Wild Pheasants

[salukiwhippet]

I was out and about on the shoot the day before yesterday, watching my poults scratching about on a silage stubble, when I saw a wild hen bird come out of the hedge, so I watched her through my binoculars, and saw she had 5 youngsters with her, all in very good condition. I was very pleased! Then yesterday, I saw her again, plus another wild hen, with 7 poults with her . They've done exceptionally well considering the awful weather we've endured. It really makes all the late nights lamping foxes and all the tunnel trapping
( seemingly always in the rain )worthwhile

A Happy Gamekeeper

James

[Lance Morgan]

You'll go down a storm here James
I love game birds. Why do you think they have done so well despite all the wet weather??

[salukiwhippet]

We've got a lot of good-sized woodland here, and it creates a bit of a microclimate. Interestingly, both hens were a dark type, similar colour to milk chocolate, and an old keeper mate of mine always said that the dark ones make the best mothers. I always had my doubts, but maybe there's something in it. The poults were 5-6 weeks old, so they will have been 2-3 weeks old at the time of the heaviest rain, and therefore not as vulnerable as really young chicks.

James

[Dogghound]

Originally Posted by salukiwhippet

It really makes all the late nights lamping foxes and all the tunnel trapping
( seemingly always in the rain )worthwhile

A Happy Gamekeeper

James

Take it that parts a joke yeh?

[Phil Blackman]

Glad to hear you've a few wild birds about. How are the Greys doing in your neck of the woods? A local farm down here always has a few about. The farmer tries to farm sypmathetically. This year he's really gone wild on conservation strips and wild bird mixes. The Hares do well here also. Hope the pikeys keep away. Trouble is we're over run with crows which don't do ground nesting birds any favours. Although there are far too many Foxes about at least this farm doesn't have any Badgers. Although I aways love watching the Buzzards I guess they don't exactly help the partridges either.
Ah well, Its a jungle out there.

[wildlifesnapper]

Hi Phil,

what's a Pikey ? Never heard that one before.

thanks,

neil

[Dogghound]

Originally Posted by wildlifesnapper

Hi Phil,

what's a Pikey ? Never heard that one before.

thanks,

neil

Like a gypsey

[wildlifesnapper]

Originally Posted by Dogghound

Like a gypsey

Ahh right , I'm with it now!

thanks Dogghound.

neil

[Phil Blackman]

Yes that's right. Before the ban organised coursing was a test of two dogs competing against each other and nine times out of ten the hare would escape. Also the coursing grounds would only be used once or twice a season so there was no real impact upon the hare population. The dids ( 'nother euphemism for pikeys) however bet on how many hares their dogs (Often stolen) catch. They, operating outside of the law and go where they like, If challenged by farmers or keepers often turning violent. As soon as the corn is cut they'll be out there killing or harrying every hare (including tiny leverets) all the time. Hence they have a great impact upon the hare population. The farm I refered to used to have a very healthy population of hares back in the late seventies then the pikeys found it and hit them hard. It was only with the introduction of setaside that the hares started to recover.

[clover green]

Originally Posted by Phil Blackman

Yes that's right. Before the ban organised coursing was a test of two dogs competing against each other and nine times out of ten the hare would escape. Also the coursing grounds would only be used once or twice a season so there was no real impact upon the hare population. The dids ( 'nother euphemism for pikeys) however bet on how many hares their dogs (Often stolen) catch. They, operating outside of the law and go where they like, If challenged by farmers or keepers often turning violent. As soon as the corn is cut they'll be out there killing or harrying every hare (including tiny leverets) all the time. Hence they have a great impact upon the hare population. The farm I refered to used to have a very healthy population of hares back in the late seventies then the pikeys found it and hit them hard. It was only with the introduction of setaside that the hares started to recover.

I didn't know that?
That's why this site is so great, as you learn something every time you visit!
Cheers.