Quality Short-Term Holding Pens
Well-maintained birds make for quality flyers, and that’s a fact anyone who’s been in the gamebird business for 15 minutes knows to be true. But once a hunting preserve receives a shipment of birds, quality holding pens make all the difference in the world.
A sound system for holding birds can be the dividing line between missing or broken tail feathers, or birds that wind up in a hunter’s photo or even as commemorative taxidermy to remember a hunt with family and friends. Milford Hills Hunt Club of Johnson Creek, Wisconsin, has a reputation for top-quality birds, and their short-term holding pens are part of their success. Lloyd Marks and Taylor Williams will be presenting at the NAGA Hunting Club Conference (July 18-20,) and they’ll be sharing their secrets on quality holding pens.
Maintaining Quality Cover
Similarly, maintaining good cover is a significant factor in determining the hunt’s quality. By the time February ends, many sportsmen will complain about the lack of cover and the bird flushes that happened well out of shooting range. With heavy snow, ice and rains, keeping adequate cover throughout the season is a challenge for every hunting club owner. Further, maintaining low maintenance cover from season to season can save a hunting preserve business both time and money.
The Ohio Department of Natural Resources – Division of Wildlife has specialists that work directly with landowners, including hunting club owners, on plans to plant, cultivate and keep quality cover that will hold birds. This is a presentation you don’t want to miss.
These two presentations are just the tip of the iceberg for NAGA’s first Hunting Club Conference, held in Mt. Sterling, Ohio. Registration is just $325 and includes meals. You can find more details here: northamericangamebird.com/hunting-club-conference-information/hunting-club-conference-details-agenda/.
