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Post by flowerpower on Oct 19, 2009 5:03:48 GMT -5
I have been seeing a small flock of them for the past 2 weeks. It turns out that NY state raises & releases 90,000 pheasant each yr. The state is not trying to reintroduce them, its just for hunting. I doubt these poor birds will make it through the winter. Although turkey and grouse do ok. The DEC website says anyone can request birds to raise & release. So someone around here let them go.
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Post by lavandulagirl on Oct 19, 2009 11:41:27 GMT -5
Are hunters in NY out of stuff to shoot, so they need to release pheasant? I could mail them some wild turkeys, if that's the case. 
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Post by Jim on Oct 19, 2009 12:41:57 GMT -5
My main issue is that they are a non native species.
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Post by Alan on Oct 19, 2009 21:45:52 GMT -5
I've been out sqirrel and rabbit hunting a lot lately and have also been seeing the pheasant and grouse around......thinking that next time I see them I might take the shot, I've never eaten one but it can't be that bad.
Bagged several squirrels so far this year, waiting patiently on rabbit season to actually start up.....there are three that are definitely going!
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Post by flowerpower on Oct 20, 2009 5:23:09 GMT -5
My main issue is that they are a non native species. That is true. But they are nice to look at. The turkey has already been reintroduced and is doing well. Why doesn't the state raise a native bird, like a wood grouse? I don't know anyone upstate here that hunts these little birds like grouse. I wonder if most of them starve or fall prey to predators. Lav, they aren't running out of animals to shoot here. lol They'll shoot anything moving. I think the only real animals off limits are moose, moutain lion, wolf, otter, and birds of prey. The wild turkey are hiding in the bottom of the field in the tall grass these days. They must be smarter than I think. lol |
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Post by Jim on Oct 20, 2009 10:04:09 GMT -5
The small ground bird populations have been decimated by ferrel cats and foxes, both non native species as well. Pheasants are beautiful birds though. I've never eaten them.
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Post by flowerpower on Oct 21, 2009 5:35:42 GMT -5
Feral cats really do kill alot of birds and other animals. I do not have any cats-I'm allergic. But my friends have been presented with gifts of squirrel, bird, mice and snakes this summer.
I believe this release program ends in 2010. It was only a 10 yr thing. One thing I found amusing was the dates of release. It said you have to release them before or during their hunting season. So you could let them go on the last day? I'm going to talk to my neighbor about planting some seed near his hedgerows. Maybe better grasses, sorghum, wheat...It can't hurt & it will benefit some animal.
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Post by michaeljohnson on Oct 27, 2009 1:55:24 GMT -5
Pheasants are not very good eating, despite what people may claim, and plucking them is a nightmare, as the skin tears and rips with every handful of feathers.
Pheasants taste very gamey and are strong flavoured, of the two the hen birds taste the best, cock birds have very long sharp tendons in their legs like thorns, according to tradition in the UK pheasants are at their best when hung in a cool larder for about two to three weeks-and that's how the gentry and land owners like them,
Personally I do not like the flavour at all as it is too strong for me, -"Yuk"
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Post by flowerpower on Oct 27, 2009 4:49:40 GMT -5
I don't think most of the hunters are eating the pheasant. I think my former landlord said she only used the breast meat. I remember her husband killed some small bird. lol The hunters could be going for meatier birds. There are lots of ducks and geese. They just want to shoot something- around here, anyway. You know how many guys in cammo I see buying corn right now? You are not supposed to be feeding deer or turkey right now. They are in season. That's illegal, but everyone does it so the animals will stay close to their stands or blinds.
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Post by canadamike on Oct 27, 2009 16:59:18 GMT -5
I do not like pheasant either, it is a though meat that stick to your teeth.
Squirrel hey, ALAN??
Is it good?
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Post by flowerpower on Oct 28, 2009 6:13:51 GMT -5
I think I'll pass on the Squirrel Pot Pie.  And anything made with possum or coon- especially coon. |
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Post by Alan on Nov 1, 2009 21:16:29 GMT -5
Squirrel is good.
a bit gamey, some don't like it, I love it, just as much as I do rabbit which I also eat quite often.
Fry it like you would chicken and serve with gravy.
but better is to use a "dutch overn" and cook in a stew over a fire, make it an all day ordeal. Good stuff!
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Post by flowerpower on Nov 2, 2009 5:43:24 GMT -5
Alan, do you have meat rabbits?
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Post by Darth Slater on Nov 2, 2009 18:49:59 GMT -5
Pheasants are not very good eating, despite what people may claim, and plucking them is a nightmare, as the skin tears and rips with every handful of feathers. Pheasants taste very gamey and are strong flavoured, of the two the hen birds taste the best, cock birds have very long sharp tendons in their legs like thorns, according to tradition in the UK pheasants are at their best when hung in a cool larder for about two to three weeks-and that's how the gentry and land owners like them, Personally I do not like the flavour at all as it is too strong for me, -"Yuk" Not true! I had a pheasant farm and raised thousands in flight pens, most were sold to chefs and I can't understand the word gamey. I have never had a bad tasting one. I don't bother plucking I just skinned them, we also raised quail and chukar. I would never hang a peice of meat even though tradition dictates, something about eating rotten meat just doesnt appeal to me, this could be where the "gamey" taste is coming from! They are a dry bird though and need basting often. Darth Slater |
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Post by michaeljohnson on Nov 3, 2009 2:14:21 GMT -5
The male cock birds are a lot stronger and gamey in flavour than the hen birds, for some reason, but a skinned pheasant carcase doesn't look as presentable as a plucked one with skin-the skin helps to protect it from dryness when cooking, and the best way to pluck them is to dip them in a bucket of boiling water for a few seconds this then loosens the feathers a lot and they can be plucked clean.
Pheasants that have been hung in a larder or cool outhouse for about three weeks also pluck a lot easier than a fresh bird.
When I was a young man me and a mate used to go out moonlighting them, and used to average about 120 pheasants a season, all shot (Lincolnshire Poacher style) with a powerful air rifle, and a torch, all wild pheasants roost in trees on the low branches at night and stand out against the night sky very clearly, all it took was a quick switch on of the torch for about five seconds and as soon as the pheasants see the light they always stick their heads up in the air to investigate.
One night we came across a big old willow tree with low branches and there were eighteen pheasants in the one tree, we managed to get ten of them before the rest flew, normally there are usually one or two in a tree.
We very rarely ate any of the pheasants because of the taste, and sold them on to a game dealer to market them for Xmas-the extra xmas money came in very handy each year.
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And anything made with possum or coon- especially coon.