Pheasant Stocking

	©iStockphoto
	Pheasants don't live long after being released.

State wildlife agencies should be stewards of the environment. But some agencies release non-native ring-necked pheasants for target practice. Native to China, these pheasants don't thrive everywhere in the United States. To meet hunter demand, wildlife agencies release hundreds of thousands of birds who have little chance of survival.

Because they are pen-raised, stocked pheasants often lack the skills necessary to fend for themselves. In some states, hunters wait in parking lots for trucks bringing crates of these birds, or line up before release for the first shot. The pheasants who survive this initial gauntlet usually succumb to harsh weather, starvation or predators. Other species may be killed, too, to keep the pheasants alive longer for the hunters.

In the past, wildlife management saw animals as a resource to be cultivated, "culled" and then grown again. But state wildlife agencies report to all citizens—not just hunters—and the public agrees that a humane culture merges ethics with science. The Wildlife Abuse Campaign works with scientists, policy makers, environmentalists and advocates to question pheasant stocking's place in humane, ethical and scientific wildlife management.

What You Can Do

Find out if your state stocks pheasants, and sign up for our email alerts so you can take action when stocking issues come up where you live.

Related Links

Rearing Pheasants

Releasing Pheasants

Flying in the Face of Ethics

Pheasant Preserves: Flushing Fair Chase Out

Tower Shoots

States with Pheasant Stocking Programs

Pheasant Stocking Report 2007