The pheasant was introduced to the state of Wisconsin in the late 19th century and fast became a popular bird for hunting. While originally the bird thrived in the state, it didn’t take long before it began to decrease in number due to urban expansion. With crop lands diminishing and being replaced with towns, cities, and malls, the pheasant ran out of viable habitat. Wisconsin in recent decades though has recognized the state-wide pheasant decline and has made valiant efforts to reintroduce this once plentiful species.

Today the best pheasant hunting in Wisconsin is found in the southeast of the state along with some of the west-central regions. While many states have formed pheasant and wildlife conservation programs, Wisconsin’s efforts have seen enormous increases in the bird population. The Wisconsin Pheasant Stamp was created in 1991, with the sale of each stamp contributing to the conservation of this beautiful fowl. With the money raised, the state was able to better restore and manage pheasant habitats. Many acres were preserved for nesting and winter habitats, and without it the pheasant would be nearly extinct.

The areas restored for pheasant habitat are also available for other uses. They provide excellent pheasant hunting, fishing, trapping, hiking, nature study, and berry-picking. Some areas even allow a hunter to train his dog or are the venue for field trials. There are dozens of parks, forests, and wildlife preserves throughout the state for the hunter to choose from.

Wisconsin also offers a number of forms of wildlife rehabilitation which has helped to raise awareness and restore pheasant numbers. Many organizations provide temporary care to the injured, sick, and orphaned wildlife of the area with the goal to release the animals to their native environments. It can be a challenge when rehabilitating animals to keep them assimilated to the type of food and shelter necessary to survive in the wild, but with much research and effort these organizations are able to release with a great success rate. There are also many licenses available to the private citizen with an interest in offering rehabilitative services for wildlife. Doing some research online will allow the concerned citizen to get in touch with the necessary state agencies to acquire the proper licenses. With the great effort on the part of the state to conserve habitat and the pheasant species, the state is a great example of what concern for the nation’s wildlife can do.




By: Abhishek Agarwal