markyboy Posted March 13, 2013 Report Share Posted March 13, 2013 (edited) Recently the farmer on my farm i shoot has bought a wood mainly of birch and it belonged to an estate who put birds into the wood, in the middle of it there is a pen made with 8 galvanised building site fences with solid corrugated panels around 2ft perimeter at bottom, inside is a shelter and there are some plastic feeders not home made. No pop holes visible and it has a net roof, any ideas what this has been used for as I'm wondering if I can put some birds down but it's a bare wood not very warm but over the years it's always had pheasants in it as you would always see them around headges. What you think guys Edited March 13, 2013 by markyboy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cumbrian top shot Posted March 13, 2013 Report Share Posted March 13, 2013 Sounds just like a partridge release pen especially with the panels around the bottom for shelter and netting over the top and there would be no pop holes in partridge pens, you probably could release birds in the pen but not so many by the sounds of it, also you say the wood is bare and not very warm so the birds will soon wander to find warmer shelter and cover, Ideally you need a good amount of cover to hold birds if its getting the wind alot the birds won't even roost in there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markyboy Posted March 13, 2013 Author Report Share Posted March 13, 2013 Would always see pheasants but no partridge ,I thought about ex layers but might as well wave goid bye to them as soon as I release them, it was just a token gesture as the bulk if the birds I see come from one large estate and the other estate never had birds down last season but will be this season so don't want to be seen as poaching there birds without putting a few of my own down Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cumbrian top shot Posted March 13, 2013 Report Share Posted March 13, 2013 Its a tricky one when there is a shoot that release birds neighbouring yours and you don't put any down it does get frowned upon especially on the shoot which releases them, but what can they do if you don't, as you say it would go down better if you just put a few ex layers in and a few hoppers out and its showing them at least your putting some effort in, it happens all over the place shoots releasing and others not some work it out and have good relationships others just do there own things, I was just talking to a keeper today who rears 20,000 on there shoot and some of the woods over their boundaries are shot and they don't relase any but again what can you do apart from trying to keep dogging in on your own boundaries. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beany123 Posted March 13, 2013 Report Share Posted March 13, 2013 Sounds like a laying pen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markyboy Posted March 13, 2013 Author Report Share Posted March 13, 2013 What's a laying pen exactly Think I will try somthing I don't think poults will work either so ex layers might be used or even a few partridge Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scotslad Posted March 14, 2013 Report Share Posted March 14, 2013 It just sounds like an old pheasant pen to me but could be all off the above. Generally thee wasn't a lot off partridge released in dumfries area until fairly recently esp with the reds. Alaying pen is where u store/house ur laying pheasants, hens+ a few cocks and will often have we laying boxes bits off brash etc for hens to lay in so u an collect the eggs for incubating/hatching. Usually some place handy for the keeper near to his house. If near to a cottage or house could just be an old chicken pen? If the wire looks vermin proof no reason why it wouldnae hold poults, get permission off the farmer to fell and coppice a few birch (best done fairly shortly) and let a bit of light in add a few popholes and bits off brash, u won't be far away. As for the neighbouring est, it depends how hard u are shooting it. If ur feeding boudries and constantly trying to pull birds in and shooting it hard i think they will be p***ed off, but if it's just u and a mate having an armed ramble with dogs once a month or so and aren't heavily feeding boundries they will prob be ok. Offer to go beating for them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markyboy Posted March 14, 2013 Author Report Share Posted March 14, 2013 Cheers Stuart, I might give it a bash the surrounding farm isn't really that great just headges and small rough bits so not ideal shooting up there backsides but this wood might get some good ones going over your head, was just going to be a knock about for a couple of pals, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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