Ttannahill14
Active member
I've struggled with this issue for a few years now and haven't quite decided what my stance is on it. So maybe you guys can get me some info, facts, or opinions that will sway me one way or the other.
I think most of us on this forum are on board that high fence hunting is unethical, and flat out not hunting. But what about when it's done for upland birds?
Here in Kansas we have pretty solid pheasant quail habitat across the state, but one dry summer can really hurt the population numbers for years. People around here do a few different things to solve the problem of lack of birds.
1. Raise birds in a pen. Release birds the morning of a hunt. Go back, pick up your hunting buddies and dogs, and go hunt the 20 birds you just released on a quarter section of CRP. Most these birds don't fly very well and I have even heard of guys literally kicking the birds into the air to get them to fly so they can shoot them.
2. Raise birds do adult age. Release a bunch of birds at the beginning of season. Hunt all season long. Birds still don'y fly very well.
3. Put chicks in a surrogator. Basically a box that gives the chicks food, water, protection, and warmth and then automatically opens them to the wild at 5 weeks. These birds have very little human interaction and are the "wildest" birds possible in the pheasant farming world.
I personally, have never done any of them. I would like to know some more information on if this causes any disease or sickness on the naturally born pheasants or any negative affect on any of the other wildlife.
So what do you think? are all 3 options unethical? I've considered putting a surragator on my ground to help with the numbers. But just can't do it yet until I've fully decided what I believe.
FYI- There are no fences involved. The birds can fly wherever they want including my neighbors ground. I'm just trying to boost the population, if ethical.
I think most of us on this forum are on board that high fence hunting is unethical, and flat out not hunting. But what about when it's done for upland birds?
Here in Kansas we have pretty solid pheasant quail habitat across the state, but one dry summer can really hurt the population numbers for years. People around here do a few different things to solve the problem of lack of birds.
1. Raise birds in a pen. Release birds the morning of a hunt. Go back, pick up your hunting buddies and dogs, and go hunt the 20 birds you just released on a quarter section of CRP. Most these birds don't fly very well and I have even heard of guys literally kicking the birds into the air to get them to fly so they can shoot them.
2. Raise birds do adult age. Release a bunch of birds at the beginning of season. Hunt all season long. Birds still don'y fly very well.
3. Put chicks in a surrogator. Basically a box that gives the chicks food, water, protection, and warmth and then automatically opens them to the wild at 5 weeks. These birds have very little human interaction and are the "wildest" birds possible in the pheasant farming world.
I personally, have never done any of them. I would like to know some more information on if this causes any disease or sickness on the naturally born pheasants or any negative affect on any of the other wildlife.
So what do you think? are all 3 options unethical? I've considered putting a surragator on my ground to help with the numbers. But just can't do it yet until I've fully decided what I believe.
FYI- There are no fences involved. The birds can fly wherever they want including my neighbors ground. I'm just trying to boost the population, if ethical.