i agree with clarke,  just as an example we had a drought a bad one at that, and when it broke and it was all lush n green again, the local roo's birds you name it exploded. and so did the dingos pigs cane toads eagles. so anyway a lota preadtors exploaded as well and then animal numbers droped slowly to a managable level on both parts as food slowly not as hard to get. take for instance the beech seed thing, the mice n rats n stotes exploded with the amount of food given to them.

hairy wrote on Aug 20^th, 2008 at 10:51am:


It was more of a rhetorical question, Hairy. In general though in answer to your question. I've actually got at least three males and a couple of hens on my property but leave them alone, it's nice to have them about.

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What you are describing is more of a natural selection type of thing i.e the birds that sit get shot and the ones that fly live to fly another day. after a while the ones who fly will out number the sitters and there will be more of them. Whether that is due to genetics or learnt behaviour who knows for sure.
 
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It's not just numbers of hunters that weed out the less intelligent non survivors especially with deer etc when it comes to helicopters one of them would expose more individual animals to hunting pressure  in one days flying than a heap of hunters even with dogs. Once again it is learnt behaviour that will ensure some survive not genetics. It's a possibility about preserves and if it is it just shows one size doesn't fit all because there are three preserves in my area close together and they have contributed sweet F.A to the population or hunter opportunity.

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No it was more of a way to get across that if there isn't habitat on neighbouring farms the pheasants haven't any need to move from their home in the preserve. Yep sounds good for the one close enough to make use of that but no good to the rest of N.Z.

As far as i know 2 preserves in the Rotoehu area have been closed since last year, just because they are gazzetted dosen't mean they are still operating.
As Tika says if the surrounding country has no habitat for pheasants then they won't go there, a recent study has shown that Farmers at the approximate age of 55 onwards are the ones who will start reinstating wetlands and habitat for birdlife, a new sharemilker will drain anything wet to enable more production.
I just wish there was a happy medium somewhere

Am afraid thats happening all over the country now Danny, that is why F/G promote habitat restoration as one of the main objectives and no net loss of wetland permissable.

RomneyMartian wrote on Aug 21^st, 2008 at 7:53pm:


if he/she is willing to open it up to the public F&G will help found/organize the restoration i think ?

eastern allow a fair amount of time in the yearly work plan to help land owners out

RomneyMartian wrote on Aug 21^st, 2008 at 7:53pm:


Most Farmers i would think would do it to enhance their own shooting on the land or prefer to see a pond instead of a boggy swamp. In some cases if the habitat restoraton is extensive ie: a large wetland developed, providing a Queens Covenant can be placed on it F/G will help with funding" the duckstamp fund" trees, planting, planning etc.

your best bet would be to ring the local F/G office who will be able sort things out. You would not have to allow public access as is your private property. A Queens Covenant means it will be there forever and not allowed to be drained etc