2009 Pheasant Hunting Program

MDIFW supports a pheasant program in cooperation with five Fish & Game Clubs and two dozen generous landowners in York and Cumberland Counties that have agreed to be release sites for approximately 1600 ring-necked pheasants that have been raised from 7-week-old chicks. We welcome the Camp Ellis Rod & Gun Club in Saco as a new cooperating club this year.

The summer of 2009 was a challenging year for raising pheasants in Maine given the prolonged period of cool, wet weather, one significant predation event and the confirmation of Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) in a couple of flocks. Together, these factors contributed to a much higher mortality rate than is normally experienced. In an effort to maintain quality of hunt, we have reduced the number of release sites and ordered additional adult birds to help compensate for the losses. For additional information on EEE, please see September 28 press release.

Funding for the acquisition and care of birds is derived exclusively from the sale of required state pheasant stamps, which can be purchased wherever hunting licenses are sold. The season on pheasant runs from Oct. 1 – December 31. Birds are only released at designated sites in York and Cumberland Counties. The daily bag limit is 2 birds, either sex. All other applicable hunting regulations apply to pheasant hunting. For the 2009 season, birds will be released on September 30 and the weekend prior to Columbus Day.

Please respect the private property of the cooperating landowners. Without the access they provide, there would be no pheasant program. Following is a listing of release sites with general street location as well as a link to an aerial photo of the release site. Hunt safely and good luck. If you have any further questions about this program, please contact:

Scott Lindsay
Regional Wildlife Biologist
MDIFW
358 Shaker Rd.
Gray, ME 04039
Phone: 207-657-2345 x 110
Email: scott.lindsay@maine.gov

2009 Release Sites

Whitney Tree Service, Gray
Long Hill Road.

Swett Rd., Powerline, Windham

Brickyard, Gorham
Across from Lachance Brick Company, Rt. 237.

Poleline Site, Gorham
Mosher Brook, Rt. 237.

Lowell Farm, Gorham
Crockett Road. *Note: Access property from small gravel pit on Hurricane Road

Parson Farm, Gorham
End of Brown Road.

Grondin/Parson's Property
Poleline and area beyond yellow gate at end of Brown Road of Rt. 25, Gorham.

Parson's Property, Gorham
Mill Pond Road (off Rt. 114).

Acres of Wildlife Road, Standish
Field on east side of road (off Rt. 113 at Standish/East Baldwin town line.

Meserve Farm, Dayton
Gordon Road.

Ahearn Farm, Dayton
Rt. 5, 1 mile west of intersection with Rt. 35.

Sherman Farm, Dayton/Lyman
Wadlin Road.

Longview Plain Farm, Ken Moulton Property, 1069 Longview Plains Farm Road
South side Rt. 22 in Buxton.

Scarborough Marsh Wildlife Management Area, Scarborough
* Non-toxic shot only
Manson Libby Road. Access via Industrial Park.

Claras Farm, Brunswick
South side River Road just west of I-295.

Bragdon Pit Farms, Wells
Bills Lane (off Bragdon Road).

Blackberry Hill Area, Berwick
About .3 mile north of RR tracks.

Garrison House Field, York
York River overlook. Rt. 91.

Major McIntire Field, York
End of Major McIntire Road off Scotland Bridge Road.

Patterson Farm, Saco
Rt. 5. Across road from golf course.

Pikes Field, Cornish Intervale
Dirt Road (off Rt. 5). May drive to fields and park on edge of fields.

Stacey's Field, Parsonsfield
Banks Road. Park at cable, walk dirt road to field.

Mudgett Meadow, Parsonsfield
Mudgett Road. Park beside road

DEPARTMENT INFORMATION

2009 Pheasant Hunting Program

2009 Release Sites