Woodcock Magnet Posted July 24, 2011 Report Share Posted July 24, 2011 Decided it's time to release a few partridges to see how they get on with the few wild ones I've got on the land (just a little project and they are not for shooting) this is the pen I've errected in readiness, just got to fit the roof and put the birds in. I know it's hard to keep these birds because everthing is against them anyway, but I'll give it a go and see what happens, money down the drain maybe, but what the hell :thumbs: . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ack-ack Posted July 24, 2011 Report Share Posted July 24, 2011 Fair play to you Woodcock, hope it all works out as you'd like it to. How many are you putting down? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodcock Magnet Posted July 24, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 24, 2011 Fair play to you Woodcock, hope it all works out as you'd like it to. How many are you putting down? 30 as a trial run, anticipate losing third or more tho??? and they might all just B.gg.r off, do same again next year if some stay, wish me and them....Good Luck, thanks ack ack. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
highseas Posted July 24, 2011 Report Share Posted July 24, 2011 good on you!! i used to put 40 down at home and that was 5 year ago i still se odd ones around now! their great little birds i love to hear them calling at night too. just keep on with the preditors and they will be fine you will lose most to sparrowhawks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scolopax Posted July 24, 2011 Report Share Posted July 24, 2011 If you can find a barren wild pair then put your run in their territory, does not have to be big as they should not be in for long. The wild pair should find the young poults very quickly and will adopt them as their own, they have very strong parenting instincts, tghis can happen within minutes of you walking away and leaving the pen quiet, although it was two days before the pair I used homed in on the pen. Then just open the door and walk away. The adopted poults are much more likely to hold on the ground with wild birds as custodians. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodcock Magnet Posted July 25, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 25, 2011 If you can find a barren wild pair then put your run in their territory, does not have to be big as they should not be in for long. The wild pair should find the young poults very quickly and will adopt them as their own, they have very strong parenting instincts, tghis can happen within minutes of you walking away and leaving the pen quiet, although it was two days before the pair I used homed in on the pen. Then just open the door and walk away. The adopted poults are much more likely to hold on the ground with wild birds as custodians. thanks for your input, as you can see my little pen is on the only clear bit of land suitable but not perfect overlooking the Barley field were I see wild birds regularly, they have never been shot at either. I would like to think that some of my birds will intergrate well, but I'm not treating it with any science, just mearly (dropping a hook in the water) as to speak to see what develops, I will put feeders / water and straw bales outside also for them.it's in the lap of the gods! But these (poor mans grouse) are brilliant birds. A.T.B. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodcock Magnet Posted July 25, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 25, 2011 as scolopax said if you can foster them out to a barren pair of wild english then they will stick around better. but to be honest if you already have a few wild english on the ground then your time would be better spent trapping the stoats, crows and foxes in spring time rather than releasing reared birds and diluting your wild stock. either way hope you have success, love to see them about. thanks mate same post to you as previous. A.T.B Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yds Posted July 25, 2011 Report Share Posted July 25, 2011 (edited) I run my own partridge shoot and every 2 years I put 100 greys down. Funny thing is we shoot more every year we DON'T release them. The birds are there but I think they are in smaller coveys the year we don't release so more can be shot. They breed well in a good year. This year my wild french(last years) seem to have 2-4 chicks and the greys 6-12. Good luck. We DO shoot them on driven days and only usually return 9-12% where as french 35-50%. Edited July 25, 2011 by yds Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodcock Magnet Posted July 26, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 26, 2011 I run my own partridge shoot and every 2 years I put 100 greys down. Funny thing is we shoot more every year we DON'T release them. The birds are there but I think they are in smaller coveys the year we don't release so more can be shot. They breed well in a good year. This year my wild french(last years) seem to have 2-4 chicks and the greys 6-12. Good luck. We DO shoot them on driven days and only usually return 9-12% where as french 35-50%. thats cheery to know, I shall be very intersted to see what happens by next year with my project. I'm not keen on putting Red legs down because they just run and run, you can chase them out of the parish trying to get them to flush for the gun. Warm barrels Wiz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
verminator69 Posted July 26, 2011 Report Share Posted July 26, 2011 Nice one fella good to put something back into the area great little birds hope it works out for you. Would cut the tree down thats next to your pen, just somewhere nice for a hook beak to perch on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferret Master Posted July 26, 2011 Report Share Posted July 26, 2011 Top man. FM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al4x Posted July 27, 2011 Report Share Posted July 27, 2011 English are really interesting, it seems you either have the ground for them or you don't. Half the farm here is almost crawling with them yet rarely seen the other side. We always shoot limited numbers and with decent vermin control the numbers are if anything growing. Keeping the fox numbers down is particularly crucial. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yds Posted July 27, 2011 Report Share Posted July 27, 2011 (edited) Out stalking this morning on the shoot and had a buck and a fox, on returning to the truck frightened a covey of greys x2 adults and 11 poults great to see. They are the year before lasts as we never put any down last year and haven't released this years yet. Edited July 27, 2011 by yds Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rsrjerry Posted July 27, 2011 Report Share Posted July 27, 2011 Nice one mate , love to see the english partridge knocking about , have a few in the areas i go . ATB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodcock Magnet Posted July 30, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 30, 2011 Nice one fella good to put something back into the area great little birds hope it works out for you. Would cut the tree down thats next to your pen, just somewhere nice for a hook beak to perch on. take your point, I will cut it down and I'm going to burn a lot of dead scrub also around that area Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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