Want to raise some pheasants this year? The New York Department of Environmental Conservation gives away day-old pheasant chicks every spring to anyone with a brooding pen and department approval. The idea is to release the full-grown birds in the fall in time for hunting season.
This year's application process for the Day-Old Pheasant Chick Program has just opened, according to a DEC press release:
The Day-Old Pheasant Chick Program began in the early 1900s. In the early days, pheasant eggs and chicks were distributed to farmers and rural youth. Today, day-old chicks are available at no cost to participants who are able to provide a brooding facility, a covered outdoor rearing pen, and an adequate release site. Approved applicants will receive the day-old chicks in April, May, or June. No chicks obtained through the Day-Old Pheasant Chick Program can be released on private shooting preserves, all release sites must be approved in advance by DEC and all release sites must be open for public pheasant hunting opportunities. The program is funded via license fees paid by hunters, trappers, and anglers.
For application details, and to find out exactly what being a surrogate pheasant parent entails, contact your nearby DEC office in New Paltz or Stamford. More details here.
