Conference vmsnet::hunting$note:hunting

    Jim,
      Although I didn't hunt pheasant as much as in previous years we
    still managed to get out for some hunting.  I have hunted Birch
    Hill, Bare Falls, Westboro, Winnemesit sp? and alot of the other
    WMA's in central MA.  I would speculate that last year they stocked
    in a more consistant manor then previous years.  They use to save
    most of the birds for the weekends an holidays.  I think that this
    year they put more birds out during the weekdays.  We had real good
    luck during the week.  The weekends were slower, but then again
    you have alot more hunters out too.  I usually fore go the weekends
    and concentrate on before and after work during the week for the
    WMA's.  The weekends I hunt local covers.  To answer your question
    on whether or not there phasing out the program, I don't know. 
    You might try calling Chris Thurlow at the F&G dept in Boylston.
     He is in charge of stocking, I believe.  If you do let us know
    what you find out.
    Jeff   

    We had a guest speaker a couple of meethings ago (Fitchburg Sportsman
    Club) that addressed this. I can't remember his name though but
    anyway Mass is still raising Pheasant. There is a big push on to
    use some of the minimum security prisons to raise them. MA buys
    most of its stocked birds from another state for about 7-8 dollars
    apiece. So the more they cost the less birds they put out. But with
    the prisons raising birds the cost should be cut by about 60% (cheap
    labor in those camps, might even say captive audience :^) ). Right
    now the Prison in Gardner (old mental institution) is setting up
    to raise something like six thousand birds a year. This should put
    more pheasant out in the fields........
    
    sjn

    re:1 & re: 2
    I did hunt during the week with no success,, but after reading re:2
    I feel more hopefull.
    
    thanks
    Jim

    
      Gee, I own a Springer and I don't feel "screwed"??  There ARE
    other birds besides Pheasant in Massachusetts :-) :-)
    
       According to Chris Thurlow you will probably be seeing a
    pheasant stamp/tag in the future for the pheasant hunters, so
    they may increase the stocking and the money will go directly
    to pheasant and not to fish or turkeys or something else. The
    Fish & Wildlife division has some real juggling to do with
    funds to make "everyone" happy and the fishermen want more fish
    stocked, the turkey hunters want more turkeys, the pheasant
    hunters want more pheasants, etc. It wouldn't surprise me if
    "down the road" we'll see other stamp/tag programs.
    
    
                                   ~Mike~

    Gee, another stamp which means another fee, Vote for the Duke so
    we can get him out of Mass. The money from hunting licenses doesn't
    go for fishing, theres a license for that in itself. Turkey hunting
    requires a permit and a fee which is used to support the turkey
    stocking program, besides turkey's are breading wild so the need
    for stocking should decrease. The stocking at Birch Hill Dam,
    Bare Falls and Hubardson was BAD, despite the States claim last
    September that they we're going to stock the heavest ever. I'm
    not saying this based on the birds I got, but on the basis of
    the hunters in the area, the shots fired, and by 9A.M. they
    all started heading home because no one was getting birds. You can
    call the game department and they'll tell you that they stocked, and
    your just not working hard enough. I've hunted long enough to see
    a good stocking year and a bad stocking year, last year was bad,
    in central Mass. anyway. 
    	As far as a Springer Spaniel, its my favorite dog, its just
    that, the dog is at its best hunting pheasants. I'm in the process
    of buying a new pup now, and if I had to hunt birds other than pheasant
    like grouse, or woodcock, I would go towards a pointer rather than
    a flusher, which the Springer is. My brother claims he can train
    his two year old Spinger to point, I don't believe him, I think
    he'd end up with a confused dog, but I don't realy know. 
                                         
    Jim
    

    Better that he stay in Mass. and sets another fee than get elected
    President and starts all kinds of other fees nation wide.
    

      Actually, I'd like to see them come up with pheasant stamp.
    If they do, I imagine you'll see alot less idiots out in the WMA's.
    A good percentage of the morons would not be likely to spend the
    extra bucks needed to hunt.  If they guarenteed that the money would
    be used for stocking then I would support it.  An extra five bucks
    or even ten bucks would not be alot of money.  Where can you get
    a better return on your entertainment dollar?
    Jeff
    

	Pheasant stamp is not for me. It would be nice to believe that
the state would use the money from a stamp program to further boost the
raising and stocking of birds. But let us remember, once there is more money
they will find more ways to spend it in this state. Probably not on Pheasants.
I do agree though, if they would commit to spending 100% of the money on a
pheasants program and not cut off what is already used from the regular 
license fee then great! But I doubt that would happen.

Rich  

    
    
      I'm for the pheasant stamp if as in previous replies that the
    money is directed toward pheasant rearing, etc. It wouldn't
    matter to me if it was $20.00 IF the money was spent for PHEASANTS
    ONLY..
    
                                   ~Mike~
    

    I'm for a stamp to a limit, private shooting preserves would be an
    alternative, R.I. has some, also the money that is generated from the
    licenses should be used in opening up more land in which to hunt.
    I don't feel the license fee money is being used fairly though,
    Gov. Dukakis and Lt.Gov. Murphy are not great lovers of hunters and
    gun owners.
    The State has the money for stocking. If not than where's the money
    going ? I'm not seeing more land opening or stocking improved.
    Bolton Flats gets more birds than it should, because of its location
    to Boston. I don't think its safe or fun for most of the hunters to
    have to hunt in one area.
    The 1986 hunting season was a good year, all the areas were stocked,
    propotionate to its size, and the stocking was spread throughout
    the season.
               
    Jim

    
    
        Chris Thurlow did a talk at Lunenburg Club a few months
    ago and he said that he has 55 million dollars to spend for
    land purchase in Central Mass. So hopefully we'll see more 
    available land for hunting.
    
                        ~Mike~