Aberdeen's Kessler Named to Pheasants Forever Nat'l Board of Directors

[landman]

I agree that those hunters do share our concerns. But I am not so sure that based on Kesslers hunting operations we will be rowing in the right direction.

I don't agree with the premise that because he operates a hunting operation it makes him a poor selection for the Board. He might be a very good selection for all we know.

However I was very disappointed in him last winter when he abstained in the vote to extend the regular season to the end of January. The vote was 3 to 3 with Kessler abstaining. If I remember correctly he was in favor of extending the season but thought that his vote would be a conflict of interest so he did not cast his vote leaving it a tie, which failed the measure. I did not check but I wonder if he voted in the measure to increase the limit to 20 birds for Preserves, which could also be considered a conflict of interest. I suppose just about anything concerning pheasant hunting could be considered a conflict of interest if he had a pheasant hunting operation. But he did not vote and the season remains too short.

 

[moellermd]

I did not check but I wonder if he voted in the measure to increase the limit to 20 birds for Preserves, which could also be considered a conflict of interest.

Well here is the answer to that question.

http://rapidcityjournal.com/news/local/top-stories/article_04de9cdf-b6ae-5010-9e4a-a198a3907129.html

If he abstained from the season being extended that is the same as voting no. I think it takes 5 of the 8 to change the season length. That was the case with the limit increase.

Now I really don't like PF decision.

 

[Calisdad]

You guys have what I call 'quality problems'. The closest free roam place I can hunt pheasant is 100 miles away. They let in about 80 guys on about 20 square miles and the yearly harvest is about 50 birds. 95% of which are taken the first morning. That is why put and take operations survive here. You either go to a reserve or you stay home.

You better hope that Arizona conservation group (CBD) doesn't sue to stop planting of pheasant as they did with trout here. There are a lot of parallels but the California Dept of Fish and Game had to do environmental impact reports on all stocking before they could continue stocking. Some reports aren't done so some areas don't get stocked. A huge waste of time and money.

 

[moellermd]

My argument is not against preserves or pay to hunt operations. Unless you go to some place like Uguide's camps you are probably shooting some released birds anyway. My issue is that PF is a habitat organization that believes you increase bird numbers by better habitat not by releasing birds. Preserves owners, by there practices, believe it is all right to release birds to increase bird numbers. By definition these two beliefs are in conflict.

I understand some people don't have access to bird ground and need/like to use preserves. If that is what you want to do that is fine. I can't shoot a Elk in Iowa so if I wanted to do that locally or wanted to guarantee that I got to shoot one I would have to go to a game farm and shoot one and call it hunting. That's the price I pay for were I live.

 

[landman]

My argument is not against preserves or pay to hunt operations. Unless you go to some place like Uguide's camps you are probably shooting some released birds anyway. My issue is that PF is a habitat organization that believes you increase bird numbers by better habitat not by releasing birds. Preserves owners, by there practices, believe it is all right to release birds to increase bird numbers. By definition these two beliefs are in conflict.

I don't think any Preserves release birds to increase the wild bird population. They release birds so that their customers can shoot them. Most released birds are not in the wild very long at Preserves before they either get shot or die for some other reason. This is different from the premise that releasing birds will increase the wild bird population, which PF does not support because the science says that it will do little good and is generally a waste of money. However for a Preserve to offer the number of birds it takes to satisfy a lot of customers day after day they have to release birds.

I think PF is not against Preserves or Pay to hunt operations because they believe, as I do, that they can exist without significantly impacting the non-pay-to-hunt areas. There are a lot of hunters who take advantage of the pay-to-hunt operations, which in turn puts a lot of money into additional habitat and hunting opportunities. Likewise there are a lot of hunters who enjoy hunting the non-pay-to-hunt areas or Public areas. There are a lot of ways to enjoy pheasant hunting and Preserves is one way to do that. Sure its not for me but for a lot of folks it works just fine. A good organization to join if a person wants to support free hunting as opposed to fee hunting is the Wildlife Federation.

 

[moellermd]

LM I will still maintain my PF membership. They are a great organization. I just question there rational in this case. Releasing birds is releasing bird and according to PF dilutes the natural bird genetics. How PF could say it is OK in one situation and not in another I do not know. How they can have a member of their board who thinks it is OK I also do not know.

 

[landman]

LM I will still maintain my PF membership. They are a great organization. I just question there rational in this case. Releasing birds is releasing bird and according to PF dilutes the natural bird genetics. How PF could say it is OK in one situation and not in another I do not know. How they can have a member of their board who thinks it is OK I also do not know.

I don't know either. Shooting pen raised birds is not hunting in my opinion, it is more in the catagory of playing golf, shooting sporting clays or bowling. It is less about hunting and more about shooting. I'm just happy that folks spend a lot of money to do it because it helps our tax base. On the other hand, I'm not going to spend any time or money trying to stop the activity either. It 's probably better that they hunt the Preserves rather than joining the already crowded public hunting areas anyway.

 

[moellermd]

I don't know either. Shooting pen raised birds is not hunting in my opinion, it is more in the catagory of playing golf, shooting sporting clays or bowling. It is less about hunting and more about shooting. I'm just happy that folks spend a lot of money to do it because it helps our tax base. On the other hand, I'm not going to spend any time or money trying to stop the activity either. It 's probably better that they hunt the Preserves rather than joining the already crowded public hunting areas anyway.

I think we have found our common ground. :thumbsup:

 

[tmrichardson]

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[Tower751]

I'm not going to get into the political discussion of this thread, but would like to comment on Tim Kessler. I met Tim a few years ago thru some friends in Aberdeen. We now get together for dinner and a hunt every year, and no not at his lodge. I'm definitely one of the "little" guys. Definitely not a big shot, just a regular guy. I can honestly say Mr. Kessler is without a doubt one of us. Even with his money and lodge he is one of the friendliest and most down to earth guys I have met. When people talk about how down home the folks from SD can be it reminds me of tim and the friends I have there. Just saying.