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Pheasants

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sean
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 42228
Location: North Devon

Posted: Fri Jul 08, 05 12:18 pm Post subject: Pheasants
Just an idle query really, but what's the rationale for a closed season? AFAIK, they aren't native and the vast majority of the population are bred and reared in captivity then released. And they're a real pest on the allotment.

gil
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 08 Jun 2005
Posts: 18421

Posted: Fri Jul 08, 05 12:32 pm Post subject: pheasant close seaon

what are they doing to your allotment ?

I'd always thought the close seaon was to allow for breeding and rearing of chicks - whether done in the wild or captivity, it seems to take place at the same time of year. I can also see the point of leaving them (including the current year's offspring) until they have reached a decent size for eating - i.e. nice and fat by autumn.

can see that once their reproductive work is done, there might be less harm in shooting surplus adult cock pheasants than in depriving the young of their mothers. however, how do pheasants work re foraging for food (does the cock bring food to the nest ? do they take it turn to sit on the eggs ?)

at this time of year (in Scotland) the wild chicks are still very young and small, and with the hens.

But I'll be eagerly awaiting the end of the close season myself. Till then, I'll make do with rabbits, which are sometimes more of a (veg bed) pain. My gripe this year is the mess small birds have made of my peas (yes, should have netted them after sowing till they were big enough to stand up for themselves). I don't find pheasants do much damage.

cheers
g

sean
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 42228
Location: North Devon

Posted: Fri Jul 08, 05 12:37 pm Post subject:
We get tons of them, so nearly everything needs netting. I don't really mind doing it, 'cos if it wasn't the pheasants it would be the pigeons, and don't get me started on rabbits.

cab

Joined: 01 Nov 2004
Posts: 32429

Posted: Fri Jul 08, 05 2:47 pm Post subject:
Pigeons... Rabbits... Pheasant... I've said it before, but might it almost be worth considering your vegetable crops bait, and then rigging up a hide from which to shoot over it?

sean
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 42228
Location: North Devon

Posted: Fri Jul 08, 05 4:38 pm Post subject:

cab wrote:

Pigeons... Rabbits... Pheasant...

I've said it before, but might it almost be worth considering your vegetable crops bait, and then rigging up a hide from which to shoot over it?

Not allowed. The greenkeeper for the golf club (which is also on the commons) used to have a 12-bore in a holster on his tractor-mower

but 'they' made him stop. Spoilsports.

Lloyd

Joined: 24 Jan 2005
Posts: 2699

Posted: Sat Jul 09, 05 1:08 am Post subject:
I'm aware of UK Game Law, but once breeding is over, on my own land, I reduce crop damage in any way available to me. Law is put in place by certain people to protect certain (usually human) interests. I have concerns that are more to do with my products, and limiting damage caused by predatory species.

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