The state of Pennsylvania has failed miserably in their game bird management for quite a few years now. Back in the last 1960 to mid 1970's there were pheasants in most of the central eastern counties. I remember hunting all day on properties that adjoined each other just to the north of Allentown. Towns of Egypt, Ironton, Coplay, there were wild pheasants all over. You could hunt from daybreak to sunset and put up birds. Granted most were hens, but I remember one day putting up 13 cocks. Those were the days. The state released pheasants at 6 weeks of age on farms that they knew would not post their grounds, by the time the season started these birds were like wild birds. The state does not do that anymore. They stock full grown birds and from what I had read cut the stocking list in half from a few years ago.
There were also wild quail south of Harrisburg, around Carlisle mixed with pheasants. No more, you see a pheasant or quail now report it as seeing an endangered species.
The grouse, if it wasn't for the Ruffed Grouse Society, a lot of the habitat would be lost and a lot fewer birds.
A few years ago PA traded some wild turkeys for pheasants from South Dakota. The birds were released in two areas, one south eastern and the other north central (I believe). They had notices in general stores asking if you saw any pheasants. A few replies. There was no hunting allowed in these areas and maybe there still isn't. The south central area did well in propagation of young, whereas the north central part did not. The reason, that area never had pheasants before, why would it support them now. (this observation was a few years ago and I doubt if anything has changed.
This applies to the trout fishing as well, now most are federal fish and average about 10".
This once was a great state to bird hunt and trout fish in, but that was then.
