ACA Land

[TheBigShooter]

Looking to do some upland hunting around Southern/Central Alberta this year. I'm not into the pheasant release sites because from what I hear they are a gong show. Anyone have any experience with upland hunting ACA areas? are they just as big of a gong show as release sites or is there less traffic because there are more people at the release sites?

Thanks in Advance,

Big Shooter

[wildwoods]

Pheasant release sites are not a gong show. They are a blast. There's a few bad apples like every other activity but I wouldn't trade the experience because of them. I go with no dog and really enjoy the challenge.

[buckman]

The money spent on releasing birds doomed to die would be better spent on habitat, and then releasing undamaged beak birds in the spring to breed in the wild.

I don't hunt release sites for all sorts of reasons, but they do have a place in taking pressure off the wild bird areas.


As for the conservation sites some get a ton of pressure in the early season,less later on.

[wind drift]

My Brittany lives to find pheasants. She cares not where they come from. I hunt release sites and other places with wild birds. I do this for both of us and I appreciate the opportunities and the use of funds.

[338Bluff]

Originally Posted by wildwoods

Pheasant release sites are not a gong show. They are a blast. There's a few bad apples like every other activity but I wouldn't trade the experience because of them. I go with no dog and really enjoy the challenge.

We must frequent different release sites. Daysland and Buffalo Lake are total gong shows.

[teberle]

Originally Posted by wildwoods

Pheasant release sites are not a gong show. They are a blast. There's a few bad apples like every other activity but I wouldn't trade the experience because of them. I go with no dog and really enjoy the challenge.

How much success do you have without a dog?

[smith88]

I have been to four ACA pheasant release sites around Medicine Hat and never had a problem.

[elkhunter11]

Originally Posted by 338Bluff

We must frequent different release sites. Daysland and Buffalo Lake are total gong shows.

While I never visit those sites on weekends, and there are some idiots there from time to time, they can provide an enjoyable time out with friends and dogs.

[wildwoods]

Originally Posted by teberle

How much success do you have without a dog?

I would say I usually limit out. Takes me about three hours on average. I enjoy the challenge. There is some ground swatting involved but I would say 50-50 with flushing

[oilngas]

Love the release sites, especially the near Calgary sites. For us (daughters and gkids) the key is not go where other do, i.e. hunt the edges away from other folks. We can do that after daughters last patient of the day, have an enjoyable few hours, work the bow wows, see a few birds and home for supper. Dogs n kids have a great time. Occasionally harvest a bird or two!!

To me it's sorta what you expect from the sites and your attitude toward them. The bests days we have is non release days, far few folks running around.

Also be flexible, if the black truck, life style adornments and accouterments bedecked, coach gun, "are number 2's or BB's good for pheasants", pit bulls (3) guy is at the site, go somewhere else and have good time. We go watch the geese, swans, ducks, cows etc. Or just wait awhile, attitude is everything.

[-JR-]

hows is the one just south of Wabaman lake for pheasants