Pheasant Return!

[Ireland's Finest!]

I'm interested in peoples opinion on what would be a good return on the shooting of pheasants?

 

Say for example a club puts out 100 hundred pheasants how many would you reckon would be a good number to have been shot?

[goldypurple]

a good rule of thumb is to shoot 30% of what you put down

[bolts]

I say anything over 40% is a good year, last year we had a return of 64% of birds put down to wood.

[al4x]

with only 100 its very hard to say as they could all wander or get eaten but if you're feeding an area with a decent number of wildstock or neighbours who put more down then you could shoot twice what you put down.

[MattSoanes]

Alot depends on how many times your going to shoot. If your only going to shoot twice then your return would be low but if you go after them every other week then your returns are going to be higher. Also how many you release into each drive would make a difference on return. Its a job to say how many you will get back but if you look at something along 25-35% return on 100 realeased, then i dont think you will be doing too badly.

[Kes]

On our shoot returns have varied quite dramatically.

Some years its 25%, last year was 40% some years previously it has been suggested that 50% has been achieved.

As others have said, how many times you shoot is a factor, as is how often in the early season.

A sharp winter and good feeders, widely spread and some cover crops hold the birds but I have heard that returns of 60% can be achieved with additional hand feeding morning and evening.

We have no shoots on our boundary and one farmer who attracts the birds to his land with feeders to shoot them himself!

Overall 45% is a good target to aim for for us, from just over 1000 birds.

[Ferretboy111]

You will want too get atleast 40% if you can- but anything could be agaisnt you... poor shooting etc.

 

Fb111

[inthedark]

40% is the general target

[Ireland's Finest!]

We only do walked up shooting. It's going to be shot every weekend. I was hoping 45%-55%

[al4x]

that would be about 2 shot every weekend through the season to get a 40% return, I'd suggest 100 birds you probably only have enough down for a couple of walked up days

[Ireland's Finest!]

that would be about 2 shot every weekend through the season to get a 40% return, I'd suggest 100 birds you probably only have enough down for a couple of walked up days

 

 

There's only going to be 2-3 (max) lads shooting any weekend and 4 birds each for a weekend, should give near 2 month sport.

[magman]

100 birds

depends if someone is willing to feed them twice a day and keep on top of the vermin

To me 100 birds = 25% if your lucky unless you have wild birds about

[ollie]

Last year we achieved about 60% on 70 birds put down and the year before 75%. I put this good return down to excellent vermin control on our syndicate. We have about 120 birds down this year and I would be happy with 50-60%.

[WGD]

Last year we achieved about 60% on 70 birds put down and the year before 75%. I put this good return down to excellent vermin control on our syndicate. We have about 120 birds down this year and I would be happy with 50-60%.

 

With that sort of return I would respectfully suggest you are either shooting wild birds as well as those you released or you are getting some surplus from a neighbouring or nearby shoot.

[markm]

If you put 1 down I bet you will have returns of at least 1000% if you feed well.

10 birds easy hit 100%, if you feed well.

100 birds, well.....................

after 100 birds it all goes down hill.

 

Its not about returns unless its a business, its about a day out with mates having fun, a laugh and enjoying yourselves, although your shoot captain won't.

 

Last week I know a picker up who was working on a 800 bird day (only 1 of 2) as he had to work the other, when you get to that stage, its a totally different world, their days for 8 guns cost £60k (which was a reduction on the same days last year as that was £80k).

 

For normal small release, below 500 birds, if you hit 40% your doing very well.

[nipper]

If you are putting out less than 500 birds ,try tagging them !

You will soon realise where your % is coming from , and how many wild birds are in the bag .

If you do ,I bet you only tag them once !! Better off not knowing .lol just enjoy the fact that you keep getting plenty !

[inthedark]

If you are putting out less than 500 birds ,try tagging them !

You will soon realise where your % is coming from , and how many wild birds are in the bag .

If you do ,I bet you only tag them once !! Better off not knowing .lol just enjoy the fact that you keep getting plenty !

 

[ollie]

With that sort of return I would respectfully suggest you are either shooting wild birds as well as those you released or you are getting some surplus from a neighbouring or nearby shoot.

 

There are no neighbouring shoots within 7/8 miles of our shoot and even then there are 2 villages between our shoot and their shoot. We undoubtable have a few birds which survive each year and have a brood (I counted about 10 wild birds this year), however, I believe it has a lot to do with the terrain of the ground and our vermin control.