Releasing Ring-Necks

[minnikin1]

We have just acquired 2 pairs of pheasants that have up until now been kept
in confinement.

We'd like to release them on our farm, but we want them to have a sporting chance at survival...

Any advice, suggestions, how-to's?

I doubt they will survive very long. They have not learned how to avoid predators and such. We have a place near here that raises them and turns them loose daily for people that pay to hunt them. Not all of them get shot, but the rest never survive in the wild.

[travlnusa]

I raise them for hunting. I release about 80 per year. Of all of those I release, I might see 2-3 make it until the following spring.

With that said, between neighbor and I releasing birds for the past 3 yrs, we are now seeing 10-15 pairs this past spring. I would guess that the released birds are attracting wild birds. Our hope is that a few females make it to spring to breed with wild roosters.

I suggest you go to a local hunt club, and buy some females and breeding them yourself.

[pixelphotograph]

if you dont have them naturally in your area or have a permit to do so like some of the hunt clubs do then I would not release them. It may be against the law in your area to release an animal like that to the wild, and two like the others said they might not make it anyway. Best to eat them or keep them as pets. If they arent naturally found in your area they may not have the right ecosystem for them to survive in food, shelter, and water. Also what if they flourish and create more they could push a native species out of the area. I would advise against releasing them.
just my two cents worth.

[pancho]

If they make it a full week it will be a surprise. Pen raised birds are just snacks for predators. They have never had to watch for predators or look for their own feed. They will be history before they learn to do either.

[FreeRanger]

Go to the pheasants forever website. They will tell you how bad the failure rate is for this method. They state the only method that works is to build more habitat and pray that some wild ones are near by.

Habitat does work. My neighbor created a 27 acre habitat with six shallow ponds with a spring fed stream running thru the middle. My driveway and property adjoins the bottom land. Eight years later and we see a "few" pheasants now. Hundreds maybe thousands are being release nearby for hunting.

Good luck.

[minnikin1]

We live on a place called "pheasant ridge".
There was at least one wild cock bird up there, but I haven't seen any in awhile.
I think we have the perfect habitat. I was hoping that the LGD's would keep predators away.

[Ed Norman]

A local rancher bought some chicks from a game ranch. He raised them and released them. He told me they must have been crossed with homing pigeons because they took off and haven't been seen since.

[Spinner]

Maybe it would work if you caged them and slowly let a few loose after they hatch chicks (are baby pheasants called chicks?). Maybe turn out a roo that would stay close b/c the hens would still be caged. Then later let out a hen to mate with him. He would be used to the outside world and she would be used to staying near the others so they might stay close. Just an idea. It might not work at all.