FWP to release more pheasants prior to opener

HELENA — Pheasant season opens this Saturday, Oct. 7.

To increase hunters’ opportunity for success, and to help encourage more hunters to participate this year, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks will release pheasants at several public hunting locations.

The release sites are at the following wildlife management areas (WMAs), fisheries conservation areas (FCA), fishing access sites (FAS) and Department of Natural Resources Conservation (DNRC) lands:

• Region 1: North Shore WMA, Foys Bend FCA (Hunting Friday-Monday by reservation only — call 406-752-5501.)

• Region 3: Canyon Ferry WMA, Lake Helena WMA

• Region 4: Freezout Lake WMA, Arod Lakes DNRC, Bullhead Ranch DNRC

• Region 5: Grant Marsh WMA, Yellowstone WMA, Clark’s Fork of Yellowstone FAS, Selkirk FAS

• Region 6: Lost River WMA, Fresno Reservoir WMA

• Region 7: Isaac Homestead WMA, Amelia Island WMA.

More releases are planned on FWP lands through pheasant season. For a detailed list, people can visit https://fwp.mt.gov/hunt/roosters-for-recruitment online. Releases will include both roosters and hen pheasants.

Last year, the Montana Fish and Wildlife Commission approved the release of up to 50,000 pheasants annually on FWP WMAs through 2026. In 2021, the Legislature authorized spending up to $1 million each year for the program.

For more information on hunting pheasants and other upland game birds, people can go to https://fwp.mt.gov/hunt/regulations/upland-game-bird. To read the upland game bird forecast, people can visit https://fwp.mt.gov/homepage/news/2023/aug/0830---2023-upland-game-bird-forecast online.