5800 planted pheasants in Michigan

[glassman48]

I heard just part of our Michigan out of doors t.v. show on public t.v. a couple of weeks ago. The parts that I caught were a man came up with the idea of planting pheasants to help get young people interested in hunting again. I don't know how many years this has been going on, but one man's idea has apparently grown to 5800 pheasants being planted at various locations around Michigan this year. What a great story, what a great idea, and congratulations to whoever the guy is that saw this idea through. If anyone has more info, maybe a phone number etc. I would like to call the man himself and tell him congratulations. I am hoping some of the planted birds may be close enough for us to go down and try our luck. I thought I heard the t.v. personality say they planted the birds the night before? Thanks, Ed

[Silvers]

I heard just part of our Michigan out of doors t.v. show on public t.v. a couple of weeks ago. The parts that I caught were a man came up with the idea of planting pheasants to help get young people interested in hunting again. I don't know how many years this has been going on, but one man's idea has apparently grown to 5800 pheasants being planted at various locations around Michigan this year. What a great story, what a great idea, and congratulations to whoever the guy is that saw this idea through. If anyone has more info, maybe a phone number etc. I would like to call the man himself and tell him congratulations. I am hoping some of the planted birds may be close enough for us to go down and try our luck. I thought I heard the t.v. personality say they planted the birds the night before? Thanks, Ed

If birds are "planted" the night before (as they likely are) this sounds similar to modern day pheasant stocking in some areas of PA where the birds stay around the roads waiting for the next feeding and the "sports" who follow the stocking schedule cruise around and pop them. There's nothing FAIR CHASE about that whereas if the stocking had been done well in advance the birds could get acclimated to foraging, hiding etc. Then we could call it hunting instead of shooting. That real time planting or stocking appeals to some but it's pretty sad imo. Better to buy your chickens at the supermarket, already packaged.

frank

[kgb]

Did the idea man say how they keep the focus on starting kids down the hunting path? Road hunters and grumpy old men are pretty much unavoidable but they should be able to reach the original goals, via restricted dates or areas or ????

[glassman48]

I posted this hoping someone that has more knowledge will give more information. I understand franks opinion, I am hoping that their long term goal would be for the surviving pheasants to repopulate. Thats what I am hoping for anyways. At the pheasant farm near us, the birds that are not shot after being planted soon reacclimate themselves and become "wild". The owner said he thinks this usually takes about 2 to 3 weeks in his opinion. If the guy who thought of this has his heart in the right place, then he will get that congratulations call from me. Its better than not doing anything in my opinion.

[glassman48]

I am trying to find out more on my computer which isn't easy for someone who can barely turn a computer on. The d.n.r. releases male pheasants weekly in 11 different areas in southern lower michigan. They keep releasing into the 2nd season in December. It looks like the idea is more for introducing new hunters. I was hoping it was to reestablish pheasants in general and for new hunters. I had actually been thinking about this for a couple of years because of all the fun I had as a kid in the 60's. I was just hoping someone in here had more first hand knowledge could shed some light on what their goals are.

[glassman48]

A friend of mine told me to check out this months American Hunter magazine on page 24. More info on this subject.

[Foxnut]

Glassman, here you go. MI DNR release program. Similar to what PA and NJ do. Released Weekly during Oct, Nov, and Dec at select state game areas.

https://amp.thetimesherald.com/amp/3560639002

http://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,4570,7-35 ... --,00.html

[glassman48]

foxnut,
Thanks for that link, I haven't found anyone yet that has tried any of those 11 areas. I am hoping it would resemble something like we used to have in my earlier years. Maybe I am still that eternal optimist, I can take off during the week, I would imagine the weekend would be hit hard in those areas. One of my friends who has a brittany may take a trip just to see what its like. I will stay in touch on the site here and let people know if they like the experience or not. Thanks again foxnut. Ed

[Foxnut]

Glassman,
Since it was such nice weather in Southern MI. this weekend I decided to check out Rose Lake SGA in Clinton County this afternoon. I have never been there before. It's over 4K acres of public hunting consisting or woods, swamp, marsh, grass lands restoration and crops. It's about 75 minutes East of me. We hunted for about 90 minutes and managed to get 1 point and one rooster in the bag. I spoke to one gentleman running a GSP that lives in the area and he said that he has been hunting about every week. He said on weekends it gets busy.

Frank,
I certainly understand your feelings on this type of hunting. However, the intent of MI DNR was to provide another hunting opportunity for sportsman with an additional goal of introducing young hunters that have never hunted pheasant to the sport. They release birds during off hours and rotate what days of the week to try to minimize the "road hunting" you mentioned. In addition they are working on improving grassland habitat to try and hold birds as well. What I can tell you is the one bird that Rosey pointed was in some thick, nasty briars on a swath that was about 40 yards wide between a tree line and cut corn. It obviously got smart after being there a few days.

While not SD, Rosey and I had a good day and it was much better than hunting a "preserve" where birds are put out 30 minutes before you hunt. Gorgeous first day of Winter with temps in the low 50's/Upper 40's with sun and light wind which was perfect scenting conditions. I for one was impressed with the work they are doing to improve the habitat and the concept in general.

[glassman48]

foxnut,
I appreciate your post in here on this subject. I would drive that far just to get my dog some work with just a hope of finding a pheasant like you did. I hunted saturday and sunday up here with my back out of adjustment again. I could only hunt about 45 minutes. With a foot of snow on the ground and a bad back, it wasn't much fun. There were grouse tracks everywhere, I saw 3 grouse saturday flying out of the tops of tall pine trees. I could see where they were walking, then the tracks stopped, I could see where cash was tracking them on a couple tracks. I think they are so smart, they hear us coming and fly up in the big pine trees. And then wait for us to leave:) Some of my best holding grouse points have been in the winter. That pheasant season is almost over I think now too. Thanks again, you must live near grand rapids area then?

[Foxnut]

Ed,
I do live on the East side of GR in Ada Township. With the warm weather over the last couple of days our snow is completely gone. I didn't realize you still had that much left up there. Grouse do love to sit in the boughs of evergreens when there is snow! I hope to make it to either Lake County or your area for one more grouse hunt before the season ends.

[glassman48]

foxnut,
I will be planning on hunting tues., wed., and thurs., this week. If the timing is right, I have a couple spots around me (just north and east of kalkaska) that I usually give an hour hunt at each spot. You and your dog are welcome, my brittany hunts pretty well with other dogs. I would probably stay south if I was you, I am not sure what lake city has for snow. I want to run cash as many days as I can before season ends. I will probably hunt fri. sat. and sun. too. I am taking off the rest of the week except friday this week. Thanks for all your help and input in here too. Congratulations on that pheasant too, that gives me hope

[glassman48]

foxnut,
I have next sunday booked at a pheasant farm, I forgot about that. The snow was so deep up here yesterday, my brittany's bell was plugging up with snow:)