New UK restrictions.

[gamekeeper]

I just read on the net that the UK government are going to bring in licensing for releasing Pheasant and Redleg Partridges. The government are bowing down to a campaign started by a BBC TV conservation program presenter Chris Packham, so much for the BBC being neutral.
Although as an ex gamekeeper I am opposed to restrictive legislation I can see how big commercial game shoots have vastly increased the number of game birds released in the last few years. Driven Pheasant shooting on some of these big commercial shoots is little different from a Clay shoot, the only real difference is you might get your boots muddy.
When 600 or more birds are shot in a day on one shoot and not harvested for food it's hard to put up an argument for it to continue, Example: where I live I flush Pheasant and Partridge everytime I walk outside my door, that is not normal.
When I was a gamekeeper I was proud that I did a lot conservation work for native flora and fauna as well as rearing Pheasant, Partridge and Mallard, I kept down predators and didn't need to swamp the countryside with thousands and thousands of non native game species to provide decent sport for men with a interest and love of the countryside and not just city slickers with too much money.

I suppose that too much of a good thing is always likely to turn bad, that is how I see this turning out.

[ywaltzucanrknrl]

I think you should be commended for the type of conservation you did---you did right. I'm anti regulation and pro your type of conservation. I'm very pro hunting, but very anti waste. Those folks with the driven hunts gave themselves the black eye. Waste is a terrible thing and when it's a hunting sport it's the worst type of waste. Kill what you eat and eat what you kill. I'm sure some folks see this differently, and I've shot prairie dogs, rock chucks, coyotes and other critters, that I never intended to eat, so I don't want to sound condescending, but to me, pheasants and other game birds are prime dinner fare and should not be wasted---like always I guess there are two sides to the story, maybe there is a reason.

[piller]

I am in agreement with you. Waste of game meat is unacceptable. There are some places which will tan a coyote skin if it is in winter and a good looking fur. Those who still wear fur are sometimes happy to wear well made coyote fur jackets. I have also seen ranches nail a dead coyote to a fencepost as a warning to other coyotes. Because they are predators and are numerous, I am OK with either way on predators.
Where I am from, there are quite a few Pheasant. They are an introduced game species. We hunt them and eat the meat. Introduced species can be a good thing if managed.

[gamekeeper]

I think you should be commended for the type of conservation you did---you did right. I'm anti regulation and pro your type of conservation. I'm very pro hunting, but very anti waste. Those folks with the driven hunts gave themselves the black eye. Waste is a terrible thing and when it's a hunting sport it's the worst type of waste. Kill what you eat and eat what you kill. I'm sure some folks see this differently, and I've shot prairie dogs, rock chucks, coyotes and other critters, that I never intended to eat, so I don't want to sound condescending, but to me, pheasants and other game birds are prime dinner fare and should not be wasted---like always I guess there are two sides to the story, maybe there is a reason.

Thanks.
The reason is supply and demand, too many birds and too few customers, what happened on my shoot each gun (shooter) got a brace of birds, the beaters could also have a brace and any left over were given to the tenant farmers or sold to the local game dealer non went to waste. Now adays some shooting estates are burying the birds that they can't give away.
Piller, yes management is the key.

[octagon]

Burying the birds? I would think someone would organize a team of volunteers to process the extra birds and freeze em till they found folks who could use em. I have been known to bury birds...in gravy.

[piller]

I like Pheasant baked or broiled and covered in gravy or Campbell's Golden Mushroom soup. Dove and quail are good that way, too. I do not like to see it thrown out.

[gamekeeper]

Burying the birds? I would think someone would organize a team of volunteers to process the extra birds and freeze em till they found folks who could use em. I have been known to bury birds...in gravy.

It is estimated that 60 million pheasants are released each year and the market at the moment is very small, a lot of people are reluctant to even try game meat nowadays.

[kaschi]

It's too bad that people are reluctant to try game meat. With all the emphasis these days on 'free range" chickens and the quality of meat they offer, one would think city folks would "flock" (pardon the pun) to pheasants and other game birds since these offer a decisively better option.