Why release game birds?

I can really only speak with reference to the relatively small frame of experience I have had in doing so (4 years or thereabouts), but I thought it was about time to summarise, reflect and pass on the small amount I’ve learned, just in case someone out there wants to give it a shot. First let me start by saying that I was particularly lucky to be asked to join with a small group of people with similar interests. Some were already friends and others have become good mates. More recently, (and to prove a point that it can be done elsewhere by others) I’ve joined with another group to set-up a similar pheasant release site. More to come on that later as the story unfolds – we are only in the planning/paperwork phase at this stage.

So, let’s say that you have the people who are willing to donate time, effort and some cash. Next, you’ll need a venue. Obviously a privately owned block is pretty much mandatory. Further, the block should have enough cover to sustain the birds you wish to release. There is little point in rearing and releasing hundreds of birds into a “dairy desert” (to borrow a phrase), unless cover crops have been planted or are available to the birds. Even with cover crops, hedge rows or trees are preferable to birds such as pheasants which prefer to roost off the ground at night, safe from predators.

With your team and venue in place, you’ll then need to decide on the budget. In the case of Piripiri Pheasant Plucker’s Preserve (as we affectionately name ourselves), each member (8 members) puts in $500, so our annual budget for birds, feed and materials is $4,000. From the start, we set out to rear birds from day old chicks, rather than buy and release fledglings. This in turn requires a more intensive effort and the full time availability of a bird keeper or game keeper. The owner of the land we shoot on is a full member of the party and takes responsibility for the day to day care and management of the chicks from day olds to released fledglings. Do not under estimate the importance and commitment required of this role!

We were very lucky in that members were able to donate time and materials for the establishment of rearing pens, and that we also were able to utilise and extend some existing infrastructure. Our rearing facilities include an old concrete water tank, painted red inside and modified with heat lamps set to a uniform chick sustaining temperature. The importance of the shape of the tank should be highlighted – pheasant chicks just love cramming themselves into corners. When jammed into a corner, the potential for a chick to die of asphyxiation is high … and so they do. In a circular enclosure there are no corners – problem solved. The nature of a pheasant chick is such that it will discover any one of a thousand ways to kill itself. If its feathers get soaked, it will die. If it eats a piece of string, it will die. Another bird will then hang itself on the other end of the same string... and die. It is almost inevitable that losses will be sustained, so that brings us nicely onto the topic of shelter. Our rearing tank is able to be closed with a door, so that in times of cold or wet weather, the birds can be enclosed in their nice warm space. But when it’s warm and dry, you want the chicks to be able to roam and find their feet but to return to shelter quickly. So the tank then opens out into a sheltered shed area (with superb indoor-outdoor flow!) which in turn opens out into the main “recreation area” – the rearing pen. The pen itself is approximately 30m long by 15m wide and 1.5m high, is fully grassed and covered with shade cloth. This provides the perfect area for the chicks to develop their instincts to find food, seek shelter when disturbed and generally grow up.

Rolling out the grass in the rearing pen

Rearing pen prior to completion - tank and shed to left

If we had chosen to buy fledged birds, the need for rearing facilities would have been removed, but cost per bird increases according to age.

Onto the topic of predators. Lots of animals out there quite enjoy a tasty bite of a chick or 2. Stoats, ferrets, weasels, rats, possums, hawks…. So in order to be ready to release wee charges, you must ensure that the area (including inside the pen!) is predator free. This involves a program of trapping and bait laying. We found that early on the program we managed to catch and kill a number of mustelids, but after the initial population reduction mostly critters such as hedgehogs were captured. So keep on top of the predators as they will continue to show up.

Food and water are the next requirements. Be careful with any type of trough for watering the chicks. They are able to drown easily in a cm of water, so use small stones to let the birds stay above water should they step into the water… further, if you can avoid mud forming around the drinker by placing it on a piece of wood or similar, that is very helpful in avoiding disease. Food sources include mash, crumbles and pellets – we use pellets as they cost less. Avoid whole grain for day olds, after they get to about a month old they are better able to deal with such offerings. In the meantime, the chicks will begin to hunt bugs and worms as they spend more time in the pen and this is where the grass comes into its own as it hold such food sources. The topic of disease is not one I know too much about, however we take care to keep the general environment clean to avoid Coccidiosis which is a protozoan disease that can be brought on by dampness. There are a whole host of nasties that can knock your chicks about…. But I’m no vet so you can research that stuff at your leisure.

Chicks on the feed

As the birds begin to age, they can in captivity become prone to some strange behaviours such as pecking and cannibalism. We’ve experienced both; rather, one is symptomatic of the other. It can start as mild pecking and rapidly increase to full scale attacks on the flesh of other birds. Basic rule of thumb here is that if they “see blood” then they’ll kill the subject of their pecking. We have learned that by providing some cover in the rearing pen, along with objects that interest the birds such as sticks, shrubs etc, the problem is much less. Further, immediate removal of a pecked bird is very helpful. In NZ, measures such as beak trimming are not allowed so we have to be more creative in resolving pecking issues.



Bird distraction branch, note that pen has subsequently been enlarged

 Having got through the dramas of nurturing the chicks, they enter a phase of beginning to fledge. This is where the birds begin to grow out flight plumage and express their willingness to escape by flying. Within the rearing pen they will begin to display their flying tendencies by flying small distances and landing on above-ground objects. Soon after, it is time to move them to the release pen(s). At this stage, the genders of the birds are discernible as while they are not fully coloured up, they certainly are displaying.

Immature birds - still ok with game keeper's presence

Birds feeding outside release pen, note plumage is not fully developed

Our release pens are situated in areas of cover, and are designed that when the time is right to allow the birds the freedom to move in and out of the sheltered area, they can do so at their whim. If needs be, the birds can be encouraged to go into the pens. One of the pens is situated by a heavy ground cover crop (turnips for cattle feed), and the birds over time become relaxed with browsing amongst the crop as it grows. For the first few weeks the birds are fed within and around the pens, but a number of peck feeders are deployed around the property to encourage the migration of birds yet at the same time hold a number. In a normal year, our budget is expended by March, so for the month of March and April inclusive, the birds are on their own or in other words, wild. Thus by May, when hunting commences, the birds are very much in a mode where they know how to avoid predators and survive.

Rudimentary release pen - works perfectly

That, in essence explains the “how”, but this post is entitled “Why…?”

The why part is easy. We all love seeing pheasants, we all love hunting pheasants, we all love the elements of putting in time and effort that allows us to share a created resource between ourselves and our friends. This year at least 2 new to pheasant hunting folks shot their first birds. It’s a great feeling to know that the resource created is enjoyed so much. As the years have gone by, our return in terms of birds bagged has increased, but the pressure on the resource has not increased correspondingly; and through wing tagging we are beginning to see an emerging picture of 2 and 3 year old birds being harvested as a greater proportion of the bag. This is very important as it indicates that a sustainable population is being created.

The hunting season is now ended and in a couple of days’ time we enter September, the hunting/fishing lay month…. But September is not unimportant – its when we begin the planning and purchase of next season’s birds. And so it starts again…

Mick, Mitch & Craig (and dogs) - what its all about!