Why Kill Pheasants?

Hi Corni , I agree with your statement about the pheasants , the reason they do it !!  They do it for profit , to have "professionals" up for the weekend for "Shoots"  BUT if it was not for these gamekeepers rearing these birds from incubators and releasing them ,there would not be that many about that would successfully breed in the wild ,with the intense farming practices and loss of natural habitat , many don't get that chance to breed naturally , My observations come from when I lived in the UK in the fenland's ,and around Spilby Lincs ,I used to visit a lot of the big farms around those areas as part of my job ,and I  had a friend that was a gamekeeper, he once showed me how much effort he went to to get the eggs ,hatch them , rear them and even when released ,they kept them from going to far astray by feeding them corn , maize ect to keep them  local.

Now I cannot comment on what is happening in other areas of the UK ,but it will be interesting to see what other views you  get  from the thread

Regards Mick

corni said:

I am not anti hunt, coursing or country folks way of life.

cheers

corni

 

Actually there's a difference. Many country folks' ways of life have no place for killing things for amusement.

JBNTS

Unknown said:

Killing ANYTHING for sport is abhorrent and wrong.

I am totally with Pipit on this one.

There is, however, an irony in the whole pheasant business.  Pheasants apparently do better in wooded areas, so landowners who wanted to rear pheasants for "sport" ended up planting copses on their land.  As farming became more intensive and hedgerows and natural woodland disappeared, these pheasant copses became important habitats for woodland songbirds in the countryside.

I'm not sure that justifies the historical persecution of birds of prey by gamekeepers, let alone the slaughter of pheasants for "fun," but I guess it is a fortunate (if unintended) by-product.

Incidentally, I'm not sure that pheasant shooting (or a lot of other bloodsports) really counts as "country folks' way of life."  Seems to me it was invented by and for toffs in big houses and their friends from London.

BB

[edit: sorry for the cross-post, JBNTS.  Still makes us both cross, though!]

They do it to use their nice expensive guns. They do it for fun. They do it because they think it is macho.

Many shooters locally do not even bother to keep the game killed. They can't be bothered with it. They leave the dead pheasants with the gamekeeper to dispose of.

I have watched in dismay shooters standing in the drizzle letting off both barrels at these birds with wet heavy plumage and they can scarely get off the ground let alone escape.

If its any consolation I have  Pheasant cock bird and seven ladies feeding on my seed in the field. They are safe at the moment as the season is over in Feb, that is until the next season starts.

The local farmer lays seed out for them on a regular basis.

So I suppose they have a short happy life unlike the chicken farm next to us with 20,000 birds in it  with a six week turnover., no light, no air, no life.

Unknown said:

I'm afraid its down to the old devil Money. Money for the shoots that they collect. Money for selling them to the local butcher etc. We have a lot over here in North Yorkshire that are bred for this purpose. Luckily some get away and we get to enjoy them in their natural environment. What people get out of pointing a gun and shooting these or any wildlife is beyond me. Maybe they should try having it done to them and see how it feels.

Off my soapbox I go.

Sue

Visionvalue is right it's all down to brass,many of the big shooting estates hold corporate shooting days (no not days when bankers are fair game) and in many cases these have taken over from golf for this purpose.Apart from increasing the number of Common Pheasant in our countryside other birds do benefit from the management,though in most cases the raptor does not gain from this.

Sorry folks nothing to do with money as lots of shoots are small syndicates of local people who do it for sport and as they see it relaxation from stressful jobs that they have.Of course the large shoots a different matter and money and as they see it sport the driver.

michael s said:

  local people who do it for sport and as they see it relaxation from stressful jobs that they have.

Could they not just read a good book???

Pipit

I know there are arguments for and against but my view is simplistic. How can anyone bring themselves to shoot the life out of a bird?

Regards

Stephen