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foxfire
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Loc: Long Island N.Y.,
Last Pheasant hunt of the Season 4/7/07
      #76023 - 09/04/07 11:27 PM

Saturday 4/7/07 was my last pheasant hunt of the season. We went to Rock Ridge Hunting Preserve in Pine Grove, PA. for the last hurrah.

We planned a tower shoot and bought 200 pheasants. 15 guys showed up so we were 8 men short but we made the best of it. We moved the line in to close up the cirle and let the games begin. The shooting was fun, though it seemed like most of the guys left their aim at home and a lot of birds got away. We finished the tower shoot broke for lunch and went back out with the dogs to finish up and try to find the birds that got away.

As long as hunting season has to end this is a fun way to finish it off.

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NitroXAdministrator
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Re: Last Pheasant hunt of the Season 4/7/07 [Re: foxfire]
      #76049 - 10/04/07 04:10 AM

Can you explain what a tower shoot is?

Is it that the pheasants are released from a tower, similar say to a skeet tower?

Where do the shooters stand for the released birds? I would guess from your comments in a circle around the tower and you shoot once the birds fly over you?

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John aka NitroX

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foxfire
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Reged: 25/11/04
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Loc: Long Island N.Y.,
Re: Last Pheasant hunt of the Season 4/7/07 [Re: NitroX]
      #76056 - 10/04/07 05:13 AM

John,
You explained it pretty well yourself. The bird's are released from a tower 20' to 30' above the ground. The shooter's stand in a circle surrounding the tower. Each man is just out of shotgun reach of the tower about 30 - 40 yards away. The birds are released one at a time and the shooters move position's every so many birds. This gives the shooters a chance at all of the positions.
If the wind is blowing pretty good the birds will all fly in the same direction with the wind pushing them. If you are on the other side of the circle you would get a chance when you rotated to that side of the field.
It's a lot of fun for an organized shoot.

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mehulkamdar
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Re: Last Pheasant hunt of the Season 4/7/07 [Re: foxfire]
      #76092 - 10/04/07 02:10 PM

Foxfire,

Sounds like a great day. Do post pictures if you or any of the other hunters took them. Was this in upstate New York or was it in a different state?

My friends and I did a walk up pheasant shoot in Indiana early in the season though that was because there were only four of us and we couldn't do a tower shoot. Hope to have a bigger number next year if some friends from the Northeast could make it. If you post pictures here, I could forward the link to those friends who did not make it to my group's shoot and tempt them.

Hope you have many more fun hunts and good hunting!

--------------------
The Ark was made by amateurs. Experts built the Titanic.

Mehul Kamdar

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foxfire
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Reged: 25/11/04
Posts: 511
Loc: Long Island N.Y.,
Re: Last Pheasant hunt of the Season 4/7/07 [Re: mehulkamdar]
      #76120 - 10/04/07 10:34 PM

Mehulkamdar,
This hunt was done in Pine Grove Pa. I've ended the season every year for the last 25 with this tower shoot. I know there are pictures around, if I can come up with them when we have our next meeting I'll post them.

I'd rather do a walk up with four guys, a guide and dog. I think it's a better hunt, more fun in a small group.

This tower shoot has gone on for so long. We take a bus there and back, pack a huge lunch and after the guns are away I believe some drinking goes on.

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Double_Trouble
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Re: Last Pheasant hunt of the Season 4/7/07 [Re: foxfire]
      #76162 - 11/04/07 03:31 AM

Foxfire:
I have done several of these "tower shoots" but we call them European Shoots.... same deal though, rotate through the stations every ten birds or so.

The hunts I have done in this format usually have one or two ribbon birds with a pot of about $20.00 per man on the line for the winner(s).

Do you also have ribbon birds?

I do agree that the tower shoot is fun but not even close to as enjoyable as walking the field with a good dog working the cover and a few good friends that can rib you endlessly after they see you miss and pat you on the back for making a good shot.

I find that on the tower shoot there is often the double claim on some of the kills... I must admit that this is also a good deal of fun as you can always jack the guy on either side of you around and let him know that there is NO WAY you got that bird,,,, even if you didnt shoot at it lol.

and drinking after the hunt eh??.. a novel idea that I may tell the boys about, who knows?,,,,,,,,, that may catch on!

DT

--------------------
Double Trouble,
Speak not of what you do not know.
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foxfire
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Reged: 25/11/04
Posts: 511
Loc: Long Island N.Y.,
Re: Last Pheasant hunt of the Season 4/7/07 [Re: Double_Trouble]
      #76167 - 11/04/07 04:33 AM

Double_Trouble,
Though we've never had a ribbon bird I have heard about it. It seems everytime we put one of these things together there's always bickering about cost of the birds, cleaning of the birds, the bus, food, etc. etc. So we never tried to implement a ribbon bird yet.

We do fool around a lot with jacking birds from the guys on either side of you though. Put a 3" magnum with a tighter choke in one barrel and your regular load in the other. When the bird is flying to the guy on either side of you let him have a magnum. When it's your bird shoot your regular load.

These things are just pure fun. It's not hunting it's a shooting thing with pheasant dinners as the prize.

I did a walk up hunt 20 birds behind a guide and pointer with my son and son in law. These two guys needed a lesson in humility. We had much more fun, like you said ribbing on the miss and patting on the back for a good shot. But I needed to teach my boys who was boss hog around here. They kicked my butt bad but it was the most fun I had with them in a long time.

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Double_Trouble
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Re: Last Pheasant hunt of the Season 4/7/07 [Re: foxfire]
      #76169 - 11/04/07 04:54 AM

sounds like it was a great way to spend a day!

yes,,, the 3" mag is always good for a laugh and a steal!

the ribbon bird is always good fun too as it only means that if you get the ribbon bird that the first couple of rounds are on you back at the lodge or when next you meet.


DT

--------------------
Double Trouble,
Speak not of what you do not know.
Listen up when it's time to.

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mehulkamdar
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Re: Last Pheasant hunt of the Season 4/7/07 [Re: foxfire]
      #76709 - 17/04/07 02:15 AM

Foxfire,

Both styles have their charms, I think. The thing that I am doing is getting more Americans of Indian origin to get hunting to expiate for the sins of the country that we were born in, in banning hunting altogether in the 1980s. There are several East Indians in the US who own guns and shoot but don;t hunt as they have been brainwashed by the political correctness in India. A tower shoot that brought large numbers out would be a very good thing, I think.

Thanks for the posts and do post pictures whenever you find them. I do agree that some drinks after a good day's hunting could be a superb way of celebrating. Best wishes and good hunting!

--------------------
The Ark was made by amateurs. Experts built the Titanic.

Mehul Kamdar

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foxfire
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Reged: 25/11/04
Posts: 511
Loc: Long Island N.Y.,
Re: Last Pheasant hunt of the Season 4/7/07 [Re: mehulkamdar]
      #76716 - 17/04/07 03:04 AM

mehulkamdar,

A tower shoot has always been the way we finish off the season. It has always been lots of fun. Some of the guys bring their kids with them to see how this works and use them to fetch downed birds.

Considering most guys shoot 2 boxes of shells at 200 birds that tranfers to 1250 rounds at 200 birds. It's a lot of shooting and a lot of fun.

The pitfalls: As with anything that involves more than a few people and someone to coordinate this whole thing, you just can't please everyone. There are always complaints about something or other. But it's usually forgotten about by the time we head home on the bus. Everyone also is ready to do it again next year.

This was probably my 25 year doing this at the close of the season.

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peter
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Reged: 11/04/07
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Re: Last Pheasant hunt of the Season 4/7/07 [Re: foxfire]
      #76997 - 19/04/07 06:32 PM

hi foxfire

im not sure i understand, do you release live birds from a tower and then shoot them down,
if that is so, then i can understand why you get a lot of flak from peta and the other org.
where is the sport ? we do the same thing here but with clays.
please enlightning me as i am sure i have misunderstood this.

regards peter

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foxfire
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Reged: 25/11/04
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Re: Last Pheasant hunt of the Season 4/7/07 [Re: peter]
      #77007 - 19/04/07 09:29 PM

Peter,
You are right we release live birds from a tower to be shot.

I've said in my previous posts "These things are just pure fun. It's not hunting it's a shooting thing with pheasant dinners as the prize."

We all shoot skeet and trap this is different. We don't normally get flak from orginazation's both peta or Peter.

As pheasant hunting is sparse in the northeastern U.S. released birds is about the only way we get to hunt or shoot them.

This is for pure fun, shooting and commaradery.

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Double_Trouble
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Re: Last Pheasant hunt of the Season 4/7/07 [Re: foxfire]
      #77010 - 19/04/07 10:19 PM

Peter:
You would be surprised at how many birds are missed on this type of hunt. As Foxfire says this is shooting not hunting but the birds dont know that and by the time they get to where you are, there is often a 6 foot (2 metre) lead required if not more,,, depending of the wind.

After the hunt there is a conventional walk up hunt that most but not all guys take part in...some guys hang back at the cabin and get a few brews into them.

It may not seem like the most sporting of adventures but it is a great way to wrap up a season with your friends and is a hell of a lot of fun with more laughs than kills!

DT

--------------------
Double Trouble,
Speak not of what you do not know.
Listen up when it's time to.

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peter
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Re: Last Pheasant hunt of the Season 4/7/07 [Re: Double_Trouble]
      #77032 - 20/04/07 03:37 AM

hey fox fire and DT

i did not mean to pick on your hunting, it is just that i have never heard about it before.
what about the birds, are they fully grown and feathered, what is the cost pr. bird etc
we are somewhat regulated here in denmark so birds have to be set free in nature in aug. and the season starts in nov.

peter

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foxfire
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Reged: 25/11/04
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Re: Last Pheasant hunt of the Season 4/7/07 [Re: peter]
      #77033 - 20/04/07 03:49 AM

Peter,
The pheasant on a preserve are full grown, feathered birds, both cocks and hens. On a preserve you can buy the birds from around $18.00 to $25.00 U.S per bird depending on how many you buy.
You can buy 25 birds, they put them out in the field for you. Then 2 to 4 guys go out with a guide and a pointer and hunt them. Total cost around $500.00 for a days hunt.

On a tower shoot, you usually buy 100 to 200 birds. They are released from the tower 1 at a time. You switch positions every 5 or 10 birds. Usually 20 to 25 men participate with a cost of around $200-$300 dollars U.S. per person.

It's the most fun you can have with your clothes on.

This is usually done within a private fenced area. There is still a season Sept to March. The birds that get away are over the fence and there to grow wild. Some come back to a pen.

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Double_Trouble
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Re: Last Pheasant hunt of the Season 4/7/07 [Re: peter]
      #77034 - 20/04/07 04:17 AM

Peter:
I did not take it as picking on us at all, no worries there.
I just explained it a little more as I know that a lot of people arent familiar with this style of hunt.

We typically pay $20.00 Canadian/bird and as Foxfire says hens and cocks are fair game, we also sprinkle in some chukars as well as a ribbon bird or two for betting on (as described above).

There just arent enough wild pheasant in this region anymore to justify going and looking for wild bird in fact, the season here wher I live is three days with 3 bird limit.... so we either have to drive 10 or 12 hrs to the heartland of the U.S. or hunt the preserve farms.

We do have one place here called Pelee Island (the southern most part of Canada) where they have 3 weekend regulated hunts whereby the province releases thousands of pen raised birds for each of the weekends and a given number of hunters are allowed to hunt them by conventional means but these birds are not very good fliers as they have been raised in close quarter pens and would rather run than take wing for the most part.

I went on one of these weekends once and I wont go back again .... I was hit with shot twice in one day, one of them was spray and no big deal but the second time had some stingers in them and I was lucky I was wearing shooting glasses....too many numbskulls in one small place for my liking!


DT

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Double Trouble,
Speak not of what you do not know.
Listen up when it's time to.

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peter
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Re: Last Pheasant hunt of the Season 4/7/07 [Re: Double_Trouble]
      #77040 - 20/04/07 05:32 AM

okay

it is just that i am used to 2 kinds of pheasant hunting. that is driven birds, 10-20 people
5-8 stations on the estate, the places i go we take around 200-300 birds pr. day. there will be 6-8 hunts during the season wich runs from okt. to jan. thats is callede consortium- hunting the not so good ones will cost 3.000 us the very good ones will cost from 5000 and up. then the consortium will set from 1000 to 5000 birds free in july and aug. and feed and care for them during the season. this is a shoot english style and on the good ones london best SxS and tweed is presumed.

then there is the walk up with your friends and a good bird dog or two, the best sport there is by far.

peter

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peter
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Re: Last Pheasant hunt of the Season 4/7/07 [Re: peter]
      #77041 - 20/04/07 05:39 AM

also im in luck my farm lies between 5 major estates who all put a lot of birds out.
my farm is only 16.5 hektar and on most days between aug. to feb. i will have round 50 pheasant and 10-20 fieldhens (dont know there name in english)

so im not used to a shortage in pheasant. thats why im so supriced.

peter

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Double_Trouble
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Re: Last Pheasant hunt of the Season 4/7/07 [Re: peter]
      #77043 - 20/04/07 05:56 AM

You are indeed lucky to have that many birds to look at!
that would make for a lot of good work for the puppy I will be picking up on the 28th.

I will be visiting a game farm nearby here shortly after we get the pup so I can get a pheasant wing.

DT

--------------------
Double Trouble,
Speak not of what you do not know.
Listen up when it's time to.

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peter
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Re: Last Pheasant hunt of the Season 4/7/07 [Re: Double_Trouble]
      #77088 - 20/04/07 04:53 PM

DT sounds good

looking forward to seeing pics of the pup
and hearing of your progress with him

peter

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NitroXAdministrator
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Re: Last Pheasant hunt of the Season 4/7/07 [Re: peter]
      #77089 - 20/04/07 05:05 PM

Quote:

... and 10-20 fieldhens (dont know there name in english)



Peter

Do you mean these birds?


The Capercaillie (Tetrao urogallus), also known as the Wood Grouse or more specifically Western Capercaillie is the largest member of the grouse family. Found across northern Europe and Asia, it is reknowned for its mating display.

Also spelt Capercailzie, its name in English is derived from the Gaelic capull coille, meaning "horse of the woods". It is known in German as Auerhuhn and French as Grand Tetras.

--------------------
John aka NitroX

...
Govt get out of our lives NOW!
"I love the smell of cordite in the morning."
"A Sharp spear needs no polish"

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peter
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Re: Last Pheasant hunt of the Season 4/7/07 [Re: NitroX]
      #77103 - 20/04/07 09:37 PM

hi john

no thats is what we call a tjur, i do hunt them in sweden(it is a big bird)

found the english nick name and the latin name for it
they are callede french partridge or perdix perdix

her is a pic

[url=http://www.agerhøns.dk/images/agerhons-i-sneen-002.jpg][img]

they offer great sport with pointers since there flight is fast and furios

but the tjur is much fun too.

peter

Edited by peter (21/04/07 06:43 AM)

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Double_Trouble
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Re: Last Pheasant hunt of the Season 4/7/07 [Re: peter]
      #77105 - 20/04/07 09:55 PM

Peter:
They look like plump doves, I bet they make for good shooting, do they bust like quail,,, hold tight till you are on them and then gone in a flash?

By the way, you seem to have this photo posting thing figured out, I am electronically challenged and need to work on this posting thing!


John: that is one good looking bird, would make for a great trophy room mount! ... wonderful looking plumage.

DT

--------------------
Double Trouble,
Speak not of what you do not know.
Listen up when it's time to.

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NitroXAdministrator
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Re: Last Pheasant hunt of the Season 4/7/07 [Re: Double_Trouble]
      #77120 - 20/04/07 11:18 PM

Peter,

Quote:

no thats is what we call a tjur, i do hunt them in sweden(it is a big bird)



My guess was it was not the right bird but I thought it might be called a "field hen" or "field cock".

I have not had the pleasure of hunting them, but I understand they are regarded as a true trophy bird to hunt.

"also im in luck my farm lies between 5 major estates who all put a lot of birds out.
my farm is only 16.5 hektar and on most days between aug. to feb. i will have round 50 pheasant and 10-20 fieldhens (dont know there name in english)

so im not used to a shortage in pheasant. thats why im so supriced."

It sounds like your small property is very well situated for a land owner or farmer who likes to do some hunting.

How many birds would you take in a season, perhaps courtesy of the neighbours? Are there "bag limits" per day or per season in Denmark where you live?

--------------------
John aka NitroX

...
Govt get out of our lives NOW!
"I love the smell of cordite in the morning."
"A Sharp spear needs no polish"

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NitroXAdministrator
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Re: Last Pheasant hunt of the Season 4/7/07 [Re: foxfire]
      #77125 - 20/04/07 11:29 PM

Foxfire

Once upon a time it was legal to use live birds for shoots similar to what you describe here as well. And of course the sport "clay pigeons" used to use live pigeons.

I think one of the reasons they were banned was the waste of birds, with lots of birds just dumped.

However if the numbers shot are utlised and eaten, why not?! No real difference to going for a walk with the dog and shooting a pheasant and putting it in the larder. Of course as you mention one is shooting and the other hunting, but quite a fun way to release and seed birds into the countryside for future hunting and breeding.

Foxes and cats do a "good" job of clearing up ground nesting birds in OZ unfortunately.

--------------------
John aka NitroX

...
Govt get out of our lives NOW!
"I love the smell of cordite in the morning."
"A Sharp spear needs no polish"

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