NewmanCa I didn't know your name was Robert too. I was directing my reply to Quailhound who is the one I meant. No need to look for my emails, they aren't there. :cheers:
Who's buying a Class A season pass?
- Thread starter calamari
- Start date
NewmanCa I didn't know your name was Robert too. I was directing my reply to Quailhound who is the one I meant. No need to look for my emails, they aren't there. :cheers:
Lol. OK. I was thrown for a bit of a loop there for a moment
quail hound
Moderator
I was talking about managing alfalfa as habitat not managing a wildlife area as a whole and what goes on. I work for a govt agency, I know what goes on. I'm constantly doing the "pound of cure" work when I had suggested the "ounce of prevention". I know about being told "they don't have the money for that" only to go back and have to do twice the work to fix something when it becomes a problem.
I appreciate you giving me his number, I really do. I even made a list of questions but I have an aversion to initiating contact via phone. Don't ask me why, I don't know. Its my one neurotic tick. I know it sounds weird but it's true, I should have told you that I most likely wouldn't be able to press send on that call and I apologize.
quail hound
Moderator
I know they did them with success in the Suisun marsh but they were to water and labor intensive to be replicated on every refuge. 5 seasons ago Mendota was the spot, I hunted out there a lot more than in LB but the drought hasn't been kind to Mendota. Last year out there was the first time in my life I went hunting and didn't flush a bird.
I've never hunted LB. How did you do there? Concerned too many people go there and hate big crowds
quail hound
Moderator
We always move birds and I was very impressed by some of the work I've seen done on the uplands the last few years. I like to mix it up between LB and Salt Slough so I'm not always pushing the same birds. I've never been on the opener but besides thanksgiving weekend crowds are not a problem at all.
You gotta come check out China Island this coming season. It flies under the radar compared to LB or Salt Slough but often the hunting has been just as good if not better some years
quail hound
Moderator
I will definitely have to. I wish I could get my nephews interested so I could take them to Mud Slough, I always see birds when I drive past that one.
I might try Kesterson this year too. A couple of the guys told me they did well there. Kesterson is normally not open for pheasant but they open it up for pheasant for a special hunt (I think) the first Monday following the pheasant opener. I think they hunt around the duck blinds.
Since you didn't return my emails or contact the person who I put you in touch with you didn't learn that he was the guy along with Chet Hart who developed the brood strip concept for Mendota and who took it to Grizzly Island which is the Suisum Marsh you're talking about. He also took it to Gray Lodge and Howard Slough but it was labor intensive and not water intensive that caused it to be discontinued. If you'd wanted to talk about the macro issues of area management he could do that but if you wanted to discuss the intricacies of pheasant propagation he's the best and most experienced that's still alive in Calif. You pooched it Robert.
I thought you did paving. What wildlife agency do you work for? CalTrans or a county Public Works department is not the same as the Department of Fish and Wildlife or any of the other Resource Agency departments.
I asked you if wanted to learn why wildlife agencies do what they do and if you wanted to know the real issues area managers have to deal with while meeting their obligations to protect and provide habitat for all wildlife. You said you did. I appreciate your apology but you still make comments that indicate you know all that's necessary to fix the problem.
You're young. If you're lucky you'll grow old enough to learn you aren't nearly as smart as you think you are.
quail hound
Moderator
You're right, there are a lot of things I don't know much about. I do know a thing or two about putting a good dog down in decent cover and following him though so I'll stick to that this season.:cheers:
Then there is something we are in complete agreement on. :cheers:
Calisdad
New member
Well that looks like a waste of $160 !
I just called Los Banos. They have been releasing pheasant around Thanksgiving for decades. This year they don't have the money. Asked about the junior hunt at O'Neill Forebay which has also been going on for decades. They will have a hunt on Sunday but only a junior clean up Monday. Their will be a clean up on Tuesday if the coyotes have left anything.
The really sad part is I searched for the junior hunt and didn't find anything, as probably many juniors did too. Last year they had SIX, count 'em, SIX juniors show up and 65 guys show up Monday for the clean up.
Anyone know of an area that did save their budget for a Thanksgiving pheasant release?
(I know- it's beyond sad that we have to rely on released birds to work our dogs but right now it's the only game in town- or is it?)
I just called Los Banos. They have been releasing pheasant around Thanksgiving for decades. This year they don't have the money. Asked about the junior hunt at O'Neill Forebay which has also been going on for decades. They will have a hunt on Sunday but only a junior clean up Monday. Their will be a clean up on Tuesday if the coyotes have left anything.
The really sad part is I searched for the junior hunt and didn't find anything, as probably many juniors did too. Last year they had SIX, count 'em, SIX juniors show up and 65 guys show up Monday for the clean up.
Anyone know of an area that did save their budget for a Thanksgiving pheasant release?
(I know- it's beyond sad that we have to rely on released birds to work our dogs but right now it's the only game in town- or is it?)
A friend had recent surgery and needed some air so he and I went for a short walk at Thermalito Afterbay but no pheasants and none appeared to have been planted... as in no feathers on the ground in the parking lot or the fields. About 50 doves that never got closer that 150 yds to the hunting area.
On the way home as we were driving into Wheatland heading south I saw a sign advertising a youth and womans pheasant hunt but we were going so fast I couldn't make out anything but the name Yuba Sutter Sportsmans Club...I think. Now how's that for some useless information, Charlie?
I'll see if I can get some more info.
I feel pretty full of myself for only buying one two day pass so far. I expect to use it for ducks.
On the way home as we were driving into Wheatland heading south I saw a sign advertising a youth and womans pheasant hunt but we were going so fast I couldn't make out anything but the name Yuba Sutter Sportsmans Club...I think. Now how's that for some useless information, Charlie?
I'll see if I can get some more info.
I feel pretty full of myself for only buying one two day pass so far. I expect to use it for ducks.
quail hound
Moderator
Call Mendota and Hensley lake, they both do hunts that may or may not still be on.
If you can make it up here Saturday to Grizzly, the afternoon hunt should have openings for juniors. Give thema call.
The Salt Slough check station guys told us that the costs of the reared birds has doubled from $6 per bird to $12 per bird, which was evidently one of the death blows to the Los Banos program when added to all the other things working against it.
Stepping back and looking at it from afar, I kind of realized about five years ago that pheasant hunting on the refuges and wildlife areas was very slowly headed for extinction, due to all the factors that have been repeatedly cited on this forum. When 65 guys converge on released restaurant birds, you know the spirit of that hunting and the hunt itself are doomed for extinction. The issues that California Fish and Wildlife (still feels weird to use that name in an indirect capitulation to HSUS) are experiencing may also point to a potential underlying issue with our governmental structure in California. The recession may be over in a lot of America, but I think we are still dealing with the foundation of the issues in California. In spite of the deflation that has been going on, in spite of the rise of state income, we still have fundamental structural issues with getting money to the people that are actually doing the real work and the projects - past, present and future - that make a difference. In my hometown of Santa Cruz, we were presented with another set of property tax raises by the different school districts, on top of past school district property tax raises that are already in place. The claim is that the state refuses to cough up the funds they are supposed to be floating back to the school districts after collecting taxes. Why the hell hasn't anyone beat up on the state for that kind of crap, instead of coming back to the local taxpayers with hands outstretched? I personally think my local school teachers are underfunded and the extracurricular school programs have all but disappeared, so I don't begrudge them that money. But it does point to an issue with the overall system of how tax monies are collected, distributed and then applied to the programs to which we think they are supposed to be applied.
What does this have to with pheasant hunting in California? Everything and nothing I guess. The fundamental governmental and budgetary structural issues that got us into the current mess haven't really changed. We have a so-called balanced budget, but the way the money flows is byzantine and seems to end up in the hands of administrators and strange pet projects. I would love to see an audit of the California Upland Stamp funds to see the how the money is actually being spent.
And I was talking about just state wildlife refuges. There is always the federal refuges if you really want to see some serious mismanagement of public hunting opportunities. Anybody here remember duck and pheasant hunting at Sutter in the old days? The water and vegetation management at that refuge is absolutely awful these days and has pretty much killed what was once a decent hunting place. And the issues there pre-date the current drought. It really is a management issue in my opinion.
What has been blowing me away during these times of lean funding is how at odds the the hunting communities can be when it comes to money and management of wetlands. I have always maintained that healthy wetland and adjacent upland management is good for both ducks and pheasants, as well as everything else that is trying to survive in that environment. Everyone with a vested interest in wetland health should be coming together to work on wetland projects and to make sure that the money isn't squandered on administrative costs. The benefits to all wetlands species will come out of the wash if people combine forces and focus on the health of the wetland.
Sorry to be such a downer. I have been thinking about this stuff a lot, both for my consulting business and for my long term choices of where to live. It doesn't mean we have to give up, but the tide of parameters that are crushing wild pheasant hunting on public lands seems to be steadily rising.
On a more upbeat note, I have noticed that the ground is moist and the vegetation is not very dusty on the wildlife areas and refuges, in huge contrast to last November. Decent scenting conditions, at least for my inexperienced Lab. Now we just need a bunch of crazy wild tie-dyed chickens running around in the grass! Regardless, my Lab and I will be participating in the self-abuse that appears to be the norm for California wild pheasant public-land hunting.
Yes, the ground has some moisure on it this year. If we could get another two to three inches it would be even better, might slow the roosters down a bit. The manager of the refuge I usually hunt said he's seen alot more pheasants this year but those roosters are hard to get when conditions are such the birds are running. Last year was supposed to be a bad year but we flushed alot of pheasants so I guess there is a bit of luck involved in coming upon the right spots. I echo what you say about the scenting. My lab wasn't picking up anything last year. She isnt a trained hunting dog but she will scent and track pheasants until they flush and she tracked and flushed several hens and quail this year so that must be the case.
Calisdad
New member
Geeze enzinn. When you say administration costs I hear retirement plans and it reminds me of a recent top DFG 'administrator' who took a top position only to essentially bump his checks then retired. But I don't want to rant here- hard to get off that horse.
I just had a conversation with a friend who is pretty active in the DFG scene, participating in junior hunts, family hunts, SHARE Programs etc. He said his son was told they were not going to plant then was told they were- by who? Don't know. Bottom line is the money for those plants doesn't come from DFG (I'm a dinosaur, sue me). It comes from the Game Bird Heritage Foundation. So there is some disinformation floating around.
I bet if you hit O'Neill Forebay at noon Monday you would get on. I'll be back at Willows.
I just had a conversation with a friend who is pretty active in the DFG scene, participating in junior hunts, family hunts, SHARE Programs etc. He said his son was told they were not going to plant then was told they were- by who? Don't know. Bottom line is the money for those plants doesn't come from DFG (I'm a dinosaur, sue me). It comes from the Game Bird Heritage Foundation. So there is some disinformation floating around.
I bet if you hit O'Neill Forebay at noon Monday you would get on. I'll be back at Willows.