RINGNECK - RAISE N RELEASE
Insects buzz loudly in the heavily treed-lots and the lawns are large and
shaded, inviting you to play under the trees and discover what is hiding in the tall grasses at the edges of these properties. Amongst these grasses you will most likely find an upland hunter's favourite, a flamboyant bird ideal for gun dogs.
Imagine a place so natural and yet so remote. If you stand on the beach
you can see nothing but Lake Erie extending in both directions until the curvature of the island tapers it off. With less than 300 people living there and a sky free of urban haze that makes it easy to get lost in the galaxy of visible stars. The island businesses are based solely on tourism, and their annual pheasant hunt has been on many people’s bucket list.
This annual hunt has been attended by thousands of people from all over the world and can only be made possible by the raise and release program. The release of the Ringneck pheasants help to enhance the bird population and also provide opportunities to our youth in the promotion of proper gun safety and hunting ethics as well as work programs available to our youth of all ages to educate them in their role in preserving their future in our hunting heritage. The mainland of Southern Ontario also participates in the raise and release
program and as many of you already know the pheasant has had it’s hardship in our area and needed some assistance throughout the years.
In 1989, the Gosfield North Sportsmen Assossiation applied for and was granted permission from the Department of Natural Resources to raise and release pheasants. The club purchased breeding stock to provide eggs for the 1990 program. Every year thereafter, the club maintained their own breeding stock for the next year. A hatchery was utilized to hatch the eggs & the day-old chicks were then raised to mature birds. The club maintains brooder boxes for newly hatched chicks and holding pens for younger birds. They also have outside roaming pens for the mature birds. They have since purchased an incubator that has been customized to hatch a maximum of 5,000 eggs in one-half of the incubator in one setting and to provide the newborns a temperature-controlled drying process in the other half. In 1999, Gosfield North and South Townships were amalgamated with
Kingsville and the club expanded its release program. All work has been and continues to be done by members of the club on a volunteer-basis. Men and women of all ages and backgrounds with a common goal of the preservation our hunting heritage.
With many accomplishments and their relationships within our community I knew our visit would be special. When we visited the facility they had the local 4H Poultry club out. During the course of our stay the youth were able to assist in counting out approx. 1300 newborn chicks and tour the grounds. The excitement in the youthful smiles made the day fly by. The Gosfield North Sportsmen Association are more than willing to answer any questions about the history and future of the RingNeck pheasants and are delighted to do so. Next time you see a pheasant on your way to work or while taking the dog for a walk, be sure to thank our local group that has made it all possible, the GNSA. |
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NEVER LEAVE YOUR WINGMAN
When asked how important pheasant season is to me, I would compare opening day to my Anniversary or Christmas Day.... combined. As bad as this may sound, my wife acknowledges the truth to this fact and life goes on. This season began the same as any other year.
At the begining of the week I set out to the owners of the feilds I love to hunt with a series of permission slips pre-made to each farmer's individual taste. While recieving the signatures we talk about the season and how the crops are doing and then we get into how the wildlife has been growing up with reports of sightings in each fields. Needless to say the farmers reports are a valuable tool in hunting and I thank them for it. The next few days before opening day are spent scouting the ditches and tree lines for any sign of game so when the opening day comes I know exactely where to hunt for the best possible chance of success. This year was a challenge since the rainy weather slowed the farmers combines down a few days leaving 2 massive corn feilds exactly where the pheasants where released.
The morning of opening day starts as usual, waking up early. Load the truck with my gun, gear, snacks and my pampered pouch Mabel, my English Springer Spaniel. This is my favorite dog, great nose, runs a ditch like a pro (with no training), but a little gun shy due to the fact I got her 3 years old already spoiled. I pick up my friend and we hit Tim Hortons for breakfast and coffee. Then its off to the feilds. A short drive later and I am about 45 minutes from sunrise and I'm the first vehicle to arrive in this field. We wait for the sun to show its smiling face.
The second we set out in the field, the hunt was actually kinda boring. Within one hour I shot my first bird. But we knew exactly were he was the day before. It was a matter of making the cock bird move from its confort zone in a ditch beside the road to a spot were I am able to shoot safely. Which we did with ease. Then we spent the rest of the day walking in high winds and really muddy fields (rained all night before) with no sign of life. The next few days I spent getting out of work an hour or two early just to walk fields and tree lines with no luck at all. But on saturday morning I recieved word from a local resident who walks his dogs in the fields all the time that he kicked up a hen in a specific ditch. So thats the start of Saturday's adventerous hunt. Locating a bird I can not shoot.
About noon on Saturday, walking alone with no dog I started walking a ditch that days earlier was barren of life. About 20 meters into the walk the first bird flies away, its a hen. Instinctivly my gun raises, but my fathers training of identifying my game before even pressing the safety prevents a mistake. But only after a second of the hen taking flight, 2 more birds fly up. This time a hen with a cock bird. I could of shot the male easily but the problem lyied with the fact the hen was flying right beside him. Obviously the bird farm that raised these two showed them the scene in the movie "Top Gun" where Jester tears Maverick a new one with the line "Never leave your wingman." They flew into the corn feild about 50 yards up and deep in the rows of corn. Smart birds! So starts the tedious task of walking in a field with standing corn of which a deer could hide with ease. Now some of you are gonna note that walking in a standing field is not allowed. However, this is where a good relationship with your local farmers comes in handy. I have permission to walk into and hunt standing corn. My family has been friends with this farmer and his family ever since I could walk, and that relationship paid off. It took about 2 hours of carefully stepping in this feild, kicking up the hens over and over before I finally found the colourful cock bird I've been searching for. Using my single barrel shotgun, I aimed carefully at the running bird, and easily took him down.
At the begining of the week I set out to the owners of the feilds I love to hunt with a series of permission slips pre-made to each farmer's individual taste. While recieving the signatures we talk about the season and how the crops are doing and then we get into how the wildlife has been growing up with reports of sightings in each fields. Needless to say the farmers reports are a valuable tool in hunting and I thank them for it. The next few days before opening day are spent scouting the ditches and tree lines for any sign of game so when the opening day comes I know exactely where to hunt for the best possible chance of success. This year was a challenge since the rainy weather slowed the farmers combines down a few days leaving 2 massive corn feilds exactly where the pheasants where released.
The morning of opening day starts as usual, waking up early. Load the truck with my gun, gear, snacks and my pampered pouch Mabel, my English Springer Spaniel. This is my favorite dog, great nose, runs a ditch like a pro (with no training), but a little gun shy due to the fact I got her 3 years old already spoiled. I pick up my friend and we hit Tim Hortons for breakfast and coffee. Then its off to the feilds. A short drive later and I am about 45 minutes from sunrise and I'm the first vehicle to arrive in this field. We wait for the sun to show its smiling face.
The second we set out in the field, the hunt was actually kinda boring. Within one hour I shot my first bird. But we knew exactly were he was the day before. It was a matter of making the cock bird move from its confort zone in a ditch beside the road to a spot were I am able to shoot safely. Which we did with ease. Then we spent the rest of the day walking in high winds and really muddy fields (rained all night before) with no sign of life. The next few days I spent getting out of work an hour or two early just to walk fields and tree lines with no luck at all. But on saturday morning I recieved word from a local resident who walks his dogs in the fields all the time that he kicked up a hen in a specific ditch. So thats the start of Saturday's adventerous hunt. Locating a bird I can not shoot.
About noon on Saturday, walking alone with no dog I started walking a ditch that days earlier was barren of life. About 20 meters into the walk the first bird flies away, its a hen. Instinctivly my gun raises, but my fathers training of identifying my game before even pressing the safety prevents a mistake. But only after a second of the hen taking flight, 2 more birds fly up. This time a hen with a cock bird. I could of shot the male easily but the problem lyied with the fact the hen was flying right beside him. Obviously the bird farm that raised these two showed them the scene in the movie "Top Gun" where Jester tears Maverick a new one with the line "Never leave your wingman." They flew into the corn feild about 50 yards up and deep in the rows of corn. Smart birds! So starts the tedious task of walking in a field with standing corn of which a deer could hide with ease. Now some of you are gonna note that walking in a standing field is not allowed. However, this is where a good relationship with your local farmers comes in handy. I have permission to walk into and hunt standing corn. My family has been friends with this farmer and his family ever since I could walk, and that relationship paid off. It took about 2 hours of carefully stepping in this feild, kicking up the hens over and over before I finally found the colourful cock bird I've been searching for. Using my single barrel shotgun, I aimed carefully at the running bird, and easily took him down.
Bird number 2 for the season.
After several hours of hunting I took a break and ate lunch at the Dairy Freeze, I drove back to the fields where the combines just arrived to take down the last of the feild. Here is the wierd part, normally this field has produced game all the time, this year is was nearly vacant of life and I found the reason why. The farmer in his combine took down some rows to seperate his field into sections. Section one had nothing in it, section 2 was almost baren till the farmer was a few passes from done were i noticed a head appear from the edge of the corn. Since I was about a hundred and fifty meters away I couldnt tell exactly what was looking around so I started to walk to investigate. At first I thought it was a deer. They are known to live in this area all the time. But when i got closer it acted like my dog does when sniffing a new tree. Thats when I realized what it was, a coyote. These wild canines have destroyed the local small game population down to almost nothing in this area. Then the coyote went back into the corn rows. So when the combine stopped to unload its grain into the hoppers, I talked to the farmer and if he saw the coyotye, he would warn me of its location with a sign from the combines paticularly flashing lights. When the combine entered back into the field I also started walking fast, and as sure as the night would come the coyote moved from section 2 to section 3. The farmer had his lights flashing and I ran as fast as I could, but the coyote was smart. It made sure it moved faster and farther from me. I stalked the canine in the last section of corn for about 30 minutes before my cousin and uncle arrived to help but it was of no help. Section 3 was beside a large ditch and an empty field. From the point it entered the last section of field and the time the sun set in the west, the 3 of us were unable to locate the scourge of small game. It had the advantage of speed and its fine senses to avoid us. For about an hour an a half we tried but it just wasn't fate for that one coyote to die that day.
One good thing did happen when we were hunting the coyote in the field. Near the end of the sunlight (still within legal hunting hours) I saw the shadow of a rabbit in the rows of corn popping its head up to take a look at what was moving in the row it was hiding in. Needless to say its in my freezer now along with 2 male pheasants. Dinner is gonna be good!
Avid pheasant hunter since the day I was able to walk with my dad.
J.J. Zuiderveen © 2010
One good thing did happen when we were hunting the coyote in the field. Near the end of the sunlight (still within legal hunting hours) I saw the shadow of a rabbit in the rows of corn popping its head up to take a look at what was moving in the row it was hiding in. Needless to say its in my freezer now along with 2 male pheasants. Dinner is gonna be good!
Avid pheasant hunter since the day I was able to walk with my dad.
J.J. Zuiderveen © 2010
 the hunt must go on!
It had been snowing for the last couple of days and the freshened landscape was glistening in the late morning sun. I had wondered if the upland hunt presented by the Essex Hunting Retriever club was going to take place. My son and I had decided to go check it out.
Upon arrival to the LEWIS FARM we saw a lot of trucks filled with dog boxes, but where were all the people? We ventured toward the back to the white tent the club had set up that would serve as a refuge from the weather. There were people young and old gathered watching the upland pheasant hunt. The snow had not dampened their spirits, hunters are used to the weather being not so pleasant. Today was a test of all the finished dogs. Dogs that had been tested over and over again, and were the on the last leg before being marked champions. Now let me explain, the HRC dogs have to go through 3 different phases of tests, the started dog, the seasoned dog and the FINISHED dog. Today’s test is about the finished dogs. This test consists of a simulated pheasant hunt. There are 2 pheasants placed in the field for the test. After the dog has been released by the handler, it must display the ability and desire to hunt the available cover in search of game. The handler can encourage the dog to hunt but cannot direct the dog to each bird. Once the dog has found the bird it must flush the bird and then remain steady to "wing and shot". The dog handler must steady the dog, usually with a whistle, before firing a blank. When the dog handler fires the blank that is the signal to the gunners that they are clear to engage the bird. Once the bird is on the ground one of the judges will release the dog to retrieve the bird and deliver it to hand. Now lets for a second imagine that we were a retriever. The anticipation of waiting to get that bird would be intense. We would just want the bird. It is a very common mistake to drop it at the handler’s feet but this test requests hand delivery. Now I thought that I would sit back and view a few retrieves and go on my way. I guess I was wrong. Upon arriving I was welcomed by the Vice President - Wayne Roy and he insisted that I do the walk. He arranged that my son and I received orange vests and accompanied them on the course. We walked behind the field marshal and followed the dog and handler. The field marshal even put a bird or two in my son’s vest. He thought that was cool as though we were on a real pheasant hunt. These dogs were very smart, listening to the handler through every turn and when actually on a bird they waited for the next command. I took some good pictures and learned a little about the Essex HRC. These guys and gals are very dedicated to the retrieval of all birds. HRC is a family oriented organization founded by hunting enthusiasts. They are dedicated to raising, training and testing hunting retrievers. Their goal is to promote and encourage hunting with a trained hunting retriever. This not only improves the hunting breeds but also promotes conservation of waterfowl and upland game birds. Hunting with a trained hunting retriever increases the number of downed birds that make it to the dinner table and make hunting more enjoyable. By: Danielle Russell Feb 2010 SOME SHOTS FROM THE DAY BELOW
                                            TRAINING YOUR RETRIEVER
How many times have you shaken your head in frustration, wondering why your trusty companion performs so perfectly in the back yard, but can't seem to get it right anywhere else? Well, don't fret. It's perfectly natural and will take care of itself—as long as you change up your training environment and get proper instruction from knowledgeable trainers.
That's why the Essex Hunting club has training days. These days are a great for everyone from beginners to pros for learning, training, and generally having fun while teaching your dog how to perform in every kind of situation. If you're just thinking about joining the club or buying a pup, go on out and see what it's all about.  |