[ex-cavator]

I turned up at my plot with a load of manure the other evening to find four pheasants feeding. My plot is actualy two, shared with my son, and we're still trying to get them servicable having only just taken them on at the start of the year. 50% of the area is still undug with mainly annual weeds (previously cultivated) & a lot of strawberries scattered about - thats where the birds were. But then we've got a few beds ready, with small numbers of beans, brassicas, onions, carrots, & parsnips in, & we've still got several salad crop seeds to put in. Also there's a gooseberry bush with loads of baby goosegogs on it. Question is - what do we need to protect from the pheasants? - can't afford to net everything just yet - or were they just after the weeds! 

[compostqueen]

I have quite a lot of pheasants and partridge on my plot but they don't seem to do much damage. They leave that to the pigeons 

[Swing Swang]

There's a good remedy for pheasants in Dahl's, 'Danny, the Champion of the World' !

[Babstreefern]

Shoot them!  Wonderful with a side salad, asparagus and new potatoes

[madcat]

Something to do with a closed season here? 

I find that they don't like moving shiny things like CDs on a string or shiny crisp bags or foil containers, so each of the plots has a string round it with shiny things on it catching the light.  The deer don't like it either.     The pigeons on the other hand, haven't always read the memo ...   

Works - but does reduce the picturesque quality of the plot ....

[green fingers]

The pheasants on our plots do a lot of damage :blink:

String, CDs, empty milk bottles - ANYTHING - to keep them off

[prakash_mib]

I thought you can trap them and eat them. have never tasted pheasant in my life, but heard it is tasty 

[madcat]

It is  , and if you get a chance you should try it - but the (mainland) season for hunting them is Oct 1 - Feb 1.  They are out of bounds during the breeding season.   Beautiful birds - but completely daft, particularly the show off males. 

[ex-cavator]

Thanks for the advice - I'll start by hanging a few shiny bits up.
I ate pheasant many years ago, my elderly great-uncles were gamekeepers & they used to eat anything - pheasant, squirrel, pigeon, crow, rabbit - you name it. Never used to know quite what went into their excellent home made pies 
Tried preparing roadkill some years back but the OH wasn't too keen, tempted to give it another go, all that good meat going to waste on the verge - even passed by a Muntjac today, seems a shame to waste it with meat the price it is 

[skywalker]

Controversial and possibly illegal by all accounts but I'd much rather have it on a plate with my veg than not on my plate and no veg 

[sunshineband]

I believe if you actually hit the game that is killed with your car, you cannot legally acquire it, but if you find it dead you can

[madcat]

That's true - there was a racket a while back when venison got fashionable, where gangs were chasing deer across roads, car would hit deer and gang would legally retrieve the 'found' carcase while the motorist was left looking at a wreaked car after the 'accident' with the deer. 

[sunshineband]

I shan't go out with the torch tonight though 

[8doubles]

I believe if you actually hit the game that is killed with your car, you cannot legally acquire it, but if you find it dead you can

I think this may not be the case now as you no longer need a licence to kill game in England and Wales.

[madcat]

I shan't go out with the torch tonight though 

Wuzz!  Just cos its a bit chilly!