MANSFIELD TOWNSHIP, NJ (Warren County) – The Rockport Pheasant Farm welcomed some new chicks on Monday.
According to the NJ Division of Fish and Wildlife, There were 5,536 pheasant chicks hatched in three hours at the farm located on Rockport Road in Mansfield Township.
The Rockport Pheasant Farm is a 492-acre facility, within the 1,274-acre Rockport Wildlife Management Area, operated by the N.J. Division of Fish and Wildlife. Acquisition of the production area began in 1912 and was completed by 1925. The first release of Rockport pheasants was made in 1923 and since then over 2 million pheasants have been raised at Rockport. All pheasants are produced for the sporting public (no pheasants are sold to the public); the operation is funded by the sale of the Pheasant & Quail Stamp, according to the NJ Division of Fish and Wildlife.
Pheasants raised at Rockport are stocked for “put and take” hunting on 23 Wildlife Management Areas throughout New Jersey, as well as the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area.
The Division of Fish and Wildlife’s Pheasant Program provides over 150,000 man-days of outdoor recreation annually, with approximately 12,000 hunters participating.
The Pheasant Program generates $2.6 million in income to local businesses such as gas stations, motels, diners, taxidermists and sporting goods stores. The cost of raising pheasants is borne completely by the Hunter and Angler Fund, which is comprised of revenue from the sale of hunting and fishing licenses and permits. No state tax dollars are used.
Beginning in early November the pheasants will be stocked on approximately 100,000 acres of state Wildlife Management Areas.
The Rockport Pheasant Farm continues to upgrade and modernize as technology improves and funding becomes available. In addition to serving the sporting public, the farm preserves valuable open space and is a popular destination for families and school groups seeking to learn about wildlife and enjoy nature.
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By: Jay Edwards
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