PHEASANT SEASON

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27096, 2 June 1949, Page 6

PHEASANT SEASON

OPENING ON SATURDAY MANY LIBERATIONS REPORTS ON BAGS REQUESTED Four hundred cock pheasants were liberated by the Otago Acclimatisation Society this week in preparation for the shooting season which begins on Saturday. Eighty were freed at the south end of Mr Preston’s property near the old woolshed at Mount Watkin, in the Buckland’s Crossing district. In the Brighton area, a further 100 were liberated on Centre road, in the same locality as last year. Sixty cock birds were liberated on each of the properties of Messrs G. Woodhead and R. Cockerill, at Coal Gully, in the Tokomairiro district, and since last shooting season 100 have been liberated on Mr Boyd’s property on the Hindon road in the Lee Stream district. Two hundred and fifty hen pheasants have been realeased in the Lee StreamHindon road area, 45 in the Tokomairiro district and 24 at Brighton, and sportsmen are asked to note that these birds are absolutely protected. Good reports have been received of the natural breeding of pheasants in the block of land between the Taieri River and Middlemarch, and it is possible that sportsmen may shoot unringed birds there. The Otago Acclimatisation Society’s policy is to endeavour to promote the natural breeding of pheasants where-ever possible, so that surrounding districts may benefit from the breeding grounds thus established. The society is at present the only one in the South Island which continues to breed pheasants for liberation, fcnd it is hoped that shooters will send to the society’s office or to the Zoology Department of the University reports of the total numbers of birds shot by individual sportsmen in particular districts, and that the aluminium bands found on any birds will be straightened out and posted to either office. Information supplied by shooters is important for the purpose of estimating the increase in the natural breeding of pheasants. The name of the property on which the birds are shot, and the district, should be supplied, together with the number of ringed and unringed birds in the bag. If 100 ringed birds were liberated in one area in which the number of unringed birds was unknown, and of the total bag 10 were ringed and 10 unringed, it would be safe to assume that the approximate number of unringed pheasant population would be 100.

A total of 879 ringed pheasants has been liberated in the past two years. Last shooting season, more than 100 ringed birds were shot in the Brighton and Tokomairiro districts.

The quail and chukor shooting seasons also open on Saturday. The prospects for quail are better than they were last season, and the Department of Zoology requests that shooters should fill- in the questionnaire on quail that may be obtained from the Acclimatisation Society’s office. The duck shooting, season will close on Saturday.