Pennsylvania Game Commission
Pheasant Propagation
Bob Boyd
Wildlife Services Division Chief
Bureau of Wildlife Management
March 2011
Presentation Overview
• Pheasant propagation goals
and objectives
• Brief history
• Recent updates in game
farm infrastructure and
equipment
• The future
PGC - Propagation Program
Program Goals & Objectives
• PGC Strategic Plan & Pheasant
Management Plan
• Goal: Protect & perpetuate our hunting and
trapping heritage
• 3 strategies:
– Annually release up to 250,000 birds
– Including at least 15,000 for junior hunters
– Improve & modernize GF infrastructure
PGC - Propagation Program
History
• PGC first purchased and
stocked pheasants in 1915
• Propagation began in 1929
with the establishment of 2
game farms
• By the early 1980s, 5 farms
produced 425,000
birds/year.
PGC - Propagation Program
History (continued)
• Due to budget constraints:
– In 1983, and a desire to produce
a higher quality bird, annual
production goal reduced to
220,000
– In 1995, Eastern GF was closed,
production goal reduced to
200,000
– In 2005, production goal
decreased to 100,000
PGC - Propagation Program
In 2005
• Northcentral GF idled
– Permanent staff reassigned to Loyalsock GF
• All temporary employees terminated
• Cost savings in feed and utilities
• However, cost savings were modest,
compared to the significant reduction in the
number of birds produced, resulting in a
higher cost/bird released
PGC - Propagation Program
In 2010
• Northcentral GF back
online
• Today 4 game farms:
– Western GF in
Crawford Co.
– Southwest GF in
Armstrong Co.
– Loyalsock &
Northcentral GFs in
Lycoming Co.
PGC - Propagation Program
Recent Infrastructure
Improvements
• New incubators and
hatchers
– Replaced 30-60 yr-old
equipment – couldn’t
find parts
– Improved hatching
rates, energy
efficiency
PGC - Propagation Program
Recent Infrastructure
Improvements
• New brooder houses at
Northcentral and Western
GFs
– Still in progress at Western
GF, but plan to use 3 of the 4
new ones this spring
• Rebuilt 1 brooder house lost
to fire at Loyalsock GF
• Improved efficiency in
manpower and utilities
PGC - Propagation Program
Other Improvements
• Tractors
• Utility vehicles
• Pick up trucks
• Lawn mowers
• Feed grain tanks
• Grow out fields
• Roofs, windows,
generators
PGC - Propagation Program
Future
• We are returning to a hunting season release
level of 200,000 birds in 2012
• We’ll be revising the number of release
days per week, the number of releases per
season, and where we release birds
• We need to expand the Pheasant Mentored
Youth Hunting Program
• We continue to fill position vacancies as
they occur
Conclusions
• The PGC has a long and
proud tradition of
propagating pheasants
• We provide:
– a service that is in demand,
– diversity to the PA hunting
experience,
– a tangible product, and
– youth hunting opportunities
PGC - Propagation Program
Conclusions (cont.)
• It behooves us to maximize
the value of this service, by
providing quality birds and
quality experiences
PGC - Propagation Program
PGC - Propagation Program