- Location
- Galloway
Just a thought should we be feeding wheat to game birds when is going to be dear and scarce.world wide .ps do I shoot
There in lies a massive issue. A lot of wild game/wildfowl is going to be shot which wouldn’t ordinarily have had that pressure. People can’t help themselves at the best of times with woodcock and declining mallard etc even though science dictates to conserve with some species. Conservationist first, shooter/ing second.I have a shoot in the woods that's organised by a good friend of mine. I don't have anything to do with it apart from telling him the padlock code every year to let him in.
He's not bothering with having a "proper" shoot this year. It's only his hobby but the price and availability of birds, price of the grain, hassle of organising it hes just going to quietly walk through the woods every now and then with his young lad in tow. Quietly I think he's delighted as he can actually enjoy his sport now with absolutely no hassle attached to it.
He caught me down by our pond the other day and as hes not forking out on poults can we sort the pond out and get some ducks back? So that's the summer sorted!
I didn’t know mallard are in decline, is it a regional thing?There in lies a massive issue. A lot of wild game/wildfowl is going to be shot which wouldn’t ordinarily have had that pressure. People can’t help themselves at the best of times with woodcock and declining mallard etc even though science dictates to conserve with some species. Conservationist first, shooter/ing second.
The wild population was down 35% in 25 years. My unscientific guess would be the masses of reared mallard released for shooting managing to breed with wild birds and ruin their parental success. Much like releasing greys into areas where truly wild birds inhabit.I didn’t know mallard are in decline, is it a regional thing?
I belive that was what happend with us...I fear our supplier....who has been reliable for 10 yrs may have been tempted by the premium prices being offered by some 'wealthier than us' shoots . Ours were secure ....until suddenly they weren't !
We didn't mind a price rise but extortion was out of the question !
Bet some of the big shoots will wish they didn’t rifle all the left overs at the end of 2020/2021 season to save feeding them.
Must be a lot of birds left over and no cover crops or margins on your land.Do any shoots actually feed their survivors?
Our lot just leave them to fend for themselves on the farming tenants’ crops. Most end up dieing, one way or another.
I notice they are suddenly chucking a bit of grub in the release pens this last fortnight, but numbers have already been decimated. What a shame.
We always feed through anyway.We have continued to feed a bit this year. Doesn't cost a lot. Loads of birds come running to the quadbike.
Mm, I beg to differ.There in lies a massive issue. A lot of wild game/wildfowl is going to be shot which wouldn’t ordinarily have had that pressure. People can’t help themselves at the best of times with woodcock and declining mallard etc even though science dictates to conserve with some species. Conservationist first, shooter/ing second.
Must be a lot of birds left over and no cover crops or margins on your land.
Shoots stop end jan.
Plenty of food about if land farmed in nature friendly way.
Only few months till spring with mild winters. Dont see why they should die.
I kept feeding until April... lots of Hens about,and I left the cocks who seem to be knocking about together now! Plenty of grub coming in tehg autmn sown bumblebird mix as thats where theyt seem to hang outBet some of the big shoots will wish they didn’t rifle all the left overs at the end of 2020/2021 season to save feeding them.