Pheasant hunting in the usa

[Winch101]

Spoke to vet at border services today ..... Hunted pheasant can only come

From North Dakota , Montana , .

South Dakota , Minnesota .....avian virus restrictions .

Web site follow AIRS LINKS


http://www.inspection.gc.ca/eng/1297.../1297965645317

[alces]

I think you mean, cannot come from those states.

[thumper]

From the website:


California, Idaho, Oregon and Washington are now free of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI). Imports from this state are now permitted. The CFIA advisory to travellers has been updated to reflect this information.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has implemented measures to protect Canada's poultry resources from an outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza reported in poultry in the following states:

Iowa
Kansas
Minnesota
Missouri
Nebraska
North Dakota
South Dakota
Wisconsin
Travellers should know that, due to this outbreak, all raw poultry and all poultry products and by-products that are not fully cooked, including eggs and raw pet foods, sourced, processed, or packaged from the above states are under restriction until further notice. You may not bring these items into Canada.

[robson3954]

Thinking of heading to Idaho next year to try our hand at quail, chukar and pheasant. Hopefully that stays the same. Anybody else chase birds down there? Would love some tips!

[Winch101]

He told me Today.....ND ,Montana OK

Minnesota , South Dakota. Not ok .
Can change on a on going schedule .
Always check before you go down there
Ask at the boarder

403-344-3808 long distance ...the number I called

[waterninja]

Though it sounds like it would be an interesting trip to hunt pheasants in the states, it sounds like a lot of hassle and a lot of money, when you can hunt them here in AB. at one of the many release sites. Had a great pheasant hunt here, just this week. Plan on going again next week.

[robson3954]

Originally Posted by waterninja

Though it sounds like it would be an interesting trip to hunt pheasants in the states, it sounds like a lot of hassle and a lot of money, when you can hunt them here in AB. at one of the many release sites. Had a great pheasant hunt here, just this week. Plan on going again next week.

True, but there aren't any quail or chukar around here! Plus go a few miles into the States and the wild pheasant population dwarfs ours (so I've been told), let alone in places like ND/SD.

[elkhunter11]

Originally Posted by waterninja

Though it sounds like it would be an interesting trip to hunt pheasants in the states, it sounds like a lot of hassle and a lot of money, when you can hunt them here in AB. at one of the many release sites. Had a great pheasant hunt here, just this week. Plan on going again next week.

Hunting released pheasants is fun when it's all you have available, but it doesn't compare to hunting wild birds.

[catnthehat]

We can hung wolf and released birds in Canada a heckuva lot cheaper than going to the states to hunt,
Their limits aren't much great I don't think either .
Cat

[elkhunter11]

Originally Posted by catnthehat

We can hung wolf and released birds in Canada a heckuva lot cheaper than going to the states to hunt,
Their limits aren't much great I don't think either .
Cat

Some outfitters are now operating in both North Dakota and South Dakota, so the hunters can hunt both states every day, which allows for six pheasant per day. But you are correct, it is certainly cheaper to hunt pheasant in Alberta.

[mdog]

Having a bit of a tough time following the links. Can someone post a more direct link? Also can pheasants be brought back to Canada if they're cooked? Don't know how you'd prove species?
Thanks.

[TROLLER]

Untill you have hunted pheasant is so Dakota you have no idea what it is all about.

Corn fields can hold as many as 3 or 400 birds. Get to the end and it is like a huge flock of ducks there are so many.

You have to pay either the guide or the farmer if you want to hunt. I know one fella goes every year to s Dakota and just hunts the ditches. Runs into hassled every time but the ditch is public land.

Montana the same, East of Lewistown around Wynette is good pheasant hunting but again you will most likely have to pay the land owner for access.

[Dead Moose]

I emailed CFIA and the response I got was that it applies to COMmMERCIAL imports. We are heading to S Dakota for a week . 3 roosters a day 5 days limit in possession. Like being in heaven

[mdog]

So I actually spoke to a live body at CFIA today and they said that one CANNOT import pheasants from ND (and I believe SD) at this time. Doesn't matter if it is for commercial or personal use.

[puppyhood1]

As stated earlier it is best to check prior by phoning and the border Vet at Coutts can fill you in prior to going and MT. is fine as of now. And if cost was the issue I would buy chicken......there is nothing like the REAL thing in hunting.......

[Pixel Shooter]

this is on my bucket list regardless of price, see more birds in several days then you would a life time here and all wild to boot. And enjoy the kfc recipe in the field, heck eat em before comin back

Be awesome to plan an AO trip with members for next year as I need to stop talking about it and just do it

[Rosco101]

Heading down to South Dakota next week. Hope it changes when we are heading back. Talked to the farmer who's land I hunt and he says its been a great hatch. So should be over than double the birds as last year. Had a few guys back out cause they can't bring the birds back. But I am still gonna go

[Scott h]

Originally Posted by robson3954

True, but there aren't any quail or chukar around here! Plus go a few miles into the States and the wild pheasant population dwarfs ours (so I've been told), let alone in places like ND/SD.

Something very wrong that the Americans can keep an AMAZING amount of WILD pheasants in many states with huge amounts of hunters and Alberta has next to nothing left other than a few tame birds released every year.
I started hunting pheasants back in Tilley in the 70's with my dad who had stories of way more birds than they had down in the states. In fact they had lots of American hunters coming up to hunt their land. He talked of "flocks" of pheasants (I didn't believe him at the time). After looking online at the Dakotas I can see what he was talking about! The difference was that they had lots of irrigation canals and sloughs that were ALL surrounded with cattails and willows that gave nesting cover AND wintering areas.
Seems to me a better long term use of $$$$ would be buying up more small pieces of land and rehab it with lots of cover and water instead of put and take pheasants.

[steamer45]

Problem is many people want to hunt but there isn't a lot for volunteers for land management and other help for that matter. iragation has all changed in Alberta limiting ditches and cover along the roadsides, because most irrigation is ran underground now the farmers can cut crops right to the road. Cover is a huge part and money is probably an even bigger part as well as predators.

[Scott h]

Originally Posted by steamer45

Problem is many people want to hunt but there isn't a lot for volunteers for land management and other help for that matter. iragation has all changed in Alberta limiting ditches and cover along the roadsides, because most irrigation is ran underground now the farmers can cut crops right to the road. Cover is a huge part and money is probably an even bigger part as well as predators.

You are right on all points I'm afraid
I do think that their should be a new "hunting land acquisition fee" added to all hunting licenses in the range of say a box of shotgun shells ( $20) BUT the money can ONLY be used only to BUY land. Don't change anything else and keep all the other programs running as they are. For the most part they are successful in what they are doing.
If their are 300K hunters that would work out to $6,000,000.00 EACH YEAR.
That would purchase a lot of land especially if it's in many smaller non prime agricultural properties. Could you imagine adding 10-20 new properties each and every year that had "Public Hunting Property"signs on them all for 20 BUCKS?
Do nothing more than allow the properties to all grow back to native cover and let outfits like Ducks Unlimited, Pheasants Forever, ACA or the Nature Conservancy put in waterholes or plant willow stakes at their own expense. They would be standing in line to help out.
In a few years we could all look back and laugh that we used to have to release tame birds or drive to South Dakota to hunt a pheasant.

[Dead Moose]

Until we get more suitable cover the pheasant population will never rebound other than in a few small pockets where some landowners leave habitat.
In the States, farmers are willing to leave habitat for 2 reasons that I can see:
1. The CRP Program where their government basically pays them to take land out of production--ie leave it alone.
2. They can charge for hunting access which allows SMART farmers to plant a crop in their CRP fields (they just can't harvest it) and then the crop attracts the pheasants which essentially become the "harvest" by charging hunters for hunting priveledges on their land. By having essentially "bait" by way of the crop in the CRP, the farmer assures himself of having a good number of pheasants especially if his neighbours don't have as much pheasant habitat.

Here in Alberta, we have NO INCENTIVES for farmers to leave pheasant habitat and we essentially reward producers for working every square inch of their land. Until producers have a monetary incentive to create or leave habitat, nothing will change.

The public land in the States is not too bad for hunting but for pheasants you need a decent water source and a lot of the public land (in SD anyway) is pretty dry and the number of pheasants is lower than on the farmed areas where landowners care about having pheasants (ie $$$)

[Scott h]

Quote
"Here in Alberta, we have NO INCENTIVES for farmers to leave pheasant habitat and we essentially reward producers for working every square inch of their land. Until producers have a monetary incentive to create or leave habitat, nothing will change."

You are right, the states got their pheasants back by financially supporting habitat, but I don't see Alberta allowing paid hunting access like in the states. That can be a slippery slope and it would take years to come to an agreement, if you ever did.
That's why I say buy property and let it alone. Who can pass up an old bunch of out buildings that have been abandoned out in the middle of a field. The weeds and willows and poplars are a wildlife magnet. If there is any water you are almost guaranteed action.
The properties need not be large ( a few acres of brush/weeds and a tiny dugout would be ideal), just some good nesting for the spring and somewhere to walk up a bird in the fall. It could be just like the old days, but instead of the farmer leaving the property untouched, hunters chip in a little money and by many small pieces and let them go wild. Everyone would be happy, especially the birds.