It takes a lot of time and effort to manage a successful pheasant shoot effectively and no sooner than the guns are cleaned and put away at the end of the season are we thinking about catching the hen pheasants.
This is done primarily to help reduce costs for the shoot as they are taken to a local game breeder where we get 2 ½ poults back per hen pheasant. Special pens are placed out and wheat is put in to them, they are left open for a good few days to get the pheasants used to going in them to feed. The doors to the catchers are then shut and the birds can get in but not out. These are then checked 3 or more times a day with the hens being put in sacks and the cocks released. It is a time consuming operation but is beneficial to the shoot. We try to catch as many hens as possible and average about 60 hens in total. The hens are then taken to the game breeder to meet up with their new ‘boyfriends’ and spend the rest of the summer laying eggs.
Before the poults arrive in early August there is plenty to do! The feed hoppers and release pens have to be checked and maintained, we strim round the pens and put down electric fencing to try and keep ‘Charlie’ away.
When the 6 week old poults arrive they are released into the large pens and fed on special pellets. They are checked, fed and watered a minimum of twice a day to ensure their health and wellbeing. Any that have managed to get out of the pen have to be carefully walked back in (this tends to be my job and they are not the brightest of creatures!) We hope that all survive but inevitably we do loose a few to birds of prey and the odd fox.
We release about 600 birds, which is not a lot in comparison to most, these are put in to 4 release pens spread around the shoot.
Currently the poults are now 10-12 weeks old, have grown an awful lot and are feathering up (getting their adult feathers) you can now tell the difference between male and female and are now being switched over to being fed wheat. They are checked on a twice daily basis to make sure they have sufficient feed and water.
Whist very time consuming, it is fulfilling to see them arrive as 6 week olds and to mature into the beautiful birds that they become.
Feed hoppers are now being placed strategically (lots of discussion by the brothers on this one!) around the shoot and the outside of the pens as the birds are now more mobile. There are 62 feeders on the shoot which all have to be filled and checked regularly.
We also have a duck pond which they flight and they had their first day of the season there last week, it is not for me though sitting around in the wet and semi-dark waiting for them to show. The fruits of their 1st day were enjoyed in the way of: Duck breast on mash with Onion Marmalade and Red Wine reduction, simple but delicious.
