Well I will tell you for sure its not an easy business to be in..
You can thank King Obamma for that. I ate more then I sold the last 4 years.
and yes, I am even chitting pheasants feathers. The dogs are too.
Everyone whats these birds around here for $5.00. I would rather let them go for that price. If I can't get $19.00 for a 2yr old 3lb, 500yd flier so be it.
I will sell at a discount, minimum 30 birds 50/50 split for $15.00 each. And most of the time I just sell the cocks.
You know it is like the farmer, he is always the blame. Sell low and the end users sell high. Not much of a profit margin in gamebirds for the producer. Shooting preserves, private gun clubs, and guides are the ones that make the big profits.
Highest made profit in the following order:
#1 Bird Hunting guides. low cost or family own land. Morning hunts 8-11am and afternoon hunts 1-4pm. Total 6hrs. They charge anywhere from $75.00 - $125.00 per hunt, per person with groups no larger then 3.
#2 Private hunting clubs. Either privately own land or leased land of a minimum 300 continuous acres. Club members of at least 10 and not more then 20. Yearly dues to cover Insurance, maintanence, taxes. Then club charges for the birds, or a member is a gamebird breeder. Birds are released at a club costs, hunts are priced at
and birds that are holdovers are recycled back into the cost of the hunts.
#3 The licensed Shooting Preserves. They get the extened season for the luxury of the commerical license. They get the option of raising their own birds as well. Heavy costs of insurance, maintence of a The club House. Food plots each year, equipment, seed, fert/lime costs. Fuel costs. Shooting preserve packages go anywhere from $150.00 per person on up depending on what is in the package.
I had a guy looking for birds (he owns a shooting preserve) and he told me his hunting packages don't include the $17.00 per bird cost, they are additional. His up keep on those birds are under 30 days, and he has a massive turn around. Who is getting screwed here?
Steve
Pheasant Hollow Farm
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