Pheasants ????

[Geordie]

A little confused here Richard, was that comment directed at me?

Nah I rather suspect it was at the dipstick you'd quoted mate

[windowrest]

if you really want to know about shooting pheasants, ask the land owner. chances are you will be asked to close the gate on your way out.

[Whippet.22]

Good, just seemed a little misplaced as I had talked about distances and speed in the post before.

[oz-parker]

And you've obviously never been driven pheasant shooting with a shotgun. If you had you'd know just how sporting i.e. hard, it is. Not to mention the self regulating standards that are socially enforced e.g. someone takes a low, poor flying bird, the other guns make disparaging (sp?) remarks.
Although when it's Americans shooting they seem to think to opposite and make stupid cowboy-like whoopy noises when they manage to blast a 12mph 15 yarder.

As it happens I was brought up on an estate where driven pheasant shoots where the norm. My father being the keeper, so I do have some experience in this matter

[oz-parker]

If you think a 35 yard pheasant flying fast and upwards is an easy target you're a better man than me

Richard

I Have to agree with you on that point richard, I probably am

[cr*pshot]

Last year I was up a wood with them all roosting. Had my FAC Rapid and got 5 one evening. I do not give a stuff about sporting or not given that these birds are bred to be shot, and that it is a commercial venture. Theyt also eat lizards and small snakes so I regard them as pests, plus the fact they are not indigenous. They were introduced from the far East by the Victorians after they had shot most of the native game birds.
If they are flying in the air away from you in alarm its sporting to the blast them with a shottie having been driven to you, but not sporting to shoot with an air rifle. Yeah right.
I don't like cricket either.

I think you'll find that pheasants have a similar diet to free range hens - grain and seeds, plants and small insects,worms etc. and were introduced to this country by the Romans about 2,000 years ago. I regularly get them in my garden (get at least one rearing a brood every Spring) but I leave them alone - the neighbours regard them as pets - unlike the pigeons, maggies and rabbits

[minibbb]

I pay £120 a year for my syndicate. same as the other 8 members. That pays my share for pheasant food so in theory I have just as much right to shoot pheasants with my air rifle as the other guys with their shot guns...but I don't. If you want to shoot them so much then get a shotgun and do it properly!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!