Pennsylvania Game News - October 2012 - 44

to	stream	video	of	nesting	barn	owls	 on	the	Game	Commission	website. The	 Association	 of	 Conservation	 Information	is	a	professional	organi-

zation	 of	 information	 and	 education	 specialists	 representing	 state,	 federal	 and	 Canadian	 agencies	 and	 private	 conservation	organizations.

200,000 pheasants for 2012
THANKS	 to	 a	 series	 of	 Marcellus	 Shale	 leases	 approved	 by	 the	 Board	 of	 Game	 Commissioners	 in	 2011,	 the	 Game	 Commission	 will	 be	 able	 to	stock	200,000	pheasants	this	year,	 twice	what	the	agency	has	been	able	 to	raise	and	release	since	2004. The	 110,090	 males	 and	 89,910	 female	 pheasants	 to	 be	 stocked	 this	 year	 include	 15,000	 birds	 for	 the	 junior-only	 season	 (Oct.	 6-13)	 and	 1,500	 pheasants	 allocated	 for	 those	 clubs	 sponsoring	 mentored	 pheasant	 hunts	for	juniors	on	Oct.	6.	 “Back	in	2004-05,	the	Game	Commission	 was	 forced	 to	 make	 many	 difficult	 financial	 decisions	 because	 license	 revenues	 were	 not	 keeping	 pace	with	increasing	costs,”	Roe	said.	 “The	 pheasant	 propagation	 program	 was	one	budget	item	we	were	forced	 to	cut,	resulting	in	the	closure	of	one	 game	farm	and	a	50	percent	reduction	 in	the	pheasant	production	level	from	 200,000	to	100,000. “During	the	intervening	years,	we	 said	 that	 it	 would	 take	 a	 license	 fee	 increase	for	us	to	be	able	to	afford	to	 restore	 the	 cuts	 in	 pheasant	 production,	 as	 well	 as	 other	 cuts	 that	 were	 made,	as	the	lower	pheasant	level	was	 saving	the	agency	more	than	$500,000	 annually.	However,	thanks	to	monies	 from	 recent	 Marcellus	 Shale-related	 gas	 leases	 on	 State	 Game	 Lands,	 we	 have	 been	 able	 to	 return	 to	 the	 200,000-bird	level	this	year,	which	is	 consistent	 with	 the	 Game	 Commission’s	 Strategic	 Plan	 and	 Pheasant	 Management	Plan.”
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Pheasant	stocking	will	begin	Oct.	 5,	when	the	agency	will	release	15,000	 birds	(7,580	males	and	7,700	females)	 for	the	junior	pheasant	hunt	scheduled	 for	 Oct.	 6-13.	 A	 listing	 of	 stocking	 locations	for	the	junior	season	can	be	 found	on	pages	25-27	of	the	2012-13	 Digest.	 Opening	day	of	the	general	pheasant	 hunting	 season	 is	 Oct.	 20,	 and	 closes	on	Nov.	24.	Pre-season	stocking	 of	 pheasants	 will	 take	 place	 in	 each	 region	 prior	 to	 Oct.	 20,	 followed	 by	 four	in-season	stockings,	as	well	as	a	 late	season	stocking.	 Only	male	pheasants	are	legal	game	 in	WMUs	2A,	2C,	4C,	4E,	5A	and	5B.	 Male	and	female	pheasants	are	legal	 game	in	all	other	WMUs. The	 Game	 Commission	 has	 an	 updated	publication	titled	“Pheasant	 Management	Program,”	which	identifies	State	Game	Lands,	and	those	state	 parks	and	federal	lands	with	suitable	 habitat	 that	 receive	 pheasant	 stockings.	 This	 publication	 can	 be	 found	 on	 the	 Game	 Commission’s	 website	 (www.pgc.state.pa.us),	 and	 can	 be	 viewed	 by	 putting	 your	 cursor	 over	 “Hunt/Trap”	 in	 the	 menu	 bar	 at	 the	 top	of	the	page,	clicking	on	“Hunting,”	 clicking	on	“Pheasant”	in	the	“Small	 Game”	 listing	 and	 then	 choosing	 “Pheasant	Management	Program”	in	 the	“Programs”	listing. To	offer	hunters	better	information	 about	the	stocking	schedule,	the	Game	 Commission	has	posted	on	its	website	 charts	for	each	of	its	six	regions	outlining	the	number	of	birds	to	be	stocked	
GAME	NEWS
http://www.pgc.state.pa.us
Pennsylvania Game News - October 2012

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Pennsylvania Game News - October 2012
