...Illinois has historically been a productive state for wild pheasants, and, to my knowledge, the state has never had a stocking program in my lifetime (since 1940)...
We currently have a put-n-take pheasant program. At one time it was done entirely with state raised birds. But it now is done mostly with purchased birds. The put-n-take program is run on state owned land. It is a good thing, in that a lot of young, blue collar folks get to spend time in the field chasing birds. Most do not own dogs.
There was an attempt here to stop the put-n-take program, but that was stopped by some intense lobbying during regional hearings.
For a few years at least, about 2000-2005 I know the state biologists were stocking pheasant and quail, but that was mostly downstate.
Pete
