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2007 Eastern Washington Pheasant Enhancement Pamphlet PDF Format (1.86 MB) Eastern Washington Regional Offices: REGION 1 (509) 892-1001 2315 North Discovery Place Spokane Valley WA 99218-1199 teamspokane@dfw.wa.gov REGION 2 (509) 754-4624 1550 Alder St. NW Ephrata, WA 98823-9699 REGION 3 (509) 575-2740 1701 S 24th Ave. Yakima, WA 98902-5720

Eastern Washington Pheasant Enhancement Program The Pheasant Enhancement Program was developed in 1997 by the Washington State Legislature. The idea was to develop a dedicated funding source to improve pheasant hunting in eastern Washington. Most of the funds are used to buy rooster pheasants for release on lands that are open for public access. The balance of the money will be available for pheasant enhancement grants to private organizations, individuals, and state or federal agencies. Since the 1980’s pheasant harvest has declined, with a few exceptions during years of favorable spring weather. Habitat loss has been the key problem. In 1991, WDFW initiated a very aggressive habitat enhancement program to address this continual loss. Until these habitat enhancement efforts can be established on a broad scale, the release of pheasants will help supplement harvest and maintain hunter opportunity. In 1997, the Legislature created the Eastern Washington Pheasant Enhancement Fund using a “surcharge” of $10 on eastern Washington pheasant hunters. Beginning in 1999 a simplified license system resulted in a single fee for small game hunters. The pheasant enhancement fund will be retained by dedicating a percentage of the small game license fees. It will be based on the number of eastern Washington pheasant hunters. The small game license is $32.85, it is $17.52 if purchased with any big game license, and kids under 16 years old pay $16.43, or $8.76 with a big game license. Click here to purchase your license online today! Each year thousands of pheasants will be released on public lands. Those release sites are shown on the maps in this brochure. Pheasants may also be released sporatcially on lands open under the Feel Free to Hunt Program. The idea behind the release of roosters in eastern Washington is to supplement the harvest. Releases will take place for the youth seasons on some of the sites in late September. We do not provide release dates because we want to minimize crowding at the release sites and to promote the highest hunter ethics possible. Habitat protection and enhancement continues to be the primary goal to maintain pheasant populations and hunting opportunity over the long term. WDFW invests up to $1.5 million each year on upland bird habitat management. The pheasant enhancement program will provide another $50,000 per year for habitat enhancements. These habitat enhancement grants are limited to lands open for public hunting within the primary pheasant production area of eastern Washington. Contact one of the eastern Washington WDFW offices for information about the habitat