Well the pheasant hunt kicked off November 1st and hunters have been afield for a couple of days. Hi, I’m Adam Eakle along with Tonya Kieffer with KSL Outdoors. Well we are going pheasant hunting today. You brought your boss along. What did you do that for? (tonya) I did bring my boss and I’m hoping we shoot straight. We put a lot of energy and time in the Walk in Access properties and Wildlife Management Areas to release these birds for the past two years, so let’s hope we see something and we shoot anything but the boss. A pilot program to get more people into pheasant hunting. Back to what I grew up doing. Let’s get out and hit some birds. (tonya) alright I’m ready to go.
(Greg Sheehan, Utah D.W.R. Director) Well we are out at Salt Creek Waterfowl Management area today and we are on public land. We are going to go out and look for some birds that are either wild or that we’ve planted in the last few days.
(Bret Wonnacott, Upland Game Hunter) We are going to stay far that way, Angie is going to go that way and you guys go up the middle anywhere you want to.
The pheasant hunt has been a tradition for Utah families, including mine for decades.
Last year and this year the Division of Wildlife Resources and Sportsmen for Fish and Wildlife purchased over eleven thousand roosters to be released on 56 public hunting areas during Utah’s five week hunt.
(Greg Sheehan) It’s been a great success. We’ve had a lot of good feedback, email feedback. People saying wow, this is a neat opportunity.
(Greg Sheehan) We are trying to bring back opportunities that people have felt were lost in the state. Just for the average guy, this isn’t about the rich hunter that owns property, no. This is about the plain old Utah citizen who wants to get out and have some fun with their family and friends.
Utah’s general season hunt ends tomorrow. However, Utah’s extended season which allows hunters to chase pheasants on state, federal, BLM and DWR leased lands, is still open another three weeks.
(Clint Brunson, D.W.R. Wildlife Recreation Specialist) So our WMA’S, Waterfowl Management Areas, Forest Service, BLM property throughout the state, as well as our Walk In Access property is open until December 7th this year to hunt pheasants. (adam) that’s new. (clint) that’s new. Just this year we were able to get an extension and put that statewide and I’m super excited to get the opportunity to be able to chase some roosters into December.
(Clint Brunson, D.W.R. Wildlife Recreation Specialist) there is a release notice on our web page that we did a news release about our 11 thousand release and on that is an interactive map and a list of the properties where guys can go and find a place to hunt in Southern Utah, around Beaver or a place in Vernal. Around the front here in the Wasatch Front area. Those are all places that are posted and listed on our web page.
Clint says, birds will be released every week all the way through the end of the extended hunt.
And if you plan on hunting on one of the DWR’S walk in access properties, be respectful. This landowner has just about had enough of people leaving trash behind on his property.
(Clint) That’s one of the reason i have properties come out is because I have trash being left behind. So empty shells are kind of a big issue to. Some of these areas get a lot of use so picking up those holes and taking those home with you is also a great benefit.
(Bret Wonnacott) Where did he go? (tic runs by) Where did he go.
(Brett Wonnacott) I think it’s far overdue. In my lifetime I haven’t seen the division do much for pheasants and just recently their interest has really sparked new life into me. I’m excited about it.
(pheasant in air) (bret) oh yup, watch where he goes.
(Bret) yup, he come up from that way somewhere.
(Greg) Brett there’s a bird coming out. (brett) do you see it. (greg) no but. (brett) Here tic! I couldn’t tell if it was a rooster or a hen, only that it was a bird. Here tic.
Get out and take advantage of it. It’s not perfect, not a perfect system, it’s not a perfect world. You are going to run into other hunters, just be nice, walk around them and have a good time. It’s not about the birds, take the kids with you, take the dogs and have fun.
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