End of season "clear up".

[Cranfield]

The post by henry d regarding taking a bird that may fly over a neighbouring gun, prompted quite a few responses suggesting it was OK at this time of year, as the object was to clear up any remaining birds.

 

When Shoots relied on wild birds, it was understandable to reduce the cock population and preserve the hen population to assist in a good breeding programme.

As more and more shoots exist on bought in poults, why is there still this compulsion to thin out this seasons stock so dramatically ?

 

I have only belonged to "smaller" syndicates that release up to 1000 birds and we have never diligently followed this policy.

It doesn't seem to have any effect on the following season.

When looking after the poults we see a lot of adult birds being attracted to the pens and evidence of wild broods.

We also get plenty of strong fliers early in the season, which must be last years birds.

 

Does anyone have any good reasons (apart from giving everyone a few more days sport) for this practise ?

[henry d]

90% of the shoots I go to "catch up" and sell on the eggs for a percentage off the poults they buy back. Therefore they need to thin the cocks out to save any remaining stock that may breed in the wild from being too overstocked by cocks. This prevents over treading of the hens and prevents too many cocks getting killed from fighting.

[Millomite]

Being a small shoot with returns of around 30% we tend to shoot whatever we can at the end of the season

[dusk2dawn]

90% of the shoots I go to "catch up" and sell on the eggs for a percentage off the poults they buy back. Therefore they need to thin the cocks out to save any remaining stock that may breed in the wild from being too overstocked by cocks. This prevents over treading of the hens and prevents too many cocks getting killed from fighting.

 

This has also been the practise followed by the shoots I have been involved with, and is recommended by the leading authorities on shoot management. Some shoots start catching up hens the minute the last paying gun has walked off the shoot and the cocks day incurs a penalty for every hen shot.

Dark Melanistic hens come to mind

 

D2D

[Highlander]

I believe it's good practice to reduce the number of cocks on the ground for a number of good reasons some of which HD has already mentioned. Being somewhat territorial the less cocks the better otherwise they'll wander and might take hens with them. Not sure what the recommended ratio is but one cock will service many hens.

 

On any good shoot, especially nowadays, the trend should be to encourage a 'wild' bird population be that of pheasant or partridge so keeping the right ratio of cocks to hens is important (not so with partridges 'cause they pair up). Feeding all year round is good, feeding into the spring/summer is vital. Also it's vital that a serious programme of vermin eradication is undertaken and NOW is about the time to do that.

[al4x]

A bit depends how much ground you are on. If its a large estate with lots of good habitat then cocks only makes sense as you can keep a good breeding stock and promote wild birds. But more and more syndicates are on small areas and have trouble holding birds so they tend to shoot as many as possible as they purely rely on bought in poults

[henry d]

Well said Highlander, spring feeding is IMHO vital for good wild broods, as for cock to hens, 1 - 6 or 8 is used for pen breeding but the wild stuff is difficult to get and is better to shoot hard and then let nature take it`s course :unsure: