Game Farms?

[gurkster]

I wasn't a fan for many years, but now I think they have their place. It helped me train my dog, then allowed that same dog to hunt in his last years. It has allowed me a few extra hunts with my grandpa, and now my dad as he is aging. Now that I have young kids I go a couple times a year with them too. It is also cheaper than the out of state and a lot of in state hunts for me (3 hour drive to prime MN pheasant country for me). If it were just me I would still do wild hunts 99% of the time, but I do hunt game farms 2 - 3 times a year now and really enjoy it for much more than just me shooting birds.

[pureinsanity]

I guess my views are different. I would rather pay way more and take a south dakota trip than pay a 1/8 and shoot all my birds a matter of hours.

To me SD trips is about spending time with family and friends. Seeing the landscape, the different terrain, the different wildlife, and the cool little places to stop on the way. Not to mention the friendships we made with people in SD who let us hunt their lands. Then we report back to them where the big bucks were resting and what section of their land it went to.

Not to mention, the SD birds are pretty smart except for the new hatch. Some days it takes 15 minutes to get your birds, the other day you get them after a hard days work, or maybe not even your limit...

Something about seeing the bird before you hear it and shoot it just doesn't appeal to me. There is no game plan, you can just walk around the small game farm area and you'll find a bird. You do not need knowledge or skills to hunt game farm birds.

To me there is a lot to be learned from wild bird hunting. I was born and raised, and helped raise the population of the pheasants growing up. I guess you could say I'm some what die hard about it in a way. Others may disagree. The main thing is I know what works best for me, and what appeals to me. And game farms are not it. I prefer late season december blizzard birds. Where all your skills and knowledge are put to the test when chasing the jump rooster....

I do see how you guys use it to train your dogs, but why not just buy birds from someone and train at home?

To each their own I guess

[varmithtr]

I think there is a time and a place for everything. I really enjoy "shooting". I also really enjoy "hunting".

Game farms are a great time for shooting, and I have no problem going and enjoying them. Especially the chuckars, it improves the grouse hunting marksmenship. If the place offers sporting clays as well, it makes for a great day all around.

It is, however, in no way, shape or form......... hunting.

[Turbodog]

A game farm or perserve whatever you want to call it is there for the reason's many have stated already FUN-TRAINING-SHOOTING.Ill take wild birds any day also but when u cant hunt the wild ill just have fun-train-shoot at a farm once maybe twice a year! Being a owner of a GSP i have no problem with the birds it helps me on training him to hold his point and not creep and bump a bird!

[MuleShack]

I do see how you guys use it to train your dogs, but why not just buy birds from someone and train at home?

To each their own I guess

Probably because we dont know anyone that has land to use that you can shoot on. Not everybody owns land or is able to use fire arms on their land.

[Archerysniper]

Here's my take, which probably is unique. Game Farms were my first (and my kids' first) pheasant-hunting experiences. (Grew up hunting "up north" in MInnesota and never had the chance to chase roosters until recently.) I started hunting at Game Farms only a few years ago and they got me addicted to the sport. Indeed, once I watched/hunted behind some friends' dogs at a game farm, I was hooked on pheasants. I now have a yellow lab and 2 sons who absolutely love pheasant hunting - and especially going to game farms. We have hunted Minnesota only (so far) and only public lands...so going to Game Farms is like Christmas to us. (But still cheaper than trips to SD/ND/etc.) Sure, the birds are slower and supposedly easier to hit than wild roosters. Still, my joy is the same whether I'm watching my kids and dog work a Game Farm bird or a wild bird. Overall, it's alot like art - the beauty is in the eye of beholder.

+1,000 I bring my dad out and at 65 he's having a hard time walking all day so this is the way him and I can still get out togther and kill some birds and [PoorWordUsage]. I also help do a hunt with big brothers and big sisters where I supply my dogs and bring some kids out and give them a chance to shoot some birds.

[Archerysniper]

I do see how you guys use it to train your dogs, but why not just buy birds from someone and train at home?

You cant buy and release phesants out of season for traning if you shoot them you have to be on a Lic shooting preserve, you can use quail and chukers because the are not a native game bird and not regulated with a season or bag limit

[gspman]

Not everyone has the ground at home to train on.

[pureinsanity]

Public parks, friends, family, school fields, state parks (have a recipet for your birds though) I can name more. there is tons of places to train your dog.

[Farley]

You cant buy and release phesants out of season for traning if you shoot them you have to be on a Lic shooting preserve

Are you sure about that? I thought you could get the dog training license for live birds and ammunition and as long as the bird has a streamer tied to the leg and you are on private land, you can do all the releasing\shooting\training you want. But maybe I'm misinterpreting the law???

http://files.dnr.state.mn.us/rlp/permits/enforcement/dog_training.pdf

[MuleShack]

Public parks, friends, family, school fields, state parks (have a recipet for your birds though) I can name more. there is tons of places to train your dog.

I know there are places to train my dog, but i dont think they are going to be too happy if i pull up with a shot gun on a school field or a state park. . I have 2 1/2 acres to do my home training on, but we're talking shooting training here and keeping dogs on birds.

Here is a response I got from DNR dude last fall asking about releasing birds.

You need the Dog Training Permit anytime, not just out of season. And, you cannot release any birds into a WMA without permission from the Area Wildlife Manager. You also cannot use live ammo in a WMA for dog training at anytime of the year. The rules answering your questions on Dog Training in a WMA or releasing animals in a WMA are, as follows:

• Dogs: Dogs are permitted on WMAs only when accompanied by or under the control of the owner. >From April 16 through July 14, dogs must be on a leash. A person training a dog on a WMA may not use live ammunition or blank cartridges, including the use of blanks in dummy launchers or similar devices.

• Other Domestic Animals: Livestock, horses, and other domestic animals, are not permitted on WMAs except under cooperative agreement or permit approved by the wildlife manager.

• Unprotected Animals: Unprotected wild animals may be taken from September 1 through the last day of February, or by any person legal­ly hunting a protected species, unless the area is specifically closed.

The only state land that you can release birds in would be a State Forest. If you plan on releasing game farm raised pheasants, they must be marked with colored die or a streamer so you know that you are shooting the birds that you planted.

[pureinsanity]

You could do lots of other training on these lands with out the use of a firearm or planting birds.

There is more to training a dog than planting a bird, making it flush and then shooting it.

I don't know how to train a pointer, but I know we have planted birds, threw birds in the air, ect to use for training.

[leech~~]

Son is in College so only get out once in a while and Game Farms fit the bill for now. Hunting Wild birds is great out in SD if you don't mind getting off a school bus with a bunch of other guys you don't know and getting shot at! Not all, but at some farms of course!

[pureinsanity]

Son is in College so only get out once in a while and Game Farms fit the bill for now. Hunting Wild birds is great out in SD if you don't mind getting off a school bus with a bunch of other guys you don't know and getting shot at! Not all, but at some farms of course!

My favorite is the pickups that have bench seats and cables that hook up on edges of sloughs. they drive right through the slough and the cables cause the birds that sit tight to flush. they all shoot from a chair. UGH

[muc33]

I have received two emails now on this subject and think some of us are missing the point here. Not that this is getting out of line, because it isn't. But, what we all need to know and remember, is that we are all different and all have different situations. If you don't like game farms.... don't use them. If they fit your need, they are there for you. I don't think a type written argument can address the pitch to either side as to making someone feel better or worse. Just remember, no one here is saying that your opinion is wrong. Just that some have a different opinion.

There will never be a subject that will apply to everyone's likes or dislikes. I bet we can't even agree on that! HA!

[pureinsanity]

Sorry you were troubled with the emails. I don't see one reason to notify anyone about this thread?

I know game farms aren't for me for many reasons. Hence why I never use them unless I get invited as a guest for free. I however, now see several reasons why some people would love to use game farms for purposes such as bonding time with family, or training your dog. It is nice to see the side of things from someone that really enjoys game farms.

Too each their own I guess. I agree that no ones opinion is wrong, or right. It's an opinion, that is why I'm confused as to why you would get notified!?!?!?

I guess the best advice we can give to the original poster is, instead of taking advice from people who like it and don't like it. Go try it once for yourself. Maybe its for you, maybe its not!

I remember one time I brought an old co-worker with me pheasant hunting to some good private land I have access too. The first bird got up. I yelled rooster, he looked at me and said what the heck was that. I saw a rooster you could have shot I said. He said no way, that thing was flying above the trees tops and flying way to fast to be a pheasant.

After that, the guy never went back to a game farm. So to answer BMaxus' question. Go to a game farm and give it a shot, if you like it you like it, if not, its not for you. As for if you would like to release pen raised birds I would suggest otherwise. Most of them will be predator bait or die in winter.

[MuleShack]