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Pheasant Release Sites

Pheasant Release Sites for 2009

Two pheasant hunters in the field bagging their harvest

Annually, over 25,000 adult pheasants are raised on the Richard E. Reynolds game farm in Ithaca and released just prior to and during the fall pheasant hunting season. Releases occur across the state on both state and private lands open to public hunting. By following the links in the box to your right you can find out where, in your area, we plan to release birds.

Youth Pheasant Hunt - DEC offers specially designated Youth Pheasant Hunts. Pheasant hunting was one of the first hunting experiences for many of today's adult hunters, and this two-day hunt will help maintain this traditional introduction to hunting.

The Department is releasing adult pheasants on specific sites for the Youth Pheasant Hunt weekends September 26-27 and October 10-11, 2009 (consult the Hunting and Trapping Regulations Guide for the applicable dates in your area). Junior hunters can hunt these sites, which are designated below "YH", with a good chance of finding released birds. Sites designated "RS" are locations where birds will be released for the Regular Season.

For further information on release sites contact:

Region 1

For further information on release sites contact: - Bureau of Wildlife
Stony Brook Office at 631-444-0310

Suffolk County

  • Brookhaven - Rocky Point State Natural Resources Management Area* (RS)
  • Riverhead & Brookhaven - Otis Pike Preserve* (RS)

* a daily permit must be obtained from the Ridge Hunter Check Station. There is currently no youth pheasant hunt on Long Island because DEC lacks regulatory authority to set pheasant seasons in that area of the State.

Region 3

For further information on release sites contact: - Bureau of Wildlife
New Paltz Office at 845-256-3098

Dutchess County

  • Amenia - Wassaic Multiple Use Area (RS)
  • Milan - Lafayetteville Multiple Use Area (RS)
  • Red Hook - Tivoli Bays Wildlife Management Area (YH, RS)

Orange County

  • New Windsor - Stewart Forest (YH, RS)
  • Tuxedo - Sterling Forest State Park - Must obtain hunting permit from Sterling Forest Park Office. (RS)

Putnam County

  • Kent - Ninham Mountain Multiple Use Area (RS)
  • Patterson - Cranberry Mountain Wildlife Management Area (YH, RS)
  • Patterson - Great Swamp WMA, access off Cornwall Hill Rd., park in designated areas only (6 car capacity) (YH, RS)

Sullivan County

  • Freemont - Crystal Lake State Forest (RS)
  • Mamakating - Bashakill Wildlife Management Area (RS)
  • Thompson - Wolf Brook Multiple Use Area (RS)

Ulster County

  • Hurley - Gill's Farm - Must obtain permission from landowner. (RS)
  • Rochester - Davis Farm - Must obtain written permission from landowner. (RS)
  • Rochester - Kelder Farm - Must obtain written permission from landowner. (RS)
  • Wawarsing - Ver Nooy Kill State Forest (Lundy Estate), access from Lundy Road off 209 (RS)

Region 4

For further information on release sites contact: - Bureau of Wildlife
- Schenectady Office at 518-357-2070 or
- Stamford Office at 607-652-7367

Albany County

  • Berne - Partridge Run WMA - See maps at all informational kiosks. (YH, RS)
  • Knox - Margaret Burke WMA - west side of Cty Rte 254. (YH, RS)
  • New Scotland - West side of Diamond Hill Rd. north of Clipp Rd. (RS)

Columbia County

  • Claverack - County Rte. 29 near Rte. 9H (RS)
  • Kinderhook - County Rte. 21 southeast of Dahlgren Rd. (RS)
  • New Lebanon - County Rte. 5A and Old Post Rd.- Ask permission (RS)
  • New Lebanon - West Hill near Royce Rd. (RS)
  • Stockport - Alvord Dock Rd. (RS)

Delaware County

  • Colchester - Bear Spring Mtn. WMA - Trout Brook Rd. (YH, RS)
  • Franklin - Rte. 357 west of Chamberlain Hill Rd. -Ask Permission; Stocking may not occur if hay/corn is cut. (RS)
  • Franklin- Off of Rt. 357 across from Merrickville Rd. on Town property. Must obtain perrmission to hunt surrounding private land. (RS)
  • Harpersfield - Peters Rd. northwest of Bruce Hill Rd. Park at designated parking sign. Two vehicles maximum. (RS)
  • Walton - Bear Spring Mtn. WMA - West Trout Brook Rd. (RS)

Greene County

  • Jewett - State land near Colgate Lake (YH, RS)

Montgomery County

  • Canajoharie - Seebers Lane - Ask permission (RS)
  • Canajoharie - Clinton Rd. north and east of Nestle Rd. intersection. (RS)
  • Canajoharie - Old Sharon Rd. between Mapletown and Tubbs Rd. (RS)
  • Canajoharie - North of Clinton Rd., east of 163 (RS)
  • Canajoharie - Maring Rd. near Rt. 89 - Ask permission (RS)
  • Canajoharie/Minden - Nestle Road - Ask permission (RS)
  • Palatine - McKinley Rd. near Oswegatchie - Ask permission (RS)

Otsego County

  • Middlefield - Co. Rt. 43 & 35 (RS)
  • Milford - Rt. 28 , South of Milford - Ask permission, must stay on farm road, do not drive on fields to avoid puddles and ruts (RS)

Rensselaer County

  • Nassau - North and south of Jefferson Hill Rd. at the intersection with Middle Rd. - Must ask permission by calling 518-766-4346 after 5 PM. (YH, RS)
  • Nassau - North of Mead Rd., 0.5-mi. east of CR-15 and 0.4-mi. west of CR-16 - Must ask permission by leaving a message at 518-766-3679 with name, vehicle description, and license plate number. (RS)

Schoharie County

  • Blenheim - Rt. 31, near Cole Hollow Rd. (RS)
  • Broome - Woods Rd. off of Route 145 near Franklinton Vlaie (RS)
  • Gilboa - Mace Rd./Mackeys Corners (RS)
  • Richmondville - Rt. 23, near McDonald Rd. (RS)
  • Schoharie - County Rte. 57/Deere Lane (RS)
  • Seward - Wineguard Rd. near Clove (RS)

Region 5

For further information on release sites contact: - Bureau of Wildlife
- Raybrook Office at 518-897-1291 or
- Warrensburg Office at 518-623-1240

Clinton County

  • Chazy - Lake Alice Wildlife Management Area (YH, RS)
  • Schuyler Falls - North of Brand Hollow Rd, west of Rt. 22B (RS)

Essex County

  • Westport - Near the junction of Lake Shore Rd & Clark Rd on state land (YH, RS)

Franklin County

  • Bangor - North of Rt. 11 between Brockway Rd. & Garvin Rd. (RS)
  • Fort Covington - Howard Rd. (also known as the Griffin Rd.) (RS)

Fulton County

  • Ephratah - Rt. 140 west of the Village of Ephratah (RS)
  • Ephratah - Rt. 67 Ephratah Rod and Gun Club (RS)

Saratoga County

  • Greenfield - Daketown State Forest (YH, RS)

Washington County

  • Greenwich - Carter's Pond Wildlife Management Area (YH, RS)
  • Hartford - Eldridge Lane (RS)
  • Jackson - Eldridge Swamp State Forest (YH, RS)
  • Whitehall - South of the Village of Whitehall between County Rt. 12 and the barge canal and along Greenmount Rd. (RS)

Region 6

For further information on release sites contact: - Bureau of Wildlife
- Watertown Office at 315-785-2261 or
- Potsdam Office at 315-265-3090 or
- Utica Office at 315-793-2554

Herkimer County

  • Danube - Nowadaga Creek (canal) (RS)

Jefferson County

  • Brownville - Perch River Wildlife Management Area (YH, RS)
  • Cape Vincent - Ashland Wildlife Management Area (RS)
  • Clayton - French Creek Wildlife Management Area (RS)

Lewis County

  • Croghan - Belfort Rd. (RS)
  • Martinsburg - East Martinsburg Rd. (RS)

Oneida County

  • Rome - Rome Wildlife Management Area (RS)
  • Verona - Verona Beach State Park Co-op (RS)
  • Whitestown - Oriskany Flats Wildlife Management Area (YH, RS)

St. Lawrence County

  • Canton - Upper & Lower Lakes Wildlife Management Area (YH, RS)
  • Louisville - Wilson Hill Wildlife Management Area (RS)
  • Macomb - Fish Creek Wildlife Management Area (RS)

Region 7

For further information on release sites contact: - Bureau of Wildlife
- Cortland Office at 607-753-3095 ext 247

Broome County

  • Triangle - Whitney Point Multiple Use Area (YH, RS)

Cayuga/Tompkins Counties

  • Ledyard, Genoa, Lansing - Cayuga Tompkins Co-op Hunting Area (YH, RS)

Cayuga County

  • Conquest - N. Montezuma Wildlife Management Area along Savannah-Spring Lake Rd. (RS)

Chenango County

  • Smithville - Long Pond State Forest (YH, RS)

Madison County

  • Hamilton - South of the Village of Hamilton along Payne Brook to Middleport Rd. or County Rte. 77. (RS)
  • Lenox - Ditch Bank Road along Cowaselon Creek (RS)

Onondaga County

  • Lysander - Three Rivers Wildlife Management Area (YH, RS)

Oswego County

  • Richland - Deer Creek Marsh Wildlife Management Area (YH, RS)
  • West Monroe - 3-Mile Bay Wildlife Management Area (RS)

Tioga County

  • Richford - Michigan Hill State Forest (YH, RS)

Region 8

For further information on release sites contact: - Bureau of Wildlife
- Avon Office at 585-226-5380
- Bath Office at 607-776-2165

Chemung County

  • Veteran - Bill Winkky Farm, Ridge Rd.; Permission required; Park in designated area; Limited to 2 vehicles - 4 hunters maximum (RS)
  • Veteran - Dick Winkky Farm, Veteran Hill Rd.; Permission required; Park in designated area; Limited to 2 vehicles - 4 hunters max (RS)
  • Veteran - Dick Winkky Farm, Dann Blvd.; Permission required; Park in designated area; Limited to 2 vehicles - 4 hunters maximum (RS)
  • Veteran - John Mann Farm, Smith Rd.; Permission required; House at NW corner of Middle and Smith Rds.; Park in designated area; Limited to 2 vehicles - 4 hunters maximum (RS)
  • Horseheads - Chemung Federation of Sportsmen property north of Wygant Rd.; Property located north of Wygant and East of railroad tracks; Park in area along railroad tracks. (RS)

Genesee, Niagara County

  • Alabama, Royalton - Tonawanda Wildlife Management Area (YH, RS)

Genesee County

  • Alabama - John White Wildlife Management Area (RS)
  • Darien - Darien Lake State Park (RS)
  • Oakfield, Alabama - Oak Orchard Wildlife Management Area (RS)

Livingston County

  • Conesus - Conesus Wildlife Management Area (RS)

Monroe County

  • Greece - Braddock Bay Wildlife Management Area (YH, RS)

Ontario, Yates Counties

  • Naples, Italy - High Tor Wildlife Management Area (RS)

Seneca County

  • Fayette - Poorman Farm, Poorman Rd. off Rt. 414 (RS)

Steuben County

  • Erwin - McCarthy Road. (RS)
  • Tuscarora - Nichols Farm on Thompson Road (RS)

Wayne County

  • Savannah - N. Montezuma Wildlife Management Area along Savannah-Spring Lake Rd. (YH, RS)
  • Wolcott/Huron - Lake Shore Marshes Wildlife Management Area (YH, RS)

Region 9

For further information on release sites contact: - Bureau of Wildlife
- Buffalo Office at 716-851-7010 or
- Allegany Office at 716-372-0645

Allegany County

  • Birdsall - Keaney Swamp Wildlife Management Area (RS)
  • New Hudson - Hanging Bog WMA along New Hudson Road (YH, RS)

Cattaraugus County

  • Conewango, Randolph - Conewango Swamp Wildlife Management Area - between Rte 241 and Conewango Creek. (RS)
  • Farmersville - Harwood Lake Multiple Use Area - Special permit required to hunt opening day Oct. 17.** (59 KB PDF) (YH, RS)
  • Red House - Allegany State Park, Wolf Run Rd. & Upper Bay State Rd. (free permit necessary from Admin. Bldg.) (YH, RS)
  • South Valley - Allegheny Reservoir Wildlife Management Area - vicinity of Bone Run off Onoville Rd. (RS)

Chautauqua County

  • Sherman - Alder Bottom Wildlife Management Area - off Idora Rd. and Rte 76. (YH, RS)

Erie County

Erie, Niagara Counties

  • Royalton, Newstead - Tonawanda Wildlife Management Area (RS)

Niagara County

  • Lewiston - Joseph Davis State Park - - Special permit required for hunting pheasants on Sat. Oct. 17, Sat. Oct. 24, and Sat. Oct. 31.* (YH, RS)
  • Newfane - East of Hess Road, near Charlotteville Road. (RS)
  • Somerset - Golden Hill State Park - - Special permit required for hunting pheasants on Sat. Oct. 17, Sat. Oct. 24, and Sat. Oct. 31.* (RS)
  • Somerset - West of Hosmer Road, between Townline Road and Hoffman Road (RS)
  • Somerset - East of Hosmer Road, between Haight Road and West Somerset (RS)
  • Wilson - Wilson-Tuscarora State Park - Special permit required for hunting pheasants Sat. Oct. 17 & Sat. Oct. 24.* (RS)
  • Wilson - West of Maple Road, between Nelson Road and Shadigee Road. (RS)

Wyoming County

  • Middlebury - Carlton Hill Multiple Use Area & Sulphur Springs F.W.M.A. Coop - 5 miles north of Warsaw. (YH, RS)

*Contact NYS Parks, Niagara Frontier Region to apply for permit, 716-278-1770

**Contact NYSDEC, 270 Michigan Ave., Buffalo, NY 14203, 716-851-7010