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Pheasant Restoration Initiative Workshops Planned

Michigan Department of Natural Resources

Michigan --(Ammoland.com)- A series of three workshops will be held in southern Michigan to provide more information to property owners on Michigan’s new pheasant restoration initiative.

Three areas of southern Michigan will be the focus of the initiative, the Department of Natural Resources and Environment announced.

The three priority Pheasant Recovery Areas for this initiative are: 1) Huron, Sanilac, and Tuscola counties; 2) Hillsdale, Lenawee, and Monroe counties; and 3) Gratiot, Saginaw, and Clinton counties. To participate in this cooperative initiative, a group of property owners must agree to work together to improve pheasant and small game habitat on their collective acreages.

For participating coalitions, local wildlife biologists and Conservation District staff will provide advice and assistance on habitat prescriptions; project partners will aid in securing seed for grass plantings; and federal resources may be leveraged to provide financial incentives for participating landowners. Also, for land that meets habitat restoration objectives, the DNRE may provide seed and/or materials for plantings, the use of equipment, and in some cases, the release of wild pheasants to initiate population response.

To learn more about the Pheasant Restoration Initiative and how to form a cooperative, property owners are invited to attend any of the following workshops. There is no fee for attending. Various partnering organizations and agencies will be present to help with questions.

Feb. 12, 9 am to noon
Ashley Sportsmen Club
8554 S. Mason Rd.
Bannister, MI 48807

Feb. 26, 9 am to noon
Cabela’s
110 Cabela Blvd East
Dundee, MI 48131

March 5, 9 am to noon
Brentwood Lanes Bowling Alley
178 Park Drive
Caro, MI 48723

On Jan. 15, the Pheasant Restoration Initiative was officially announced at the annual Pheasants Forever State Convention in East Lansing.

The kick-off event was attended by several state leaders, including Senator Debbie Stabenow, Michigan Department of Agriculture Director Keith Creagh, Michigan Department of Natural Resources Director Designate Rodney Stokes, Michigan United Conservation Clubs Executive Director Erin McDonough and Howard Vincent, Pheasant Forever CEO.

“The excitement was brewing in the air as news of this partnership was highlighted throughout the press conference,” stated Mike Parker, Pheasants Forever regional biologist and event organizer. “Pheasant Forever volunteers wanted to know how they could sign up to help with such a great partnership idea.”

The Michigan Pheasant Restoration Initiative is a conservation initiative with many groups working together to focus on the restoration of pheasants in Michigan. This initiative will benefit a suite of migratory birds and other grassland species. Primary partners include Pheasants Forever, Michigan Department of Natural Resources and Environment (DNRE), Michigan Department of Agriculture, Michigan United Conservation Clubs, local Conservation Districts, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The group of partners is expected to expand as the initiative moves forward.

An initiative such as this has the potential to increase wildlife populations and small game hunting opportunities, improve hunter satisfaction and help Michigan’s economy.

“We’ve heard only positive comments related to this initiative.” said DNRE Wildlife Division Chief Russ Mason. “There is an opportunity here to not only change pheasant numbers but create a social movement: large groups of neighbors and partners working together to help wildlife. It is about individuals wanting to help be part of the solution, and not waiting for others to do the work for them. We keep hearing from our partners asking how they can participate.”

Mason added this initiative is going to help not only restore the high quality pheasant hunting tradition but will help create new hunters and return hunters who have left the sport. Small game hunting is the area where Michigan is losing the most hunters; but is the best way to introduce new people into the sport of hunting, Mason said.

The Department of Natural Resources and Environment is committed to the conservation, protection, management, and accessible use and enjoyment of the state’s environment, natural resources and related economic interests for current and future generations. Learn more at www.michigan.gov/dnre

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Clubs Urged To Participate In Pheasant Chick & Egg Program

Pheasant Chicks

Pennsylvania Game Commission

HARRISBURG, PA --(Ammoland.com)- Sportsmen’s organizations with approved propagation facilities can augment local ring-necked pheasant stockings and increase localized hunting opportunities by raising day‑old pheasant chicks supplied free-of-charge by the Pennsylvania Game Commission.

Information and applications to participate can be downloaded from the agency’s website (www.pgc.state.pa.us), by putting your cursor over “Hunt/Trap” in the menu bar at the top of the homepage, then clicking on “Hunting” in the drop-down menu listing, then selecting “Pheasant” in the “Small Game” listing, and then clicking on “Cooperating Sportsmen’s Clubs Pheasant Chick Program.” In order for Game Farm superintendents to plan and set hatches to accommodate requests, the Bureau of Wildlife Management must receive completed applications by March 31.

“To restore self-sustaining and huntable pheasant populations, the Game Commission is committed to creating Wild Pheasant Recovery Areas, as outlined in our pheasant management plan,” said Calvin W. DuBrock, Game Commission Bureau of Wildlife Management director. “While we strive to create these areas, we continue to urge interested clubs to participate in our pheasant chick and egg programs, which provide wonderful opportunities to get young people involved in raising birds. In addition to learning about the food and habitat requirements of pheasants, they’ll have the chance to see the chicks mature into adult game birds, and to help increase local pheasant hunting opportunities.”

In 1929, the Game Commission began the propagation of pheasants on an extensive scale with the establishment of two game farms. Over the next six decades, to off‑set the increasing demand for pheasants from hunters, three other farms were placed into operation, and the day‑old pheasant chick program was implemented and made available to sportsmen’s organizations, 4‑H clubs, farmers, and other cooperators for rearing and releasing on areas open to public hunting.

In 1959, the number of pheasant chicks distributed to cooperators reached 229,685, an all-time high, in addition to the more than 88,500 pheasants raised and released by the agency at its four game farms. Unfortunately, cooperator participation has dwindled significantly over the last few decades. In recent years, only a dozen or so clubs have participated; raising and releasing 3,000-4,000 birds.

Because of budgetary constraints, the Game Commission was forced, in 2005, to reduce its annual pheasant stocking allocation from 200,000 to 100,000. The Game Commission released 100,000 adult birds again this past season, and expects to keep pheasant production at 100,000 until additional financial resources are made available. However, as part of the agency’s pheasant management plan, the agency intends to increase that stocking effort to 250,000 birds, should increased funding become available.

DuBrock said that the agency provides, free of charge, day-old pheasant chicks to clubs entering into an agreement with the Game Commission to raise birds and promote recreational hunting on lands open to public hunting. Gender is not determined as the chicks are boxed for distribution, but are generally at a one-to-one male/female ratio. The number of chicks received depends on the size of the club’s facility. The agency will provide enrolled clubs with plans for a brooder building, covered pen, and guidelines for rearing pheasants.

“The agency also offers enrolled organizations technical assistance and advice at the club’s facility, and a training session and overview of agency game farm operations can be scheduled during the off‑season from January through March to assist in development of the club’s program,” DuBrock said.

To be eligible to receive pheasant chicks, a sportsmen’s club is required to have a minimum of 25 square feet of covered pen space available per bird. In addition, 72 square inches of floor space per chick is recommended in the brooder building. All feed and expenses incurred in the work of constructing covered pens and raising pheasants will be the responsibility of the club. All pheasants propagated by organizations must be released on lands open to public hunting.

Pheasant chicks can be raised at the cooperator’s facility or by a designated caretaker with the proper facilities.

“Youth who participate in raising birds can help release hen pheasants in early September in areas where hens are protected from hunting and where habitat is sufficient to provide food and cover,” DuBrock said. “These birds can provide good dog training opportunities and releasing hens early also provides additional room in the pen to finish growing out the males for the hunting season.

“Maximum recreational opportunities can be attained by releasing male pheasants as close to the opening of small game season as possible, and no later than the end of the second week of the season.”

Game Commission pheasant hatches come off once a week during the month of May, and the chicks for clubs will be scheduled into those hatches. Game farm superintendents will send notification to approved organizations when chicks will be ready for pick‑up.

The Game Commission requires a complete report of the production and release results. Renewal applications will not be processed unless a complete report has been filed for the prior year.

In addition to the cooperating sportsmen’s club program, the agency also sells surplus day-old hen pheasant chicks and eggs in lots of 100 chicks for $60, or 300 eggs for $180. Early requests receive top priority and orders are processed until the last scheduled hatch, which usually is the first week of June. While day-old hen pheasant chicks may be purchased by anyone, pheasant eggs will be sold only to licensed game propagators. Both eggs and chicks must be picked up at the supplying Game Commission game farm.

Applications to purchase surplus day-old hen pheasant chicks or pheasant eggs also can be downloaded from the agency’s website (www.pgc.state.pa.us), by clicking on “Self-Help” in the menu bar at the top of the homepage, then click on “Download Forms and Brochures” in the “Related Links” section and then selecting “Pheasant Chick and Egg Program” in the “Agency Programs” section.

The pheasant is native to Asia. Recorded attempts to establish pheasants in North America date back to the mid 1700s. These early attempts were unsuccessful; it wasn’t until 1881, in the Willamette Valley of Oregon, that pheasants first became established.

During the early 1890s, Pennsylvania citizens purchased pheasants from English gamekeepers and released them in Lehigh and Northampton counties. For several decades, many other small releases were made across the Commonwealth to establish pheasants for sport hunting.

In the early 1900s, the Game Commission set aside a special appropriation of funds to purchase and propagate game. Pheasant eggs were purchased and given to agency refuge keepers, sportsmen’s organizations and private individuals interested in raising pheasants. The first stocking of pheasants by the Game Commission occurred by 1915.

For more information on pheasants and the history of the agency’s pheasant management plan and propagation program, visit the Game Commission’s website (www.pgc.state.pa.us), put your cursor on “Hunt/Trap” in the menu bar at the top of the homepage, then click on “Hunting” in the drop down menu then click on “Pheasant” in the “Small Game” listing.

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