By Ryan Hamre
The Surrogator, a patented process, is a self-contained field unit that will establish a huntable population of gamebirds on your property. This is NOT an adult bird release system.
The Surrogator functions as a "surrogate parent" by providing food, water, warmth and protection for the first five weeks of the bird's life. By placing the Surrogator in a location where you would like to establish a huntable population of pheasant or quail, chicks raised in the unit become imprinted to that location. The birds' natural homing instinct motivates them to live and reproduce where they were raised and released.
The Surrogator will hold 125 day-old quail chicks or 65 day-old pheasant chicks until they reach five weeks of age. The greatest mortality on the life of gamebirds happens in the nest and before three weeks of age. Chicks raised in the Surrogator are protected from predators and the elements at a time when they are most vulnerable.
Research proves that gamebirds develop their natural survival instincts by five weeks of age. Chicks raised in the Surrogator have limited human contact, further enhancing the natural survivability of the birds.
Contact: Wildlife Management Technologies, Dept. GD, 2525 N. Loch Lomond Ct., Wichita, KS 67228; (316) 200-0134.