(Posted 1/16/09)

Paterson Reverses Decision on Pheasant Farm Closing

Harold Palmer, NYS Conservation Council president, has reported that he received a call from Commissioner Grannis. Grannis told Palmer that Governor Paterson had gotten his message and the pheasant farm will not be closed, and the birds will remain. Commissioner Grannis asked that Palmer and the Council work with the department on funding for all programs.
Read Copy of the TRO Filed by the NYSRPA (pdf)
Read Full Copy of the TRO (pdf)

Although this is an initial victory for New York's millions of sportsmen/women and wildlife enthusiasts, it appears there will be more challenges ahead for all of us, including gun and bow hunters, bass, walleye and trout/salmon anglers and all sportsmen in general as apparently Judith Enck, recently named Deputy Secretary for the Environment, seems dedicated to drastically cutting fish, wildlife and habitat programs within the DEC and funneling more of that money into environmental programs and projects. Questions still remain about how and where revenue in the Conservation Fund has been spent. Below are the actual pheasant program revenue figures as amassed by Rich Davenport.

Breakdown of Pheasant Hunting's Most Basic Fiscal Worth To New York

Here are the actuals based on USF&W data (we have been able to shift the debate to facts, we are in the driver's seat) estimates of pheasant hunters, breakdown, non-res, res and youth (estimate based on guess, as # of youths is too small to report on in total):
52,000 resident pheasant hunters x $16/ lic = $832,000
4,000 non-resident pheasant hunters x $55/ lic = $220,000
2,000 youth pheasant hunters x $5/ lic = $10,000
Pheasant hunters total funding through license sales = $1,062,000.00
Cost to operate game farm and state pheasant program = $750,000.00
Difference = + $312,000.00