Pheasant stocking program in Western Penn. Where are the birds?

C

Chuck Isaac

New member
I can’t seem to bring myself to believe the Game Commission is keeping to the allocations of pheasants from the stocking program. The first day, talked to many hunters, and visited four different game lands in two different counties, no shooting and no sightings. Hunted the whole first week, and only came away with two pheasants. Have a very talented Drahtharr, only two flushes. Crawford county allocated 1790 pheasants for the first week, nobody’s getting any birds. I hunted Thursday in the rain, managed to kill one rooster, only hunter out. Something isn’t right! I would like to hear from others on their observations in the western part of the state. The season is still early, and hope things turn around. Hunt safely, shoot straight. Chuck
 
Chuck
Can't speak about the released birds in the Western part of the State , we do get out there but it's on private farms that are open to hunting and these are not state released birds. The SGL's I've heard about through friends in other parts of the State seemed to have received a decent amount of birds. Hope your season improves !
 
FLDBRED said:
Chuck
Can't speak about the released birds in the Western part of the State , we do get out there but it's on private farms that are open to hunting and these are not state released birds. The SGL's I've heard about through friends in other parts of the State seemed to have received a decent amount of birds. Hope your season improves !
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Thanks Fldbred for answering my post. The season is very early, and hope it improves. Stay safe, enjoy every day in the field, Chuck
 
Chuck: Been out the first two Saturdays and was very pleased with the bird numbers at different places in South Central zone.
 
Northwest. "Beanfields" , Spetz hill, Akeley swamp, "woodchuck" farm, Spring Creek...all getting stocked, and then hunted out in three days..
 
102_0426.jpgHunted a SGL close to home, shocked to see no other hunters and dogs had plenty of action.
 
....Friday stocking in the NW.....watched GC dump the birds and immediately some idiot starts shooting, GC driver yelled to him, finished dumping birds and drove off....I drove to a different SGL as this particular GL was too "hot" for me...yesterday, Monday brother and I had some luck scouring the edges for the survivors, but also FLDBRED, only us two......
we are at (were) the 4th stocking...(second 530#)...still 530, 410 and a late season of 370 to go
WARREN
COCKS​
70​
410​
530​
530​
530​
410​
370​
2,850​
HENS​
30​
150​
200​
200​
200​
140​
130​
1,050​
 
Chuck Isaac said:
I can’t seem to bring myself to believe the Game Commission is keeping to the allocations of pheasants from the stocking program. The first day, talked to many hunters, and visited four different game lands in two different counties, no shooting and no sightings. Hunted the whole first week, and only came away with two pheasants. Have a very talented Drahtharr, only two flushes. Crawford county allocated 1790 pheasants for the first week, nobody’s getting any birds. I hunted Thursday in the rain, managed to kill one rooster, only hunter out. Something isn’t right! I would like to hear from others on their observations in the western part of the state. The season is still early, and hope things turn around. Hunt safely, shoot straight. Chuck
Click to expand...
In my experience, does seem to be a couple of odd past couple of years ( from what I’ve been use to)
 
...they stocked NW/ Warren today, Tuesday, which is not the usual (this early in week).... so with last Friday and today/Tuesday stockings... should be target rich environment
 
Good Boy! said:
....Friday stocking in the NW.....watched GC dump the birds and immediately some idiot starts shooting, GC driver yelled to him, finished dumping birds and drove off....I drove to a different SGL as this particular GL was too "hot" for me...yesterday, Monday brother and I had some luck scouring the edges for the survivors, but also FLDBRED, only us two......
we are at (were) the 4th stocking...(second 530#)...still 530, 410 and a late season of 370 to go
WARREN
COCKS​
70​
410​
530​
530​
530​
410​
370​
2,850​
HENS​
30​
150​
200​
200​
200​
140​
130​
1,050​
Click to expand...
..... sorry 730, 550 and 500.... total
 
Wednesday/Thursday.... very few guns out... none, one or two trucks at 3 different locales..( nice that one can hunt 3 different spots on same day due to closeness)...
lots of:
roosters
points
flushes
misses
fun
 
It sounds like PA has limited pheasant numbers....so why would they allow the hens to be shot? Is that why they numbers are low or is it a lack of habitat? Sure can't help establishing a good population shooting hens.....I don't get out much, I didn't know this was allowed anywhere. You fellas from PA likely know what the rational is, please share. I guess I could try "googling" my question, but a hunter's answer will likely be different.
 
remy3424 said:
It sounds like PA has limited pheasant numbers....so why would they allow the hens to be shot? Is that why they numbers are low or is it a lack of habitat? Sure can't help establishing a good population shooting hens.....I don't get out much, I didn't know this was allowed anywhere. You fellas from PA likely know what the rational is, please share. I guess I could try "googling" my question, but a hunter's answer will likely be different.
Click to expand...
I am guessing that it is due to the birds being stocked, I.E. no or very limited natural reproduction. Pen raised birds might as well be harvested by hunters because they will otherwise be eaten by predators.
 
In my mind/presented information/experience....
First of all, multiple reasons for what was and what is.,.... what was, was overwintering/native birds, good hunting and no stocking (that I remember)... what is, is no habitat, limited budget/interest from GC, lack of encouraging counts of surviving birds over winter....
Two or three years ago GC used to stock many small honeyholes with 10 or 15 and more at the larger spots....now GC has adopted the idea of, if we use funds to raise and stock birds, we want them harvested.... so they post numbers for each region, along with a rough schedule (which translates as either Tuesday Wednesday Thursday or Friday, stay on your toes and check mid-day),
Depending on weather and hunters, after two days you're chasing singles... after three days you're taking the dogs for a run.
I hunt Warren county almost every day, we flush at least one every day, but most days more....70% or more roosters...
This week? Tuesday stocking, birds every day, now Friday and still turning them up... but no sense (other than we hunt) for Saturday as numbers of birds will be at their lowest while hunters will be at their highest.
 
TroutBum1071 said:
where are you located?
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This particular SGL is located in South East Region of the State , we do however travel throughout the State and spend a lot of our time hunting areas that require a few hours of driving time.
 
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