Contact: Dolores (Mohr) Kenyon
E-mail: dolores@wiclarkcountyhistory.org
Surnames: Ure
----Source: Tribune Record Gleaner (Loyal, Clark Co., WI) 8/08/1974
Ure, Lloyd (Licensed Game Farm - 1974)
Mingling with Mary (By Mary Woods)
Lloyd Ure standing beside his bird pens located on his farm east of Granton.
Lloyd Ure of route 1 Granton, believes that he has a disease! But unlike all other diseases, his may grow and from it he will profit in many ways. The disease, according to Ure began six years ago and has brought him many hours of enjoyment and satisfaction, and something that he doesn’t want to get rid of. The disease … owning and taking care of a Wisconsin Licensed Game Farm on his land east of Granton.
Explaining how he became interested in starting a game farm, Ure remarks that as a boy he always enjoyed going to the parks, and watching the various birds, and had dreams of owning a game farm of his own when he grew up. Six years ago, that dream came true when he purchased eggs of a Ringneck, and a Golden Pheasant from Coloma, Wis., and began the business of raising birds.
Today, Ure has 14 different types of pheasants, 19 Bob White, and 3 California Valley Quail, White and Blue Peafowl, 2 Canadian, 2 India Barhead Geese, and 8 Wild Turkey. According to Ure, some of the birds have been shipped to him from states as far away as Pennsylvania, Maryland, and New York. He has also exchanged, and purchased birds from breeders in Wisconsin. Ure also noted that he has raised approximately 20 birds that have been put on the endangered list this past year, with most of them being Swinhoes, with others being the Makidos, Elliotts, and the Humes.
Asked the reason for the birds being put on the endangered list, Ure comments that many birds have become endangered as a result of the Vietnam War where the bombing killed many, and the taking over of the birds’ natural habitat by man. He pointed out that many nesting places for the birds are being destroyed in order to make room for economic expansion, and this is only hurting the population of the birds.
As with every line of business, there are rules, and regulations and governmental laws that affect everyone, and in Ure’s case, the story is just the same. On Dec. 28 the Dept. of Interior passed the Lacy Act that prohibits the exporting of birds over state lines. According to Ure, the act will make more birds become endangered for the lack of other game farm owners having the opportunity to raise the birds in various states. He also added that he could not see the department’s point of trying to keep birds from becoming extinct by stopping the raising of them in various areas. At the time of the writing of this article, a final hearing was to be held on the Act August 5, with the outcome not known. A representative from each organization that Ure is a member of will also be in attendance at the hearing.
Along the same line of rules and regulations, Ure points out that his farm was licensed for $5, and each renewal, yearly costs him $2. He comments that the only time his bird pens were inspected was when he began his farm, and the inspector checked out the size of each pen so they met with the necessary requirements.
Turning to his bad side of owning a game farm, Ure states that having some of the birds killed is perhaps the worst experience that he has encountered. He states that skunk and mink in the area have killed a few prized birds, including a pair of Cheer Pheasants, of which he has been unable to find a pair since, and Makido valued at $60. Along with the loss of birds, he averages the cost of feed per year to run about $300, and the cost of wire going up.
In the past year, Ure has raised and sold eight Peacocks, and presently hatched two, and 19 eggs are still setting. Asked if he had any certain birds that he hope to own someday, he commented that his dream is on Edwards and Cooper Pheasant, valued at $200 a pair, and are on the endangered list.
Questioning Ure on the behavior of birds, he states, “Sometimes I wonder if the birds don’t understand what I say. They have become very domesticated, and many of them will come up to me and eat out of my hand. They seem to be human at times, and working around them is a very relaxing and enjoyable pastime.
Another interesting fact that Ure points out is the fact that all the people involved in owning and operating a game farm, that he is familiar with, also have another full-time job. For Ure the other job is working on the 230-acre farm located east of Granton. He has a dairy farm of 40 cows.
He is a member of the American Pheasant and Waterfowl Society, the American Game Bird Federation, the Wisconsin Bird and Game Breeders Association, and the Illinois Pet and Bird Society. He and his wife usually attend several conventions throughout the year, and according to Ure, “It’s amazing how many people from all over the world come to the conventions, and the friendliness and cooperation of the people noted. I hear so much about conventions, and the fun that everyone has at them, and then, I go to one, and it’s all serious and so many of the people can be found sitting up until all hours of the night taking about birds.”
For Lloyd Ure of rural Granton the disease of raising birds, and watching them grow, and learning something new about them every day has become a way of life. He averages about one hour a day dedicated to the care of the birds – but after you have a good disease – it’s something to take care of!!!
Ure and his wife, Beverly, have three daughters, Cindy, Barb, and Sue.
