Pheasant Hunting Preserves

[Captain B.R.K]

I'm starting to do my homework on preserves and what one has to offer over another. My buddy is a member of Elk Lake Hunting Preserve up by Hoffman, MN and he likes it. He gets to scratch hunt or if he can buy any number of birds and go out for a hunt. He pays a membership but if he can do those things, I'm find with the membership fee.

Most places I've found so far require you to buy X amount of birds (normally 5-10 bird min.), but no membership is required. I'd like those options- scratch hunt or buy birds. Looking for one within one hour of my place. Are there any of these like that in my area?

[cw642]

I don't use hunting preserves but I know a few guys that have been to Rice Creek. Seemed to me they thought it was a little bit too spendy. I assume you don't own or train on a bunch of private land or a yearly DNR training permit is the way to go. I know of atleast 4 game bird farms within 10 min of Clearwater you can get birds from.

[Curly]

A friend of mine goes to a place near Little Falls called Willow Creek. He says the prices are reasonable and that the owners are great people.

Good Luck.

[slotlimit]

Shamrock Game Farm just south of eden valley about 10 miles on 22. I believe they have a Litchfield phone number. I just finished doing some training with my new dog their this summer and fall. The owner even came out with me and helped at no charge and gave some nice tips as well. I did buy a chucker and a rooster from him for training.

[Captain B.R.K]

I did a search on Rice Creek and their membership is a little more than what I'd like to spend. Looks like a great place, but to much $$ for the membership. I'll look into the Willow Creek site and see what they are about. They have a website, but not much info. on hunting.

What is this about a DNR permit? I didn't think you needed one of these to release game birds for training?! I do have some land to train on, but would be nice to have some different cover to work on.

cw642 - I'd be interested to know where you get those birds from around Clearwater.

[Captain B.R.K]

Quote:

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Shamrock Game Farm just south of eden valley about 10 miles on 22. I believe they have a Litchfield phone number. I just finished doing some training with my new dog their this summer and fall. The owner even came out with me and helped at no charge and gave some nice tips as well. I did buy a chucker and a rooster from him for training.

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I'd like to hear more about your outing at Shamrock Shooting Preserve! Was there a minimum of birds you had to go out with to do some training? Would you do it again?

[bear204]

I am a member of elk lake heritage preserve. I have been to a few other preserves and this is by far the best of the ones i have been to. Ed is a very knowledeable trainer and one of the nicest guys you will meet. They also have sporting clays, fishing and alot of different events through the year. The birds are always big, the fields are nice and the commradery their is the best.

[cw642]

I'll have to start a thread about the dnr rules about dogs, its almost turkey season and the last day for dogs is April 16th.

my name + yahoo dot you Know what, and I'll send you a list of area guys with birds.

[kgpcr4]

Check out Gold meadows shooting preserve! its out by Richmond and its outstanding. They have every type of cover you can imagine. Unless its a weekend during primetime you can buy what ever number of birds you want. They have a special on them at the game fair and they are cheap. Also Julie from there is an OUTSTANDING trainer. She is very reasonable and GREAT to work with. No membership fees either.The phone number is 320 597 4857

[Captain B.R.K]

kgpcr4 - Thanks for the info on the Richmond area preserve. I did call them Sunday, but they want a 10 bird min on the weekends and pheasants only. After tax the guy thought it was a couple of hundo's for a 4 hour hunt...YIKES. I know hunting can be expensive, but I don't need it to be that much.

[Captain B.R.K]

bear- I see that you live in Fridley, do you have a place that you stay up at in Hoffman? Why have a membership up there when you have other options closer to you? As I was saying earlier, my buddy has a membership ther too and really likes it. But from Sartell to Hoffman, I'm talking about a 1 hour plus drive just to get there

[slotlimit]

I'm not sure what they all charge to hunt or scratch hunt. I went there on 2 seperate occations. The first time I baught a Chucker and the owner would plant it and then I would let my dog find it (clipped the wings) after about 5 or 6 times of my dog going on point and then the owner and I went over to the point, flushed the bird and then I would shoot in the air and my dog would retrieve it. The bird then died and I froze it. The best training dummy you can ever buy IMO. He also let me take my dog into his flyway on a check cord to teach him how to whoa. That day it cost me $20. The next week I did the same thing and my dog was ready to go. I did a lot of work with him around the house and planted a couple of roosters at the game farm the following week for another $20. I'm not sure of their prices you would have to give him a call. I never hunted out there or planted more then 2 birds. I had some specific things I wanted to work with my dog. Not only that but like I said before he helped at no extra charge. He even took out his GSP so I could work with my dog on honoring another dogs point. This could also maybe be because it was the middle of the week or he was just fond of Shorthairs.

[bear204]

The place is just that good. Just kidding I have family in the alex area, my brother lives up there i stay at his place and i am up there almost every weekend in late summer through fall.

[Curly]

I have heard from several people that have been to Gold Meadows that the birds were really tame, took alot to get them to fly.