Free pheasant-raising opportunity

Posted 8/21/12

LIBERTY, NY — Youth interested in participating in the annual Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Day-Old Pheasant Raise & Release program have the unique opportunity to experience …

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Free pheasant-raising opportunity

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LIBERTY, NY — Youth interested in participating in the annual Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Day-Old Pheasant Raise & Release program have the unique opportunity to experience rearing pheasants and releasing them into the wild. Orders can be placed until Friday, March 18 through Cornell Cooperative Extension Sullivan County (CCESC) 4-H Youth Development program, located at the Gerald J. Skoda Extension Education Center on 64 Ferndale-Loomis Rd.

Daily care is necessary to monitor the health of young pheasants and to ensure that there is adequate feed and water for the rapidly growing chicks. The rearing and release of pheasants requires a great deal of responsibility by youth and a substantial time commitment.

When the program started in the early 1900s, 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. According to the DEC, wild populations of this introduced species have reached all-time lows. Without propagation and release programs by DEC and private entities, pheasant hunting opportunities would not exist in New York State.

For more information on the Day-Old Pheasant Chick Program or to register for chicks, contact Michelle Lipari, CCESC agriculture and 4-H community educator at mml249@cornell.edu or 845/292-6180. For more information about this and other opportunities through 4-H, visit www.sullivancce.org/4-h-youth-development.

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