I have heard over the years and would like to know if anyone, KNOWS, not just bull or some guess if S. Dakota{or any state successfully) releases pheasants yearly on public land. I think this is going to be a very important subject down the road and, if so, we need to get to the next question. Let me know.
Does S. Dakota release
- Thread starter sas
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quail hound
Moderator
I think almost all states with less than stellar pheasant numbers release birds to some extent for public land hunters. I may get hammered for this but I'll venture a guess that more.birds are released in SD than any other state (by hunting operations on private land) but I dint know that the SD G&F releases any birds, I don't think they need to.
There are lots of birds released on preserves and non preserve commercial hunting places. I have no knowledge that the state GFP releases birds. I have heard that rumor too, but I have never heard anything that confirms that.
Lots of states released birds 50 years ago. Almost everybody abandoned that pactice when pheasants are established. Some eastern middle west states, Wisconsin, Ill., ( on certain areas), Ohio, and Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Mass., All raise and release birds, some used to have better populations which are now supplemented by preserve style releases. A lot of belief that stocking persists is the old state game farm photo's showing emloyees releasing pheasants to the wild. Yes, South Dakota, has a provision to require preserves to release birds for every one they harvest. Most due this in the spring with hens, hoping they will nest and produce broods. Iowa's misquided legislature aurthorized stock put and take birds last year, rather than take steps to recover the population. Even Nebraska raised and released pheasants into the 1980's. I do not know if California does or not, but I think I remember they do, or did on certain waterfowl areas. but those might have been expansion stockings. Missouri experimented with expanding stocking in mid Missouri wildlife areas in the 1990's, abandoned it for lack of success, but some still survive there, are legal. Buy the way there is an established pheasant population in Sonora, Mexico. With spectacular hunting.....as long as the drug gangs don't grab you, ransom you, with or without your digits. By the way I love the annual stocking blogs, do we or do we not stock? It's like it's a dirty little secret, somehow makes the harvesting of a "pen raised" bird inferior.
quail hound
Moderator
OaN. I'm not a bird snob but the pen reared birds are inferior. Ca DF&W stocks birds on waterfowl areas for youth hunts usually the day before Thanksgiving day. They release something like 10 or more roosters per youth hunter (to make sure they get birds) so a lot survive the day. I was hunting one of these areas last year about 2 weeks after the release in a light drizzle. Harvested 1 wild bird and 1 stocked bird. The wild bird was almost completely dry and had a craw full of weed seeds while the stocked birds was drenching wet and had maybe a handul of seeds and a few blades of grass in his craw. Guess which one flushed strong?
I'm glad they release birds for the youth hunters, hopefully they are grooming the next generation of conservationist upland hunters and I'm not above shooting one that the dogs put up.:thumbsup::cheers:
I'm glad they release birds for the youth hunters, hopefully they are grooming the next generation of conservationist upland hunters and I'm not above shooting one that the dogs put up.:thumbsup::cheers:
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mustistuff
Banned
released birds
a couple of years ago there were over 10.000 roosters released by hunting operations in s. da. ya hear the bragging that mostly all we saw were roosters, da, wonder why. at least several years ago neb. was releasing pheasants with the hope of some of them surviving, mostly just provided some fun for the local farmers that did want to hunt. this happened for sure in the western part of the state
cheers
a couple of years ago there were over 10.000 roosters released by hunting operations in s. da. ya hear the bragging that mostly all we saw were roosters, da, wonder why. at least several years ago neb. was releasing pheasants with the hope of some of them surviving, mostly just provided some fun for the local farmers that did want to hunt. this happened for sure in the western part of the state
cheers
Dakotazeb
Well-known member
Yes, there are thousands of pheasants released in South Dakota by both preserves and hunting operations. If I'm not mistaken, a hunting preserve in SD is required to release one bird for every bird harvested on their preserve.
But the answer to the original question of this thread is NO! The State of South Dakota (the GF&P) does not release any birds on public land. Never has in recent history to my knowledge. This issue seems to come up on this site annually.
I never make a point of harvesting a put and take bird, but where you are makes a difference. Like no pheasants or a ratty pen raised bird who is to stupid to know Adam!
only a pointer
Banned
What about the shoot a rooster for a million dollars ? They release birds all over the state,and on public ground, from what I seen there they sure are not as tough and fast as ks birds?
quail hound
Moderator
George. I know this question is brought up almost every year and sometimes more than once and that it irks the SD guys but bare with me through a few questions. What is the difference between the GF&P doing the actual stocking or requiring it on preserves? Also I see a lot of people who say that commercial operations out there produce a lot of birds on their land that replinish public grounds that maybe don't have the quality habitat so it must be true that a lot of the birds required by the GF&P being stocked will make it to public ground right? Lastly I don't see how these operations (with no bag limits) releasing a bird per bird harvested can be a sustainable plan but I guess that is another thread.:cheers:
Dakotazeb
Well-known member
I think there is a huge difference between the private hunting operations stocking birds and say the GFP. For the most part the birds released on the preserve land will be harvested on that land. The same would probably be true of private hunting operations releasing birds on their land. If, the GFP released birds it would be on public land. Do some of the birds released by the preserves and private hunting operations make it to some public land? Yes, I'm sure a few do, but not very many. For the preserves it's a matter of survival. Guys paying the big bucks to hunt (and be wined and dined) on these places expect to shoot a limit (or more) so the preserve owners have to make sure there are birds on their land both in good times and bad.
There are many hunting operations (non-preserve) in SD that do not stock birds. They rely on wild birds and farm the land accordingly. I have a friend in that category but his numbers are down this year too.
There are many hunting operations (non-preserve) in SD that do not stock birds. They rely on wild birds and farm the land accordingly. I have a friend in that category but his numbers are down this year too.
I was told that the birds in southern Nebraska, Kansas and Colorado are mainly "Manchurian Ringnecks" which are suppose to be very high strung and jumpy. They are also a little smaller than the strain of ringneck's you would typically find in the Dakotas. I don't how correct this info is because I didn't know the person who told me about this but he seemed like he knew a lot about the pheasant's history in the US and also knew about all of the different strains used to populate our country. His info makes since because I think Colorado and Kansas have the most jumpy birds around.
westksbowhunter
Well-known member
This would be false.
I can tell you, NE. doesn't stock shit...too damn cheap.
They did in 2010. I called a motel and was BS'ing with the lady that worked there who also had a farm and she said the state had them raising 100 birds to release. She said they were doing that with help from alot of farmers. Not sure if they released any in 2012 or 2013.
sounds like she was selling motel rooms.....it costs a ton of money to set up flight pens and a facility to raise birds, I grew up in NE., I don't know any farmers that would waste their time doing this...sorry, this is bullshit.
Nebraska did raise birds, at Sacremento-Wilcox, they did this for years, and stocked them routinely on the area. Nebraska is still using pen raised birds for the " youth only" season, I know Alexandria gets a lot, I believe Branched Oak gets some. I know they discontinued the program at Sacremento-Wilcox, I have know idea where they get birds now. But it certainly isn't "BS", look at the Nebraska game and parks internet site. Report to the teacher with a report and pennance!
I will tell you I have shot a lot of pheasants around the country. My belief is the birds are perceptively bigger the farther north and west. Now species variation might be at work, or because as you get north, it requires more strength and size to acclimate to the enviorment. I have seen the difference between Kansas Birds and birds from Nebraska 100 miles north. Certainly between Jewell County Kansas birds, and birds in Cherry County, Nebraska. I don't descriminate, I like them all! By the way, species which live in the arctic region, Polar Bears, et.al. are bigger than similar species at more hospitable climates, Same as lower 48 grizzlies or Alaskan Grizzlies, Lower 48 moose versus a Canadian/Alaskan moose. Might be climate that makes a difference, but there was a wide variety of pheasant genetics blended into the stew, who knows what particular combination clicked for a particular area? You find color variation as well between these birds, visual evidence of some variation!
Thanks! I understand the cold theory, that's why I figured when South Dakota was originally stocking the state they would use a strain of ringnecks that were more acclimated to colder harsher weather. The old timer that was explaining the differences in strains seemed to know an incredible amount of information on this topic.
Care to elaborate????