semi-preserves probably look forward to pheasant stamp increase

[mazzgolf]

Today I was looking up current prices at a semi-wild preserve near me - trying to think up some things to do in April. All I can say is  ... prices have gone up since I last did one of these hunts several years ago. Including tax, non-members pay about $250 per hunter for only 5 pheasants. Membership fee went up to $550 AND no discounts for scratch birds - members pay the same per bird as non-members. Member price for 2-man hunting party and 5 pheasants is almost $100 (not including the $550 membership fee).

That said, these semi-wild preserves are probably looking forward to the price of the pheasant stamp going up to over $100 - that would make them more appealing, and they will probably get a lot more business.

Someone who only hunts a few days in the season, can say today, "I only pay $40 and get 2 birds per hunt". That same person is going to look at that differently when they have to pay, say, $130 for those 4 or 6 birds for those few hunts he goes on. Might want to just say, "I'd rather pay $250 for a full morning hunt and not deal with the crowds, and get practically the same amount of birds."

[fab]

I spoke to one of my retired employees today.   He buys a stamp to take his grandsons for a walk and some outside time.  
 

7 trips   He didn’t see a bird 

 

if the stamp goes up above 60 he will just take them squirrel hunting 

[vdep217]

2 minutes ago, fab said:

I spoke to one of my retired employees today.   He buys a stamp to take his grandsons for a walk and some outside time.  
 

7 trips   He didn’t see a bird 

 

if the stamp goes up above 60 he will just take them squirrel hunting 

He can take them pheasant hunting youth stamp is free.  He just wouldn't be shooting

[mike033089]

Agree, it’s what I do now.  About 10 of us went to a preserve this year.  We split into groups of 5.  Got a guide and a dog and had a blast. Well worth the cash to not worry about other idiots, have a dog and not feel like your odds were down with dead birds all over from predators or other hunters getting to a field prior.  I thought it was very fair cost wise.  

Edited February 21 by mike033089

[thefirstndsecond]

NJ collects so many taxes. There is no reason to raise the stamp fee. Just let Doge look into how the state of NJ spends tax payer money. 

[Cav83]

8 hours ago, thefirstndsecond said:

NJ collects so many taxes. There is no reason to raise the stamp fee. Just let Doge look into how the state of NJ spends tax payer money. 

We need DOGE for more than pheasant stamps!

[vdep217]

12 hours ago, mike033089 said:

Agree, it’s what I do now.  About 10 of us went to a preserve this year.  We split into groups of 5.  Got a guide and a dog and had a blast. Well worth the cash to not worry about other idiots, have a dog and not feel like your odds were down with dead birds all over from predators or other hunters getting to a field prior.  I thought it was very fair cost wise.  

While I enjoy doing preserve hunts with my dog n friends, I dont see how people feel this is a better deal than buying a pheasant stamp even at 130.  152 dollars gets 4 birds put out and that disnt mean you will put them up.  I've watched hawks take birds on almost every preserve hunt I've done.  You get that 4 hours.  With the stamp you get from opening day in Nov till Feb. ( i know they don't stock in January right now but you can still find birds)

[mike033089]

1 hour ago, vdep217 said:

While I enjoy doing preserve hunts with my dog n friends, I dont see how people feel this is a better deal than buying a pheasant stamp even at 130.  152 dollars gets 4 birds put out and that disnt mean you will put them up.  I've watched hawks take birds on almost every preserve hunt I've done.  You get that 4 hours.  With the stamp you get from opening day in Nov till Feb. ( i know they don't stock in January right now but you can still find birds)

No dog for us and I personally don’t like the state land experience  Not sure about south Jersey but up north it’s cramming 10 lbs of crap I to a 2lb bag. Black river for example is really small fields and guys are idiots and walk towards each other. I rather go once and have a great time and I’m guaranteed birds and hunt deer the other weekends.  Plus it’s become a tradition thing at this point.  I pretty much hunt alone, got an uncle who hunts a gun club and another who goes out to pa rifle every year but no one brings a rifle anymore they just hang out. So they now do a pheasant hunt that weekend in pa. The pa trips have been great, plenty of birds put up and shot.  We pay as the group and no one cares who shoots what.  Some guy gets 1 another guy shoots 7.  The birds are there you don’t stop at your 4 it’s more the groups limit.  And the guides dogs are great, they want that tip at the end. 

[smittty]

2 hours ago, vdep217 said:

While I enjoy doing preserve hunts with my dog n friends, I dont see how people feel this is a better deal than buying a pheasant stamp even at 130.  152 dollars gets 4 birds put out and that disnt mean you will put them up.  I've watched hawks take birds on almost every preserve hunt I've done.  You get that 4 hours.  With the stamp you get from opening day in Nov till Feb. ( i know they don't stock in January right now but you can still find birds)

It’s about the quality of the hunt not the money. I personally don’t understand how anyone could enjoy them selves hunting birds on state land. 

[vdep217]

25 minutes ago, smittty said:

It’s about the quality of the hunt not the money. I personally don’t understand how anyone could enjoy them selves hunting birds on state land. 

Don't hunt stocking mornings.  Friday afternoons I had the place to my self n always found birds.  Again with dog thow

Edited February 21 by vdep217

[smittty]

28 minutes ago, vdep217 said:

Don't hunt stocking mornings.  Friday afternoons I had the place to my self n always found birds.  Again with dog thow

Glad you enjoy it it’s not for me

[archer36]

I have not hunted public land pheasant in over 40 years. Hunting Saturdays was a cluster f-ck. We did it but stayed back and went off the beaten path. We had dogs most of the time. When we started we didn't. I remember my first hunt (at Clinton). I was about 12 years old. The Game Warden's horn started honking to begin the hunt. Guys running forward into the fields. Birds flying all around. My Father said "stay back". When most guys were out of view, he slowly walked to heavy cover looking for the birds that held. He would point them out to me and tell me to "shoot the heads off". Yeah, that's right. We were there for the meat. No pellets in the birds. No dogs yet. Once we started using dogs, we no longer shot birds running or on the ground. 

Later we got dogs and hunted state lands but mostly on weekdays. They used to stock two days during the week. Very little crowding. Lots of birds to be found. It was possible because we worked nights. If you are stuck hunting Saturday mornings, it's tough. Once again, if you have a bird dog, hunt the afternoons. 

I have hunted clubs with Semi-Wilds the past 40 years. The hunts are very controlled and safe. I hunted weekdays even though we only stocked weekends and always found holdovers. That's with a good bird dog of course. 

If you are forced to hunt state lands, try getting out on weekdays. Especially if you have a bird dog. 

 

 

 

Edited February 21 by archer36

[MGHunter66]

I do both, hunt preserves and hunt state land after 10am in the morning. Rarely see another hunter after 10am and always find birds. It just takes longer than 10 minutes like at sunrise 

[Bones]

Shit I’d pay $300 for the stamp to keep half the crowd down.

I’m paying a few thousand a year at preserves for the same amount of birds I harvest in state land with my kids. 
 

[huntyctyboy]

I used to go to Clinton WMa  as well. Many moons ago . No dog . Just me and my bro. We did get sone birds but was fun just walking around seeing what we could kick up.