we get those that just don't care. Most clubs started charging members fines for undersized deer. That didn't work so well. What works is "if your shoot one undersized, you are done for the year. Don't come back this year, period. We even have antler restrictions on our dog club. They work. But not for folks with itchy trigger fingers trying to push the rules. Any more I just use the Holy S-@T rule. If you don't mouth the words H-S when you first see him, he's not a shooter. If you have to sit there and debate or think about it trying to make him big enough, he's not a shooter. It's simple but it works for me.
birddog 68
Well-Known Member
Absolutely works for me also.
WILLR
Well-Known Member
Small game hunting is done. Hawks ,owls , fox and coyotes have killed almost every thing this includes ground hogs. Only saw 1 ground hog and 2 rabbits on 3 acres this year . A coyote 3 times and they make nightly trips thought regularly . Heard coyotes killing some thing at least 3 time times in2 years and i live only 1/2 mile from town.
Ok back to AR, the one aspect that just seems to be not negotiable is One Buck Rule within the AR. The greed of certain hunters to have to shoot 2 bucks no matter what is ridiculous. Kill a doe instead. Share the resource but that is not in anyone's thought process. The whole "point" of AR is to increase the buck maturity of the herd. If you feel so strongly about AR, then go all in with OBR. There is strong evidence that it works. Indiana went to OBR years ago and now is considered one of the top states for B&C bucks. It works because it MAKES you decide if the ONE buck is a "SHOOTER" as an AR buck. Even public land has been good in Indiana for better Buck opportunities. If you want better Buck opportunities OBR works the best when tied to AR. IMO, the narcissistic attitudes of the so called AR supporters in MI is pure arrogance it's all about me shooting multiple AR bucks. And realize the opposition to OBR is mostly private land hunters. The need to shoot does has been the greatest need but not successful cause hunters waiting for their 2nd buck. Eliminate the 2nd buck and more does will be killed for better herd balance.
This should be good for 10 more pages.
This should be good for 10 more pages.
M1A1ABRAMS
Well-Known Member
I hate sidetracking the thread. Sorry to the OP. And this will be my last post about birds. lol But if it is the predators. Why do some areas such as South Dakota have such luck with their birds ? I would assume they have the same predators. And look at the turkeys. They have been a success. It just baffles me. I know the Pheasant is not a native bird, but it has shown, it can survive. We had good numbers for a long time.
birddog 68
Well-Known Member
Most areas around me have such a high deer density that I would love for them to implement a program that you must shoot a Antlerless deer before getting a buck tag. This wouldn't be popular but it would help keep the population down. Too many are only shooting bucks.
birddog 68
Well-Known Member
Habitat. SD has excellent pheasant habitat
