Pheasant Hunting

Comments on the Draft Strategic Plan for Pheasant Stocking to Enhance Hunter Recruitment, Retention, and Reactivation: 2026–2035 (PDF) closed on July 25, 2026.

Pheasant hunting in New York has a long history and is highly valued by hunters throughout the state. The first hunting season for pheasants was designated in 1908, and DEC remains committed to providing pheasant hunting opportunities for over 30,000 hunters, annually. The 2026-2035 Strategic Plan overhauls the state's pheasant stocking program to counter declining small-game participation and promote conservation.

As wild pheasant populations have dwindled over the past decades, pheasant hunting has relied on stocking programs to sustain the activity. Despite the decline in wild pheasant abundance, hunters can still enjoy days afield pursuing state-stocked pheasants that have been raised at the Richard E. Reynolds game farm in Ithaca. Annually, approximately 50,000 adult pheasants are released just before and during the pheasant hunting season on lands open to public hunting.

Since the 1970s, the goal of the pheasant stocking program is not to restore wild pheasant populations, but to provide upland game bird hunting opportunity. Pheasant stockings occur across the state on over 100 sites open to public pheasant hunting. DEC strives to maintain pheasant hunting opportunity in all regions of the state.

Where to Go Pheasant Hunting

See an interactive map and a table detailing public and private land release sites and other property-specific information for stocked pheasant properties across New York State. For additional information on stocking sites please contact your regional wildlife office or by e-mailing [email protected] subject line Pheasant Release Sites.

DEC's pheasant stocking program provides small game hunting opportunity throughout the state thanks to the willingness of many private landowners and other state, county, and towns that allow hunters to access their lands. Please respect the land and any special rules on public and private pheasant release sites.

map of pheasant stocking locations in New York — View an interactive map showing pheasant stocking locations in New York State.

Helpful Tips

You must possess a hunting license to hunt pheasants. Thoroughly read the Department's Hunting and Trapping Regulations Guide to become familiar with pheasant hunting regulations.
Do your pre-season scouting and planning. Don't wait until opening day to decide where you want to hunt. Review the list of areas stocked with state-reared pheasants.
Ask permission from landowners to hunt. when required under release sites details in the interactive map. Common courtesy and respecting the land will ensure these sites are available for future use.
Hunting with a well-trained bird dog will increase your chances of locating stocked pheasants, but even hunters without dogs can find success.
Get yourself and your dog in good physical condition for a safe and enjoyable hunting season.
Respect other hunters' space. Don't crowd. Share the hunting areas and the opportunity to harvest a bird.

Youth Pheasant Hunt

Pheasant hunting was one of the first hunting experiences for many of today's adult hunters, and this two-day hunt help’s maintain this traditional introduction to hunting. The excitement of a cackling rooster bursting out of the grassy cover will be an encounter a new hunter won't soon forget! Less crowded hunting conditions, experienced adult hunters and dog handlers, and mild weather combine to provide an exceptional upland hunting experience for junior hunters.

The season dates and bag limits for the Youth Hunt can be found on the Pheasant Hunting Season page or in the New York Hunting and Trapping Guide. Youth hunters (ages 12-15) must possess a hunting license and must be accompanied by a licensed adult hunter. Only junior hunters are allowed to possess a firearm or harvest birds during the Youth Pheasant Hunt.

Pheasant Stocking Program Overview

The DEC annually provides up to 50,000 adult pheasants (20 weeks and older) for stocking throughout the state. The birds are stocked at more than 100 DEC-managed public hunting lands before and during the regular pheasant hunting season and two preseason youth pheasant hunt weekends. Check out our map of all pheasant stocking locations in NYS.

DEC's Bureau of Wildlife owns and operates the Richard E. Reynolds Game Farm, the state's only pheasant production facility, located near Ithaca, New York. In operation since 1927, the Reynolds Game Farm raises and distributes adult pheasants statewide to provide small game hunting opportunity and recruit, retain, and reactivate hunters.

Pheasants are allocated to eight DEC regions based on the following criteria:

Logistical Concerns - the number of birds and sites each region can stock based on available staff and resources. This was a qualitative assessment conducted by the regional biologist and the game farm manager, and ranged from "severe" to "no logistical concerns".
Pheasant Hunting Effort - the percent of pheasant hunting effort expended in each region. This was based on hunting effort data from the Small Game Hunter Survey for four physiographic zones - North (Regions 5 and 6), Southeast (Regions 3 and 4), West (Regions 7, 8, and 9), New York City/Long Island (Region 1). Effort data were allocated to each DEC region within the four zones based on the number of hunting license holders within a region (licensed hunters from New York City were apportioned to Regions 1, 3, and 4).
Pheasant Hunters - the percentage of pheasant hunters in each region. This was based on hunting participation data from the Small Game Hunter Survey for four physiographic zones - North (Regions 5 and 6), Southeast (Regions 3 and 4), West (Regions 7, 8, and 9), New York City/Long Island (Region 1). Hunting participation data were allocated to each DEC region within the four zones based on the number of hunting license holders within a region (licensed hunters from New York City were apportioned to Regions 1, 3, and 4).
Availability of Small Game Hunting Alternatives - Due to habitat and/or access constraints some regions have fewer small game hunting alternatives than others. Thus, stocked pheasants play a larger role in overall small game hunting opportunities. A qualitative assessment was conducted by each regional biologist to evaluate their region on a spectrum from "very good" to "poor" in terms of small game hunting alternatives. Regions with relatively few alternatives were compensated with a higher score for this criterion.
"Useful" Season Length - In an effort to maximize the potential use of released birds, we calculated the percent of the pheasant season that was most likely to be used by the majority of pheasant hunters within a region. "Useful" season length was calculated by taking the number of days to start of the regular big game season divided by the total pheasant season length (in days).
Regional Release Sites - the percent of pheasant release sites within a region relative to all release sites statewide. Release sites had to be separated by at least 0.5 miles to be considered independent.
Regional Pheasant Habitat - the percent of pheasant habitat within a region relative to total pheasant habitat statewide (measured in square miles). "Pheasant habitat" includes grassland, pasture, hayfields, row crops, and emergent herbaceous wetlands.

Cooperative Day-Old Pheasant Chick Program (DOCP)

The DEC's Day-Old Pheasant Chick Program (DOCP) began over 100 years ago as a way for surplus pheasant eggs from state game farms to be utilized and distributed to farmers to place under broody hens. Since then, the program has continued to grow and develop into what it is today - providing educational opportunities through the raising and releasing of pheasants, while supplementing the landscape to increase fall hunting success.

Pheasant chicks are available at no cost to participants who can provide a brooding facility, covered outdoor rearing pen, and an adequate release site that allows pheasant hunting access. All birds must be released on lands open for public hunting. Program participants may include 4-H youth, sportsmen clubs and county federations, landowners, correctional facilities, and other individuals. DOCP cooperators help increase pheasant public hunting opportunity across hundreds of sites comprised of thousands of acres of private and public owned lands.

The Day-Old Pheasant Chick Program Guide (PDF) is designed to provide rearing and release guidance for individuals receiving day-old pheasant chicks from DEC. If you are interested in raising pheasants on your own and not in cooperation with the Day-Old Pheasant Chick Program please visit the Special Licenses webpage for more information on obtaining a domestic game bird breeders license. Key points about the program:

The DEC distributed approximately 10,000 pheasant chicks in 2026.
Anyone can apply to participate in the Day-old Pheasant Chick Program.
Participants must have the appropriate brooding facility and outdoor rearing pen.
Release sites must be open to public pheasant hunting.
Birds may not to be released on private shooting preserves.
Participants should become familiar with the Day-old Pheasant Chick Program guide.
Day-old pheasant chicks are provided to participants in April, May, or June.
Pheasants must be released at 12 weeks of age or older, but no later than December 1
Pheasants provided to participants may not be bought, sold or traded.
Habitat improvement projects on release sites are encouraged.

To participate in the day-old pheasant chick program, please complete the following Day-Old Pheasant Chick Application. The application period is from January 1 to April 1 annually. After submission, you may be contacted with further questions or notified of an approved or denied application. Please be sure to include a copy of the landowner consent form with your application if plan on releasing pheasants on lands you do not own. If you cannot attach a scanned file or photo of the Landowner Consent Form (PDF) ) with the application, please mail it to Attn: Reynolds Game Farm, 81 Game Farm Rd, Ithaca NY 14850.

If you have questions or would like more information about program participation or pheasant rearing, e-mail us, or contact the Reynolds Game Farm (607-273-2768).