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Show The Salt Lake Tribune, Sunday, January 12, 1986 W9 This ranch serves pheasant under grass Continued From Page W-- I birds that can be turned out into the field throughout the season, As a result, months are spent concentrating on the breeding and propagation of several pheasant breeds, as well as quail, chukar and guinea. Come spring, the Halts integrate roosters with the breeding hens, then keep busy gathering 40,000 to 50,000 eggs, followed by g cleaning, incubating, candling to ensure fertilization and waiting for the hatch. Assuming "things go righ'," half the eggs produce live chicks. Raising them to maturity is a difficult process in itself a chore that inherently tallies rather dismal survival statistics. "We have to handle more than 20,000 birds to get 11,000 good birds into the field," ReyLloyd explained, Anybody can raise a chicken; it's tough to raise a turkey; and its almost impossible to raise pheasants." 11 Varieties Raised Over the years, however, the Hatts have found which species are most adaptive for breeding, the least susceptible to disease, and popular for hunting. Eleven varieties of birds are currently raised to be turned loose in the fields for harvest, ReyLloyd said They're confined to seven acres of land, covered by chicken wire and netting, before being released as hunting stock. Another 30 species and of the pheasant family are raised by Royd as a hobby, Among his collection are colorful golden pheasants, the silver and reeves pheasants, and the swinhoe, native to China but believed extinct in its natural environment. After beginning his collection several years ago, Royd also added taxidermy to his repertoire as a means of preserving examples of some of the less abundant birds. Served Hunters Lunch After providing a morning tour of Hatts Ranch, ReyLloyd and Royd returned to the ranch house where several hunters had gathered for a day of sport. As they awaited a hot meal of meaty pheasant gravy over potatoes and scones, compliments of LuJuan Hatt, members either visited or enjoyed the ranch's decor: The ceilings perimeter is gradually being lined with baseball caps sporting different business logos and contributed by members and friends; one wall is covered by photographs of hunters and their bounty, categorized by year; and another wall serves as the dis- - play area for some of Royds taxidermy. Clay pigeons are the establishments ashtrays. As LuJuan dished up lunch for 10, she explained the familys daily routine. "From Oct. 1 through March, were out here early everyday, getting ready for hunters. The first things you have to do are the daily chores and catch some birds. If you dont do that right away, you never get caught up the rest of the day. The number of birds released depends on the number of hunters and their preferred style of hunting You get to know your clientele after they've been out once or twice," LuJuan said. Some people, especially those who come from want to shoot a lot of birds. Others want to spend more time hunting, working their dogs," Whatever their preference, we choreograph the fields so people get a nice hunt and never run into anyone else, Royd added. Seeding the Fields The usual morning release is about 100 to 150 birds, mostly pheasant, but also chukar, quail and guinea. The family has the birds out one hour before the first hunters arrive, allowing the birds time to settle down and adjust between being released and hunted As hunters harvest the released birds, members of the Hatt family continue to seed the fields with more stock, always keeping careful track of the numbers released and harvested. In order to survive, a hinting club such as his must have a harvest of at least 80 percent, ReyLloyd said. Thanks to their weather and location, sitting on the edge of the San Rafael desert and isolated by surrounding hills, the harvest at Hatt's Ranch averages between 87 and 90 percent. Dogs also help elevate that per - a fact that isnt taken centage lightly. Hunters at Hatts are required to use a dog, either their own or one of the ranch's Hungarian Viz-la- s rented out for a 15 minimum. "If you wound a bird and it gets away, its a loss for everybody, ReyLloyd said. Die uogs help bring down the number of wounds." Enforce Safety Standards The family also learned early on that basic safety precautions had to be established and enforced No guns can be loaded inside the designated area where the ranch house, parking and breeding pens are located. Guns also cannot be shouldered until a bird a rule esis flushed from the bush tablished after Royd was hit and penetrated by 54 BBs, the result of a hunter with raised gun swinging to shoot a bird but blinded by the guns stock as he turned. "Knock on wood, we've been accident free since then, ReyLloyd said, adding that members, too, appreciate the club's penchant for safety. "They seem to like our rules; they make for a better hunt. Our growth has all been by word of mouth. If we get a satisfied hunter, he tells a friend." Word of Hatt's Ranch has spread well outside Utahs borders, in fact, the majority of members are Coloradans. There are members from 11 other states, besides Utah and Colorado, and hunters have come to the ranch from 41 states and seven countries, including Zimbabwe. Although the ranch will likely continue to grow, the Hatts have decided to limit membership to between 850 and 400, the main reason being to maintain the operation as a family business. This is strictly a family thing, all the way around," LuJuan said. "We want to keep it that way just let it get as big as we, and the dogs, ran - handle." sub-speci- "You don't have to be an executive to be treated like one For special occasions or no occasion blue-earre- Mrs, Mercer Murdock - Mercer Catherine Murdock and David O. Mercer were married Thursday in the Salt Lake LDS Temple. A reception was given at the University of Utah Alumni House. The Westin Hotel Utah was setting for a wedding breakfast. The bride, a daughter of Mrs. Addie M. Hunter, Pleasant Grove, attends the U. of U. where she affiliates with Chi Omega. 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