The Ring-necked Pheasant in New 
Jersey. 
The report of the New Jersey Fish and Game Com- 
mission for this year contains an exhaustive and highly- 
interesting review of the work undertaken to stock the 
State with the ring-necked pheasant. We quote the 
following paragraphs: 
In many of the States of the Union the ring-necked 
pheasant has been introduced with success, although in 
nearly every case its introduction was due primarily 
at least to private enterprise. There is perhaps no 
State better adapted to this bird than New Jersey, 
especially the southern part, where the sparsely settled 
yet cultivated country seems to offer them a home where 
they may propagate their species without assistance 
from human kind. For it must be remembered that in 
most places where the ring-necked pheasant has been 
introduced it was propagated by the eggs being placed 
under the common hen, the parent bird declining to 
sit long enough to hatch out the young or to take care 
of them after they had left the shell. Experiments tried 
in this country show that the female bird makes a bet- 
ter mother in this country than it does in England, and 
many instances are recorded of the bird rearing its own 
young. Scientists attribute this to the more prolific 
insect life in this country; they argue that in Europe, 
and in England especially, insects are less numerous 
than they are here, and that consequently there the 
pheasant has enough to do to provide for its own sub- 
sistence without troubling itself with a numerous pro- 
geny. Be the facts what they may, it is well established 
that the ring-necked pheasants in this country take care 
of their own young. 
All these facts having been taken into consideration 
your commission concluded to try the experiment of 
introducing the ring-necked pheasant into New Jersey. 
For this purpose a number of birds were sent out two 
years ago, care being taken to provide homes for them 
where there was a probability of their being looked 
after for some time. Everywhere they were received 
with pleasure, especially so in farming communities. 
The inhabitants had observed with regret the diminu- 
tion in the numbers of the indigenous ruffed grouse 
and they welcomed the beautiful stranger. No argument 
could be adduced against the bird, for it destroys no 
growing crops, pilfers little of the fallen grain and far 
more than compensates for the loss of the grain by the 
destruction of insects. The result of the experiment 
was closely watched, and it was so encouraging that 
your commission was induced to continue its efforts 
toward the better introduction of the bird. Last year 
the number put out was increased over that of the pre- 
ceding year, and although failures are reported in a 
few instances, a perusal of the subjoined letters will 
probably bring the careful reader to the conclusion ar- 
rived at by your commission, that the bird may be in- 
troduced into New Jersey, and that with a close season 
for a few years, and proper care, it will soon become 
more numerous here than the ruffed grouse. _ Your 
commission has no desire whatever to persist in the 
experiment of introducing the bird unless there is at 
least a probable chance of its ultimate success, and in 
order that yourselves and the public generally may 
know just what degree of success or failure has attended 
the experiment, letters were written to those who had 
received birds, inquiring as to what had been the out- 
come. All the answers to these letters are herewith re- 
produced, both for information as to the experiment 
itself and for the purpose of guiding such persons as 
may in the future feel inclined to assist in the introduc- 
tion of the bird. 
Ring-necked pheasants have been distributed to coun- 
ties as follows: Atlantic county 6, Bergen county 37, 
Burlington county 63, Camden county 6, Cape May 
county 12, Cumberland county 98, Essex county O, 
Gloucester county 24, Hudson county 0, Hunterdon 
county 12, Mercer county 18, Middlesex county 18, Mon- 
mouth county 24, Morris county 42, Ocean county 24, 
Passaic county 18, Salem county 54, Somerset county 
0, Sussex county 6, Union county 6, Warren county 6; 
tU From 4 Fish and Game Warden George W. Phifer, 
Manumuskin, Aug. 24, 1898: They have done grandly 
in our county, 1 know myself of several flocks of 
them, and I also know of a nest of twenty-nine eggs 
hatched last week. Colonel Willets told me he had 
two nests in his meadow this spring, and there are num- 
bers of them down along the Maurice River. It seems 
that they all do well, as none of them are found dead. 
J have heard from several other counties with similar 
reports. They seem to have wintered very well. 
From Mr. William W. Woodward, Newton, Aug. 
24, 1898: I have been able to find three broods of 
young ones. These birds are all where they will have 
plenty of protection. We have more birds in our coun- 
ty to-day than I have seen for years, and if the com- 
mission can keep up its work of stocking I can see no 
reason why we cannot have better shooting than ever 
before. 
From Fish and Game Warden Harry R. Dare, Bridge- 
ton, Aug. 24, 1898: The ring-necked pheasants thrive and 
do ' excellently here, and make good sport. I have 
located broods of ring-necked pheasants this season both 
in this and Salem county. 
From Mr. John P. Hutchinson, Bordentown, Aug. 
24 1898: Four pair of pheasants were released on and 
near my farm at Georgetown, where I resided last year. 
Two cocks I believe to be alive; the others were de- 
stroyed. Two hens are reported alive without any 
young. One nest has been reported; the eggs failing to 
hatch. 
From George W. Dunham, fish and game warden, 
Flemmgton, Aug. 25, 1898: In April, 1897, you sent me 
twelve pheasants— three cocks and nine hens. They 
were turned out in different localities, between Fleming- 
ton and the Delaware River, a distance of about ten 
ririles. Wherever they were placed the farmers promised 
to protect them and prohibit gunning that year. This 
was done, and so far as I can learn but four birds were 
shot. Three of the hens, however, were killed by mow- 
ing machines, leaving but six to hatch. Last December, 
after careful investigation, I found that there were at 
least sixty birds in the vicinity where they were re- 
leased. 
I have visited these farms recently and find the res'ult 
most satisfactory, the farmers having taken pride in pro- 
tecting the birds and feeding them during the winter. 
Many of them fed with their fowls all winter. Several 
have been killed by mowing machines this summer, as 
they nest in the tall grass near the underbrush, and can- 
not be seen. I attach hereto the names of some of the 
fanners upon whose lands they have hatched, and do not 
hesitate to say there are at least 300 birds in the imme- 
diate vicinity where they were first released. 
There is exceptionally fine cover for them in that 
locality. This, together with the protection afforded 
them, accounts for the increase. A few of the young 
birds scattered, but I do not learn of any nesting far 
away, and the old ones are still on the ground where 
they were turned out. Other broods are reported, but I 
am unable at this writing to say positively that the in- 
formation is true; these farms are situated in three ad- 
joining townships. The old pheasants on them number 
at least 100, and quail are abundant throughout that 
section. The report is made upon personal examina- 
tion, and the numbers are not exaggerated. 
From Assemblyman E". C. Hutchinson, Trenton, Aug. 
26, 1898: I do not think that under the present game 
law there is much use in putting out ring-necked 
pheasants. We had quite a large number hatched, but 
I do not believe that there is one living to-day, all hav- 
ing been killed off. If we could protect them for two or 
three years I feel confident that we could get quite a 
stock of birds around here. The farmers would pro- 
tect them if the law gave them an opportunity. 
From Gus Hilton, fish and game warden, Anglesea, 
Aug. 26, 1898: The ring-necked pheasants you sent me 
were all put out, and all lived and are doing well. They 
laid and hatched out their young. There were plenty of 
nests to be seen in the places where I put these birds out, 
and now there are plenty of young birds. I think the 
birds all right. They seem to be very healthy and 
strong, and no doubt can stand a hard winter. 
Fix m Mr. George Van Buskirk, secretary of the 
Farmers' Game Protective Association of Bergen coun- 
ty, Hackensack, Aug. 26, 1898: I cannot report as good 
success with the pheasants as I did in regard to the quail. 
I have requested all the farmers to look after them and 
report to me if they had seen .any young broods. They 
have reported from time to time having seen the old 
birds, but no young ones, with the exception of one 
report I have just received from Paramus, where they 
have seen one brood of twelve young birds. These were 
all doing well. There is no doubt that others have 
hatched out some, but we have not seen them. 
From Mr. Joseph B. Righter, secretary of the Den- 
ville Game Protective Association, Denville, Aug. 26, 
1898: After a varied experience in trying to raise the 
young ring-necked pheasants under setting hens, and 
not having succeeded to any appreciable extent, we 
turned them all loose, and since that time they have 
done finely, most of them remaining in the neighbor- 
hood of their former captivity. 
From Senator Robert B. Engle, Beach Haven, Aug: 
27,1898: For the birds sent me last year I cannot give a 
very good report. I heard of only two nests of them, 
which were both destroyed by reaping machines, as they 
seem to prefer the fields to nest in. I have not heard 
from them this year.. From the twelve sent me this 
year I hope to report more favorably. I have heard of 
two broods that were successfully hatched. 
From Mr. M. L. Hoagland, secretary of the White 
Meadow Club, Rockaway, Aug. 27, 1898: In addition 
to the three cocks and six hens received from you, we 
purchased six hens, making twelve hens and three cocks 
in all; these were put in coops separately, with one cock 
and four hens to a coop; they began laying on April 
16, and averaged nine eggs per day till they had laid 
in all 308 eggs up to about the latter part of July, and 
then they stopped. The eggs we hatched under hens 
and found that Bantam hens are far superior to any 
other kind; in fact nearly all we lost were with large 
hens, so there is no question but that Bantam hens are 
the best to mother the chicks. We also found the first 
eggs were by far the best, producing stronger chicks 
and a larger percentage than those laid later in the sum- 
mer. Out of the 300 and odd eggs received we hatched 
about 230 chicks; these we kept in runs made of iin. 
mesh wire, 4ft. wide and 8ft. long, with a tight coop 
in one end for the mother hen. All the birds we hatched 
out at first died from different causes, but I think the 
most fatal of all was the lice, which seem sure death to 
little pheasants; it was not till we had lost by far the 
greater number of those hatched that we found out how 
to care for them, so we could raise them with any de- 
gree of success, and by that time our old hens had 
stopped laying. Of the 230 chicks hatched out we have 
only succeeded in raising to maturity thirty-six, which 
we have recently liberated. This seems a very poor 
return for all our trouble and expense, but I am certain 
that next year we. can raise seventy-five per cent, of 
those hatched; when we began last spring no one knew 
anything about raising them, and we went by such in- 
structions as we could gather, with the result that we 
lost nearly all our birds, and it was not till we began to 
follow the dictates of common sense that we succeeded 
in raising any. I would advise any one trying to raise 
pheasants to burn up all printed matter he may have 
on the subject and go at it to reproduce, as near_ as 
possible, the natural conditions as the birds would find 
them in the woods, giving them all kinds of insects and 
plenty of fresh water. There is no reason why they 
cannot be raised if they are property cared for; the last 
hen we had came off hatched eleven birds from thirteen 
eggs, and we raised nine of the birds, and let them go, 
so you see if we had been able to do anything like that 
at first we would have had a fine lot, but experience is 
absolutely necessary, and when we began we had none; 
however, we propose to keep our old birds over 
till next year, and fully expect to raise a good lot of 
birds. I hope that those who, like us, have tried to 
raise them and failed, because of inexperience, will not 
get discouraged and quit, but will keep at it till our 
State is well stocked with them. We hope for some 
good results from the thirty-six young birds we turned 
out this summer^ as if they breed at all and we raise 
some more next year we will soon get the country 
stocked with them. 
From Assemblyman David O. Watkins, Woodbury, 
Aug. 27, 1898: The pheasants have become extinct, and 
nothing is seen of any of them; a number were killed 
the season after they were put out. 
From Fish and Game Warden James Huston, Jr.,. 
Trenton, Aug. 29, 1898: Of the six pair of ring-necked 
pheasants which were sent here to Mercer county three 
pair I can give a definite account of. The other three 
pair were taken down the country into the pines by- 
Assemblyman E, C. Hutchinson, and of these I have not 
been able to secure any information. Of the three pair 
turned out within eight miles of Trenton I can give an 
account. One pair hatched out nine young and another 
pair hatched out three; they were all healthy and strong. 
The third pair was unfortunate, ' their eggs being de- 
stroyed by a field mower unintentionally. They seem 
to be a. very tame bird, which makes them an easy 
mark for the gunner, but I do not believe that they 
were all destroyed, for I was informed by a farmer that 
two of them were seen last Friday a week ago about 
four miles from Trenton. 
From Fish and Game Warden B, W. Brown, Roselle, 
Aug. 29, 1898: I have not heard much about the ring- 
necked pheasants excepting in this county, where I 
know there is a flock of eighteen from the six which 
were put out here. I feel confident that they will do 
well here if they are given a chance. 
From Assemblyman Joseph B. Crispen, Salem, Aug. 
29, 1898: The ring-necked pheasants put out this year 
have done exceedingly well. The three I let out on my 
farm have eighteen young birds with them. 
From Colonel J. Howard Willets, Fort Elizabeth, 
Aug. 29, 1898: The pheasants sent last year did splen- 
didly, and if they had not been killed by law in the fall 
we should have had hundreds of them for breeding 
this spring. The last consignment this spring also did 
well. I placed two hens and a cock from last year's 
birds in a pen; one hen laid twenty-seven eggs and the 
other thirty-two, but neither hen would set. I took 
the eggs and placed them under a bantam chicken, and 
they hatched out two broods. These lived and' did well, 
and this spring 1 turned them loose, so we had them 
to begin with. This spring's consignment of one dozen 
I turned out at once. I located four nests, and they all 
hatched out well, one of thirty-one, one of twenty-six 
and one of twenty-two. The last nest had only nine 
eggs; as they were very late I judged that something 
destroyed the first nest, and that the hen laid only 
nine on second laying. A farmer mowed over her 
nest, and as they were all "pipped" and the workmen 
kept the hen from returning to the nest, he notified 
me, and at noon I went over and got the eggs, placed 
them under a hen, and the next morning they were all 
hatched. I took them back, found the old bird (with my 
dog) and I let the young go. Their "peep" soon 
brought the mother, and she has the whole nine, save 
one, now. I saw them yesterday; they are the size of 
quail. A farmer told me last week that he had found a. 
nest of thirty-one eggs a few weeks ago, and watched; 
them until they hatched every egg. The only reason E 
can see that will prevent the plan of introducing therm 
here is that they will go to the open fields of grass and! 
especially meadows to breed, and as the law permits, 
shooting and they in tire open they will all be killed as; 
fast as they breed, and before they become numerous; 
enough to be compelled to take to the woods. The three 
farms upon which we haA^e seven bi'oods that we know 
of we shall be compelled to "post" this year, and keep 
everybody off in order to save the birds. Our local 
sportsmen we can control, and they will not kill them, 
but the reed and rail bird shooting here brings so many 
strangers that they follow it up when the quail season 
comes in, and we can protect the pheasants in no other 
way. The "out" birds in the woods will no doubt, many 
of them, be killed. I know of at least a dozen broods 
in the woods within two or three miles, which shows 
that they will soon spread over a large area of terri- 
tory, and I think enough of them will escape this fall to 
insure the success of their introduction. They breed 
such large broods, take good care of their young, stand, 
the winters well and will no doubt multiply. If we had! 
only had last year and this year, while they were gaining 
a foothold, a close season, we would have made a com- 
plete success of their introduction, and would probably 
after that never had need of anything. 
From Senator Robert C. Miller, Alloway, Aug. 30. 
1898: I hear most favorable reports from the ring-' 
necked pheasants. They passed the winter very nicely 
and have been noticed during the summer by several 
who say they have increased in number. I believe the 
result will prove very satisfactory. 
From Mr. W. E. Cox, Cream Ridge, Aug. 31, 1898: 
In regards to the ring-necked pheasants we went accord- 
ing to instructions, and built two pens, 20 by 10, with 
house at one end. They did finely, laying nearly 100 
eggs, of which about fifty hatched out. Unfortunately 
we could not raise the young; we tried aH kinds of 
feed, but it was of no use. The old birds are doing- 
finely; we shall try again, and if we do not succeed turn 
the birds out. 
From Assemblyman Charles Wright, Columbus, Sept. 
1, 1898: Of the six ring-necked pheasants received last 
spring I can report that one hen died the day of arrival. 
One cock and one hen we cannot account for at present. 
The other cock is about, and the two hens each have 
broods, one of eleven and one of thirteen; so we think 
they have done very well, and appreciate receiving them. 
From Mr. James G. West, Vincentown, Sept. 1, 1898:. 
The birds are doing well. They have been seen several' 
times lately, and one has twelve or fifteen young ones. , 
From Fish and Game Warden Newell,. Salem,. Sept., 
1, 1898: I regret to say that most of the ring-hecked 
pheasants were shot off last year before the law came in.' 
Lawless characters shot them because they wanted them., 
for mounting and mantelpiece ornaments. They covered 
up their violations of the law under the pretenpe of 
woodcock shooting. Subsequently the people here did 
all they could to protect the birds, and I think they will 
now have a chance to multiply. 
