Hunting and fishing stories

[tortoise]

This big red stag has been seen a few times on a property I shoot on, he is safe as the land owner doesn't want him shot, plus I can't eat antler and have shot plenty of big stags over the years, heaps of yearlings around at the moment which are the target right now as we are into Summer.

fawns and yearlings taste better anyway! What a beautiful big boy!

 

[Chicks in VA]

DNR has more antlerless tags available than hunters can fill.

how many?
We have 4 antlerless and 2 antlered!

They're not babies. Nearly 100# live weight.

oh okay as dumb as this sound if its that big I call it a yearling

 

[CLSranch]

Okay Am I dumb I don't see the point in killing an animal the size of a quail?

Because of their size I don't understand why more people don't eat pigeon.

Most states require a permit from the Game & Fish or DNR to raise pheasant. I don't know of any state where it is legal to take eggs from the wild.

If I'm not mistaken the permit is for raising "wild" pheasant with the intent to release. Not so much hatchery birds to butcher. (you may need to correct me)
Generally it's not a good idea to release domestic birds to the wild even if it is the same breed as the wild ones. FYI for those who think they're going to help the wild population the domestic birds can carry many diseases that can wipe out the wild population.
I think the egg thing was before laws to not do things and that's better than leaving them if the parents got hit by the sycle. I've seen birds, rabbits and snakes hanging out of square bales, no telling what's in some rounds.

 

[CLSranch]

a lot of them are lost to over hunting.

There is not any "legal" hunting anymore that depletes a population. Now I wouldn't go shoot the only pair of something around. If anything it's more not enough hunting of a separte species that can pose a problem. Turkeys will eat young pheasant and quail AND their eggs. Also coyote and other predator hunting isn't as common anymore. Hunting is done to keep everything equal and the license, tags, permits go to helping wildlife.

 

[FarmerJamie]

In Ohio, loss of habitat, in particular, farmland either replaced with housing tracts or returning to woodland is a major driver in the reduction in population. Increased coyote and turkey populations are not helping.

The state does annual hunting releases of penned raised birds at specific state hunting grounds. I haven't seen a wild pheasant in over 5 years, but routinely see turkey flocks of 20+.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

We have a loss of habitat issue here also. However, the worst thing to happen to ground nesting brids in this area are FAHR ANTS (as Baymule would say, lol) I've had broody hens, even in a raised nest, get ant infested when hatching starts. I've had to intervene numerous times.

Because of their size I don't understand why more people don't eat pigeon.

I've considered this and may well give it a try. I've got an area I could put them in, just need to find brood stock. Won't happen this time of year, lol.

 

[Hinotori]

Most states require a permit from the Game & Fish or DNR to raise pheasant. I don't know of any state where it is legal to take eggs from the wild.

This was back in the 80s and before. No one bothered anyone about stuff like that in Eastern Oregon. My other Grandpa didn't care about that as police chief and fish and game was more worried about poachers. Especially since ring neck pheasants are a non native species. I don't know what type of regulations they had back in the 80s.

Eggs were what survived the swather in the hay field. Not exactly a wild place. There'd be dead pheasants as well sometimes.

Don't need a permit here in Washington to raise them. Only if you plan on selling them.

 

[livinglandnz]

Oh that's so cool
you can't eat antler, but they can be a pretty cool decoration!!
Wait wait wait ??? The summer? Where are you?

Yup New Zealand, we have no hunting seasons or rules so because of that I have a ton of antlers already.

 

[Chicks in VA]

DH almost missed a trophy buck he'd been watching on game cams for months... because he was reading a book on his phone.

Thats something my dad would do!
Its sad people no long read books on paper
as im on a laptop but anyway

So how many points was he?

 

[Chicks in VA]

I've had that more than once. A whole stringer FULL gone going down to the next pond then coming back. I learned a little from that and have had a basketful of fish snake bit while I/we were gone. They didn't make it in the basket yet, or they already got back out, which would be hard. Just a floating basket of dead fish.

That sucks