DEC’s Pheasant Chick Program Offers Public Rearing and Release Opportunity
The program is open to farmers, environmental and agricultural organizations, educators, and individuals interested in gamebird conservation and rearing.
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) is once again accepting applications for its Day-Old Pheasant Chick Program, which provides free pheasant chicks to individuals and groups interested in raising and releasing them in designated hunting areas. The program, which has been in place since 1919, aims to increase public participation in upland gamebird hunting while also promoting education about pheasant biology and habitat management.
The Richard E. Reynolds Game Farm in Ithaca supplies the chicks, and participants who meet program requirements—including providing appropriate brooding and rearing space and selecting a release site that permits public hunting—are eligible to receive them at no cost. The program is open to farmers, environmental and agricultural organizations, educators, and individuals interested in gamebird conservation and rearing.
Along with supporting hunting opportunities, the program serves as an educational tool for both youth and adults. It can be integrated into school curricula or environmental programs, offering hands-on learning about wildlife management and conservation. However, all pheasants acquired through the program must be released on private or public land where public hunting is allowed.
Those interested in raising pheasants outside of the program must obtain a Domestic Game Bird Breeder License through the DEC. More information about the license and pheasant conservation in New York is available on the DEC’s website.
Applications for the 2025 program will be available online after the new year and must be submitted by April 1. Further details can be found at on.ny.gov/dayoldchicks, or by contacting the DEC at wildlife@dec.ny.gov with "pheasants" in the subject line. The Reynolds Game Farm can also be reached at (607) 273-2768.