What is a Licensed Shooting preserve?

[baldmax]

There is a farm field about 5 min from the homestead that has signs around the perimeter that state Licensed Shooting Preserve. Is it a public or private entity? I am curious, would be great to have hunting land that close.

 

[LarryC]

There is a farm field about 5 min from the homestead that has signs around the perimeter that state Licensed Shooting Preserve. Is it a public or private entity? I am curious, would be great to have hunting land that close.

There are a number of these in the State. These are private lands that are licensed by the state to raise certain birds / animals and release them for hunters to shoot. A fee is normally charged for each hunter, I have never went to one, but my middle son did a few years ago, they had a Pheasant "Farm". Many have paid guides which take you to the areas where shooting is allowed. Can't remember what he had to pay. It is too much like the "pay pits" that stock fish and charge you to fish for my liking. I have seen ads for the same thing in other states for Elk, Bison etc.. Don't know what all is allowed in Indiana. There are a lot of rules for the person operating the paid hunting preserve.

 

[PGRChaplain]

Canned Hunt, not to much Sport there.

 

[Spike Jones 5 2002]

It has been many, many years ago.
Illinois has several run by the conservation dept.
One is "Iroquois State F & W Area" South and East of Saint Anne Il.
The other is "Des Planes Cons. Area" near Channahon and Wilmington Il.
both are (was?) open hunting areas.
During Pheasent season, they release Pheasents.
Hunters paid to hunt them.

 

[ScouT6a]

We've been to a couple of different ones, on several occasions, to bird hunt. It's not 100% like hunting wild birds but you could walk behind a dog for weeks and not find enough birds to fill your limit, in Indiana.
We've hunted Quail, Chuckar, and Pheasants.
The Pheasants act the most like wild birds in running, flushing and flight, followed closely by the Chuckar. The Quail can be slow to flush and fly if you try to hunt them when it's too wet.
We have always found extra birds that others have failed to find or shoot. There is no extra charge for these birds, outside of the number they released for you.
Another benefit is an extended season. They can hunt before and after the State's regular season.
If you take it for what it is and take some good friends and family, it can be a great day in the field.

 

[ruger44srh]

I use a "game farm" to keep my 2 bird dogs happy through the year.

 

[dnurk]

Any private landowner with over 100 acres can apply to be a preserve. Some of them are open to the public and set up pay to hunt operations for farm raised gamebirds. Some are private clubs where the members use farm raised birds for dog training (I belong to such a private club)

Here is the IN code on preserves:
https://secure.in.gov/dnr/fishwild/files/fw-ShootingPreserveLicenseRegulations.pdf

 

[gregr]

I used to hunt Royal Flush in Parke County a LOT, and it was a wonderful time. Yes, the pheasant and quail are pen-raised, but it`s likely as close to hunting wild birds as most guys can get in Indiana. Shawn Brown runs a great place out there, and we`ve spent many a morning watching the guides dogs work scent, and knocking pheasant down. Royal Flush is the only preserve I`ve ever been to, so I don`t know how the others run their hunts, or what their habitat looks like. Shawn had a good mix of Milo, and CRP, and it was a blast to hunt.

 

[KJQ6945]

I used to hunt Royal Flush in Parke County a LOT, and it was a wonderful time. Yes, the pheasant and quail are pen-raised, but it`s likely as close to hunting wild birds as most guys can get in Indiana. Shawn Brown runs a great place out there, and we`ve spent many a morning watching the guides dogs work scent, and knocking pheasant down. Royal Flush is the only preserve I`ve ever been to, so I don`t know how the others run their hunts, or what their habitat looks like. Shawn had a good mix of Milo, and CRP, and it was a blast to hunt.

I was at a tower hunt, at Royal Flush, this past Saturday. First class operation, and a wonderful day with good people.

 

[gregr]

I was at a tower hunt, at Royal Flush, this past Saturday. First class operation, and a wonderful day with good people.

It`s been some time since I`ve talked with Shawn Brown, but I knew he was still up and running. They used to have a lot of trials for the bird dogs too.