This fall, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks will release nearly 18,000 birds on wildlife management areas, fishing access sites and some school trust lands around the state as part of its Roosters for Recruitment Program.

This is the third year of the annual Roosters for Recruitment pheasant release program. In 2022, the Fish and Wildlife Commission approved the release of up to 50,000 pheasants annually on state lands through 2026. In 2021, the Legislature authorized spending up to $1 million each year for the program.

The program’s purpose is to get youth and new hunters out in the field and have success early to encourage future hunting and participation in conservation around the state. In Montana, like other states, fish and wildlife conservation is funded?primarily through license dollars. Hunting and fishing are active ways to support wildlife management, habitat protection and conservation efforts. Montana is responding to the nationwide initiative to retain, recruit and reactivate hunters by implementing programs that offer increased opportunity and participation.

A map of the release sites is available at fwp.mt.gov/hunt/roosters-for-recruitment.