thanks for all the input guys darn lot to it which i didn't know

Hunting stocked birds is very much like fishing for stocked fish . You can stand and watch them fly from the crates . In PA it is against the law to shoot at them as they are leaving the crates. Same with fishing you can start fishing the spot that trout are released in right away .But having a good dog that hunts with you and for you makes a difference If the dog runs to far ahead the birds will be flushed out of range .If the dog does not work scent properly it will miss birds . So it still requires good dogs and some understanding of how hunting birds is done .On a day when hunting pressure is heavy it does not appeal to me .But I often try to find an area that is on the fringe of where the stocking is done and work the cover in hopes that some birds will filter into the edges of where I am hunting .In a perfect world stocking would not be needed and natural reproduction would be how pheasants would be a part of the landscape .But as I stated earlier if you enjoy watching a good dog working cover and hunting birds and see him get excited because they are on scent you as the hunter tend to forget that the birds you are now hunting came for a game farm and where just recently let out of a crate a short time ago And for young hunters it provides a chance to be able to put some birds in the air .And if it works out as planned those birds end up in the young hunters game pouch. Just from that point alone stocking gives hunters and new first time hunters to experience what hunters like myself that grew up hunting wild birds during the 60's and 70 's It was so much fun it would not be right to not want to share that style of hunting .

I was the HABITAT CHAIRMAN for a local PF chapter in PA for 25 years . Due to changing lifestyles our key leadership positions needed some new people to step up and take over .We had a very good group of volunteers And we did projects and programs that made a difference in our local area And we held events such as a yearly youth hunt and veterans hunt .But things change and we could not find new officers In the end the National declared our chapter inactive due to us not upholding the requirement necessary to be considered an active group . I learned to know many very fine people and it was a growing experience for me And I learned alot about pheasants habitat .biology and many things that I had not known before Part of my role with the chapter was education . And I still enjoy passing some of what I LEARNED AND DID during those years to others .If you have the time and space I would encourage you to give the chick raising a try Start slowly and don't get ahead of your self Learn as you go It might become a life long hobby or maybe after a few years you will deicide it is not for you But I bet you would still be glad you tried it

The best chance for a pen raised bird is to be released among wild birds. Maybe pick up a few pointers. Eat this. Don’t do that. Run when I run. Fly when I fly. Either way when me and ole Kill All take the field it’s Katy bar the door for birds. Keep yer powder dry and run em to me