Outdoor Mentor Hunt | The Flush: Season 13, Episode 8

[@garyroenicke2102]

Awesome!

[@jcwoutdoors]

What an incredible program to get kids/younger folks interested in hunting. I can't say the use of pen raised pheasants is okay, but I know that Kansas has a very small pheasant population.

[@eduffy4937]

New hunters on 100% wild birds in an area not rife with them is a good way to discourage continuation of hunting. Making the first couple hunts easyn and increasing difficulty is the best way to approach hunting for many youth. Its like learning to fish bluegills before you can tackle muskies or walleyes. Its all baby steps that add up to more challenging outings.

[@lilbrowhydaw]

​ @eduffy Pass It On seems like a neat program. Good on them for what they do. But I'm vehemently opposed to PF & The Flush using pen-reared birds in its videos, calendars, magazines, etc. PF calls itself "The Habitat Organization", dedicated to habitat that grows & maintains wild pheasant populations. PF & The Flush should target wild pheasants, whether with a camera or shotgun, especially since a strong case can be made that preserves are detrimental to a true hunting heritage. There are plenty of landowners with fantastic habitat and wild pheasants, probably some who've partnered with PF, who'd be willing to host a hunt. And there's a difference between taking a 5-yr-old bluegill fishing & taking a 15-yr-old pheasant hunting. Wild pheasants are definitely more challenging than ones with no tail, that can barely fly, & have the survival capabilities of a worm after a 4" rain. But decent dogs & adults/guides can even that score considerably. They're not "too hard". Kids, especially teenagers, need & appreciate a challenge more than being dumbed down to. Nobody learns to hunt pheasants by shooting flare nare pseudo roosters. Those dumb things teach safety, which can be learned hunting wild birds, and that "pheasant hunting" should be easy. Ergo, the move toward privatized "hunting" is promoted.

[@eduffy4937]

@@lilbrowhydaw valid points. I will still argue that "preserves" have thier place for many reasons. I do not particularily care to go to them myself, but for some i can see the purpose. Some cant make it to good "natural habitat" to hunt. Many places do not have "native" birds to hunt at all. Basically the pheasant is a pen raised, naturalized invasive bird through and through, just like the chukkar or hunn. Certain people will always hold thier own beliefs as to what constitutes real hunting and what does not. Best part about it is if you dont care for pen birds like usn dont hunt em. But as hunters we cant poo-poo others that do. Theyre still hunters at the end of the day, and eventually theyll all take adventures for "real wild birds".

[@lilbrowhydaw]

@@eduffy4937 Actually, most, if not all, states with pheasant populations used wild caught, transplanted birds. The original birds that came from China to Oregon were also transplanted wild birds. Pen-reared birds would've never succeeded. So while they may not be native, successful wild populations are truly wild, going back hundreds of years, straight to China.