Parker Trojan hits the field again...

[gman]

Shot some stocked birds across the Connecticut river from you in Vermont Thursday and it was an absolute full foliage morning with the sun burning off the fog, the cackle of ring necks, the report of my 16 gauge trojan, and the smell of gun powder in the fall. Hard to believe how lucky I am to be able to do this.
The trojan is a 1932 gun, family gun, in very good shape and is the gun I first shot as a kid and the one I hunted with in Pennsylvania growing up.
Switched over to a 20 gauge VH for the last bit of shooting and next week it is the 28 repro.
Connecticut river ducks on Tuesday and will take out the GH 30" 12 ga. before the week is out. In the boat blind for Vermont ducks on the 13th.
Woo hoo - "cut 'em"

[C.O.B.]

Michigan used to do what they called put and take Pheasant hunting. They released birds in certain Game Mgt units on different days of the week. The birds were usually poor flyers. This practice was discontinued decades ago.

today I went to the Hunt Club for a Quail hut (released birds) which ran, ducked for cover, flew like Grouse in the woods. Excellent birds and managed 3 Pheasants as well. for a preserve type setting these are the next best thing to truly wild birds.

I took the VHE 28 skeet then switched in the late morning to the H&H 20 and popped her cherry on upland birds

[Steve Hodges]

NH stocks about 12 to 14K birds each fall, depending on the number of Pheasant stamps they sell the previous year. The birds do not winter well and do not (Pete will disagree with me) breed in the spring, so it is a put and take hunt. It is what it is, and can provide some fun shooting a little later in the season, and feeds many hawks and owls. Opening day can be a war zone. I much prefer our native grouse and woodcock.

[J.B. Books]

Originally Posted by Stephen Hodges

NH stocks about 12 to 14K birds each fall, depending on the number of Pheasant stamps they sell the previous year. The birds do not winter well and do not (Pete will disagree with me) breed in the spring, so it is a put and take hunt. It is what it is, and can provide some fun shooting a little later in the season, and feeds many hawks and owls. Opening day can be a war zone. I much prefer our native grouse and woodcock.

In 1973 Governor Mel Thompson ordered the destruction by burning of the NH Fish & Game Pheasant farm in Brentwood NH due to a EEE outbreak. Prior to this event the NH F&G raised their own birds and stocked in both spring and fall. Those birds were larger than what we have today and in spite of the winters back then many survived and did breed in the wild. Unfortunately I know this because during the summer I would occasionally accidently run over a nest with a hen pheasant standing her ground that I did not see with a sickle bar mower. I would then have to stop the tractor and go ring the birds neck. The NH pheasant stocking program today is a shadow of it's former self.

[Steve Hodges]

Originally Posted by Pete Lester

In 1973 Governor Mel Thompson ordered the destruction by burning of the NH Fish & Game Pheasant farm in Brentwood NH due to a EEE outbreak. Prior to this event the NH F&G raised their own birds and stocked in both spring and fall. Those birds were larger than what we have today and in spite of the winters back then many survived and did breed in the wild. Unfortunately I know this because during the summer I would occasionally accidently run over a nest with a hen pheasant standing her ground that I did not see with a sickle bar mower. I would then have to stop the tractor and go ring the birds neck. The NH pheasant stocking program today is a shadow of it's former self.

I told you Pete would not agree with me

[Double Lab]

Originally Posted by Rich Anderson

Michigan used to do what they called put and take Pheasant hunting. They released birds in certain Game Mgt units on different days of the week. The birds were usually poor flyers. This practice was discontinued decades ago.

today I went to the Hunt Club for a Quail hut (released birds) which ran, ducked for cover, flew like Grouse in the woods. Excellent birds and managed 3 Pheasants as well. for a preserve type setting these are the next best thing to truly wild birds.

I took the VHE 28 skeet then switched in the late morning to the H&H 20 and popped her cherry on upland birds

I can hear Mr. Holland turning in his grave... "popped her cherry"?