how big?

[lowlander 0]

i am hoping to release about 100 pheasants on my small acre permission for me and my grandad to shoot next season, the permission has a small wood and i was going to put the release pen in there along with the feed hoppers, but how big does the pen need to be ?

 

also what time of year do you put your pheasants down ? cheers

 

lowlander

[steviebhoy 0]

i am hoping to release about 100 pheasants on my small acre permission for me and my grandad to shoot next season, the permission has a small wood and i was going to put the release pen in there along with the feed hoppers, but how big does the pen need to be ?

 

also what time of year do you put your pheasants down ? cheers

 

lowlander

The bigger the better mate thats the key, it also lets you add more if you you decide to in the future.

Most people put there birds down start to mid July so they are ready and strong fliers by mid to end of October.

I like my birds to be 20 weeks plus before shooting starts, nothing worse than a 3/4 matured pheasant getting shot at.

[lowlander 0]

also how high do the sides need to be (roughly). cheers

 

lowlander

[alimac 882]

use 8 ft 6 posts, chap in to 6 ft 6 , 3ft wire at the bottom, 2ft on floor (going out the way) and 1 ft up , then hang ur 6ft wire...

[welshboy454 3]

From the experience of our shoot we get our poults around the end of the first week of August. Whilst recognising the point about maturity we find that releasing early well matured birds leads to a lower percentage return overall as they wander more . On that size shoot you will need to regularly dog in the boundary area to try to keep them home. A net over the pen reduces the predator loss from hawks etc

[Little Butch 16]

I'd keep the Pen about 6ft High and It needs to be sturdy!

Dig a 2ft Trench around the perimeter and bury the Wire Mesh your using for the sides In there..

The Pheasants will strip the Floor bare of any Green so aswell as Feeding them with the Feeders (Turkey Feed & Wheat) I like to chuck some Greenery, Veg etc In there..

Put plenty of Pots In there for Water.

Keep on top of the Vermin aswell (Foxes and Rats)

 

And you should be alright

 

Butch

Edited April 1, 2009 by Little Butch

[Guest rodsmith]

ive 15 yrs of working on commercial shoots rearing from 8000 pheasant & 8000 partridge on ground from 3000 acres plus. id suggest a height of 6ft but a lean out of 18" at the top to prevent legged vermin climbing over,the same at the bottom,coming out and well pegged down to stop being dug under from the outside.do not foget to run electric fencing around the pen too.1st strand 8" off the grond,2nd strand 6" up from that also dont forget to add pop holes to walk the poults back in.forget the netted roof,its a pheasnt release pen,NOT partridge!! get some shiney CD disks and hang them on trees that show a potential flight path for hookeys.likely to only get trouble from sparrow hawks and tawney owls any way.id suggest getting early poults as they make better birds(late june,early july).feed proper pellet,NOT turkey pellet!!! look up "GAMEKEEPA" feeds for the pellets,vitamins,medication and wormers etc.good luck,any other queeries,put another post up.

[MikeTheDog 153]

Did you ever get involved with 'Michigan Blue Backs' Rod?....They're not very popular round my way as they like to go walk abouts at night instead of roosting in trees.

[alimac 882]

Did you ever get involved with 'Michigan Blue Backs' Rod?....They're not very popular round my way as they like to go walk abouts at night instead of roosting in trees.

your not wrong there, there a nightmare

[MikeTheDog 153]

Prairie birds Ali, high plains drifters... .When out night fox shooting the Blue Backs can be found the furthest point from cover and require a lot of dogging in on shoot days.

[Johnny Vegas 1 1]

Prairie birds Ali, high plains drifters... .When out night fox shooting the Blue Backs can be found the furthest point from cover and require a lot of dogging in on shoot days.

hi all was going to buy some eggs to try and hatch,any one tell me where i can get about 100 poults in wales and how much roughly.cheers steve

[MikeTheDog 153]

Ask your local game keeper Johnny. Are you thinking of getting Michigans then?

[lowlander 0]

would a 50 foot by 20 foot release pen be ok for 100 pheasants or not ?

 

lowlander

[Guest rodsmith]

Did you ever get involved with 'Michigan Blue Backs' Rod?....They're not very popular round my way as they like to go walk abouts at night instead of roosting in trees.

 

yes mate,pures.they like wet marshy ground.we only get a 35% return on them,45% on the black necks but well worth it

[welshboy454 3]

would a 50 foot by 20 foot release pen be ok for 100 pheasants or not ?

 

lowlander

I think there are guidelines something along the lines of 1 yard perimeter fence per bird which suggest a number under 50 for the size pen you are thinking about. If my memory is correct the perimeter guidance can be overtaken by an allowance in sq ft per bird in large pens as the total area increases at a faster rate than the perimeter as pens get larger.