Old Saratogian

It's just my observation, but it seems stocking pheasants is detrimental to other game birds, particularly grouse. There are a couple areas where I hunt birds that didn't used to be stocked with pheasants, but are now. Even with the general decline of grouse populations, I would flush a few grouse in these areas before they started stocking pheasants. Since they started stocking, I've seen almost no grouse. I think the combination of a competing species, along with all the hunting pressure for stocked pheasants has disrupted the grouse in these areas. It seems crazy to me to spend resources stocking a game bird that won't survive a single season if it further harms the viability of another game bird that is sustainable in the wild, but is already under pressure. If the state wants to stock pheasants, do it in marginal habitat that is easily accessible to hordes of hunters who don't mind 'put-and-take' hunting. Leave the productive grouse and woodcock habitat undisturbed.