Conference vmsnet::hunting$note:hunting

    Westboro used to be stocked twice a week, once on Friday evening
    and once, I believe, on Tuesday evening.  Weekday hunting was
    enjoyable, especially mid- to late- afternoon.
    
    Mark.

    Most of the larger areas receive birds 2-3 times per week. The 
    heavy stocking on friday night. I go to these larger areas on
    the week days when there are fewer hunters. On sat. (No hunting
    Sun) I will go to what is called town covers that do not get
    as much pressure, but usualy only get stocked once a week. If I
    have no luck at the town covers then we will hit the managment
    areas and hunt the woods. Quite a few birds get pushed deep in 
    the woods after the first wave of bozo's come rolling through.
    
    
    Rich 
    

    Thanks, I think I will start trying it out next week.  
    
    Didn't the season open today?  Did any of you brave opening day?
    How'd you do?
    
    Mark,
    

    
    	I put in a full eight hours here before venturing out into
    the field yesterday. At about 2:45 yesterday afternoon, there 
    were still 30 or more cars/trucks at the Bolton Flats. Needless
    to say, after picking up the dog and hunting partner, I went 
    elsewhere. We hunted a small area thats  "comfortable" for 4
    people maybe. We were the only ones there to start, and as we 
    were leaving at 5:00, there were at least 7 other hunters in there,
    don't think any of them had dogs. 
    
    	We bumped out one woodcock, and took home a small hen. The
    dog still needs maturing and work !!!! Good to be out !!!!!

    
    
       I took the "plunge" yesterday... Barre Falls (Mass.) UNREAL
    Wall-to-wall orange!!!  My brother-in-law and myself just sat
    on the tailgate of the truck and had coffee until things, quieted
    down. Then proceeded CAUTIOUSLY!!  The wardens were out and got
    a few guys hunting "early" (Glad to see that!!). We got a cock
    and I almost got a haircut by a hen (needless to say I missed).
    
        Fun day though after the "crazies" left!!
    
                                   ~Mike~

Well here is my story of opening day:
    
    I was there waiting a half hour before sunrise. There was just me
    and one other hunter, and beleive it or not only 3 other hunters
    showed up ( this place is stocked too. ) I started the dog on the
    edge of the field and put up two birds right away. One whent over
    another hunter and the other whent back toward the road and houses,
    needless to say I didnt shoot at either, but the one that went over
    the other hunter was shot by him, well my dog figured it was our
    bird :-). Well we gave the bird to the other fellow and got on our
    way. I went another 40 yards and put up two more, these went in
    the woods over where I thought this other fellow was so I held off
    and never got a shot (to many leaves to see). At this point Im saying
    to myself cant beat this place. Well then the dog puts up this other
    cock another 50 yards up from the last ones. I waited a split second
    for it to come up and out but that was one split second to long,
    it went into the woods. Im still thinking I cant wait to get down
    further, this place is loaded.  I didnt see another bird for the 
    next 2 hrs. 
    
    Rich "with no birds" Neal
    

    As a Vermonter, I have never been pheasant hunting, as the pheasants
    in the state are few and far between.  Occasionally I'll hear of
    someone bumping one while partridge hunting but I've never even
    seen one in the wild.
    
    Assuming (and rightly so) that I am totally niave to the sport,
    I would like to find out what pheasant hunting entails.  Do you
    hunt in a reserve, private land or in the wild?  I hear alot of
    folks saying that the birds are stocked.  Who does the stocking?
    F&G?  Land owners?  What are the legalities of the sport?  And
    how does pheasant hunting differ in Mass. from out west?  
    
    I hope this isn't too many questions but I would like to try this
    sometime.  I really enjoy upland bird hunting but all we have in
    VT is partridge and woodcock with very few snipe and a few pheasants.
    
    Dave

    
    
       Re .7
    
       Pheasant hunting in Mass. is NOTHING like out west as the birds
    in Ma. are stocked by the F & G department, using license money
    to fund the program. The birds are mostly stocked on WMA (Wildlife
    Management Areas) which is state-owned land for public use. This
    year the state of Massachusetts is stocking approx 44,000 birds
    as compared to NH which is stocking 11,000 birds.
      
       New Hampshire has a little different program as their money
    comes from a "Pheasant Stamp" ($10.50) which goes directly to the
    Pheasant Program... NH also stocks on WMA's. I'm not sure if VT
    has any (WMA's), but with the type of land and habitat in VT it would be
    a good state to start a pheasant program.
    
        There is also pheasant hunting at "Hunting Clubs", where a group   
    or individual can go to hunt at a cost of $15 - $20/bird... A couple 
    of them are Addeville (RI), Tinmouth Hunting Preserve (VT),       
    Sportsman's Hill (NH). There are others, but these are just a few.
    
       Lets see, I think you asked about "legalities" of the sport.
    In NH you may take 2 birds a day with only one being a hen. In MA
    you may take 2 a day in any combination (west of 495) and a season
    limit of 6 birds.
    
       Since I haven't hunted out "West" I can say what it entails only
    from what I've read, so I won't comment, since there are probably
    other folks who read this file that can give you "First Hand" info.
    
    
                            Hope this helps??
    
    
                                 ~Mike~