Pheasants will be stocked on a number of public lands to provide more late-season hunting opportunities in the Southern Tier, the New York state Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) announced Wednesday.
DEC will release about 670 additional adult ring-necked pheasants this month on public lands open to hunting in Chemung, Steuben, Livingston, Ontario and Yates counties across Region 8.
“Late-season pheasant hunting is a great way for new hunters to get involved in the sport, allows experienced hunters the opportunity to head afield after deer season has closed, and provides opportunities for both new and experienced hunters to gather outdoors with family and friends,” DEC said in a release.
A ring-necked pheasant takes flight across a field.
Stocked pheasants are provided by DEC’s Reynolds Game Farm in Ithaca.
DEC is releasing pheasants this week and next week on these public lands:
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Big Flats Wildlife Management Area (WMA), Chemung County
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Helmer Creek WMA, Steuben County
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Hemlock-Canadice State Forest, Livingston County
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High Tor WMA, Ontario County and Yates County
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Honeoye Inlet WMA, Ontario County
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Pinnacle State Park, Steuben County
Pheasant hunting season runs through Feb. 28 in the Southern Tier. There is a daily bag limit of two birds per day.
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A full statewide list of pheasant release sites is available on the DEC Pheasant Release Sites Interactive Mapper online. Program-related questions may be answered by contacting DEC Region 8 Bureau of Wildlife at (585) 226-5380.
This article originally appeared on Elmira Star-Gazette: Pheasants released on public lands in Chemung, Steuben, Livingston