Going into its fourth year, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks’ pheasant-raising program has more than doubled production while cutting costs and adding holding facilities in Miles City.

Roosters for Recruitment was launched to pen-raise birds for release on state lands in the fall to encourage youth hunting participation. Youngsters get early access to the birds during a special hunt that this year was held Sept. 27-28.

Montana’s general pheasant season runs from this Saturday, Oct. 11, to Jan. 1. The releases are spread out, including before the general opener and Thanksgiving.

“This is not an augmentation program, it’s a recruitment program,” Deb O’Neill, Special Project Unit administrator for FWP told the Fish and Wildlife Commission during a Thursday presentation.

It’s hard to say

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