Whitebridges Posted September 14, 2012 Report Share Posted September 14, 2012 Extract from the local paper today. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scolopax Posted September 14, 2012 Report Share Posted September 14, 2012 On the few acres I look after I was hoping for a good year as we had a good stock last winter, so far we have 4 barren pairs, a single cock and a minor miracle, a covey of about 8 or 9. Not had a good look at the covey yet but it may well be that that half of them are adult birds. All I can say is that unless you are fortunate enough to have good numbers on your land then do not shoot any at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDog Posted September 14, 2012 Report Share Posted September 14, 2012 The poor breeding success of Grey partridges was inevitable after such a wet summer. That and the increasing corvid, raptor, fox, stoat and weasel population. Only grouse of our native game birds seem to be able to withstand wet like it. Even then in some areas nests were washed out with the hen grouse vainly attempting to sit on eggs covered in water. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al4x Posted September 14, 2012 Report Share Posted September 14, 2012 ours we didn't see any young till recently when we have seen a couple of broods however have seen two coveys of @30 and a few in smaller groups. That and more hares than ever is quite surprising as I've also shot more foxes on the ground than ever, its been a funny year wet for too long, too much cover to get hold of foxes and weirdly most of ours have done ok. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scolopax Posted September 14, 2012 Report Share Posted September 14, 2012 ours we didn't see any young till recently when we have seen a couple of broods however have seen two coveys of @30 and a few in smaller groups. That and more hares than ever is quite surprising as I've also shot more foxes on the ground than ever, its been a funny year wet for too long, too much cover to get hold of foxes and weirdly most of ours have done ok. the two coveys of 30 birds I would suspect are released birds, they seem to have a habit of settling in a long way away from where they were initially liberated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al4x Posted September 14, 2012 Report Share Posted September 14, 2012 except its ground we always have a resident population on, no one round here releases English. Its usually interesting we have half the farm they thrive on and the other half you very rarely see them on where we get plenty of french but everyone releases them round about. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aga man Posted September 14, 2012 Report Share Posted September 14, 2012 All I can say is that unless you are fortunate enough to have good numbers on your land then do not shoot any at all. well said fella. no point shooting the breeding stock if numbers are low. if you have plenty then lucky for you. i would love to see those days again! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matone Posted September 18, 2012 Report Share Posted September 18, 2012 It`s been a depressing year for everyone who`s interested in the Englishmen,our`s will only have reared enough to replace losses due to vermin etc.It always seems to happen when you get a good stock built up,the weather hammers them ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scolopax Posted September 18, 2012 Report Share Posted September 18, 2012 I always get more enjoyment out of driving around the stubbles and seeing a covey for the first time, especially if I knew it was a pair that was on territory back in Juanuary, could have been shot but were left, and now have a whole load of youngsters with them. When I was a teenager back in the eighties and lucky for a city lad to have a couple of farms for rough shooting, then the English Partridge were our main quarry species, a pheasant or a Redleg (wild) made it a red letter day! They are still hanging on and have done quite well in the last couple of years, but this summer has knocked them back to square one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matone Posted September 18, 2012 Report Share Posted September 18, 2012 Yes the weather just never lets them get to a `tipping point` in the population ! I reckon that this year would have really seen a jump in the population if it had been favourable for them. Such a shame ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark@mbb Posted September 18, 2012 Report Share Posted September 18, 2012 I have hatched about 75 this year and let them gon on the fields at the back of the house as no one shoots there except me but havent seen many about Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcw65 Posted September 18, 2012 Report Share Posted September 18, 2012 I have hatched about 75 this year and let them gon on the fields at the back of the house as no one shoots there except me but havent seen many about they have all crossed the motorway then as plenty over there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tigger Posted October 8, 2012 Report Share Posted October 8, 2012 We have quite a few on our shoots and neighbouring ones also, it's a £50 fine per bird if you kill one and you have to buy the drinks at the pub a very good deterrent and one that all shoots should adopt IMO .... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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