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REPORT OF BOARD OF FISH AND GAME COMMISSIONERS. 
PHEASANT RAISING. 
Arranged by Chas. A. Vogelsang. 
INTRODUCTION. 
The State Fish and Game Commissioners, realizing that there is a 
strong and unsatisfied demand by hotels, restaurants, and by private 
citizens who do not hunt for wild game, and with a constantly increasing 
population, which renders it necessary to place greater restrictions (such 
as longer closed seasons and lessened bag limits) upon the amount of 
game that can be taken, believe that the situation could best be met 
through the establishment of a game farm, where pheasants and other 
game birds could be raised and distributed throughout the State, to 
people who would agree to give them proper protection and attention, 
and would take up the work of propagation seriously. The raising of 
pheasants in captivity has been carried on for years in European coun¬ 
tries, and with considerable success in Eastern States. 
It is the intention of the Fish and Game Commissioners to recommend 
at the forthcoming session of the legislature that pheasants raised in 
captivity can be sold in the markets. It would mean a new industry 
and would serve a double purpose. It would reduce the drain on wild 
game in the field, and give the profit that formerly went to market 
hunters to citizens and taxpayers who engage in a legitimate business. 
At practically every session of the legislature for the past ten years 
some variety of game bird or animal has been added to the nonsale list, 
leaving wild ducks, wild geese and rabbits the only game that can be 
sold in the markets. It is only a matter of a very short time until wild 
ducks are added to the nonsale list. 
The establishment of the game farm has been rendered possible by the 
hunting license law, which provides yearly a large revenue. Such a 
farm has been established near Hayward, Alameda County, at a cost 
of approximately $10,000, which includes in its equipment, houses, barn, 
water tank, pumping plant, pens, horse and wagon, necessary tools, and 
the original stock of birds. Our first year’s work was performed under 
serious disadvantages. We raised, however, 1,200 pheasants. We 
expect to have 3,000 for liberation this year. All expenses in connection 
with this game farm are paid out of the hunting license fund, without 
taxing the general fund of the State one cent. 
As an aid to those who are desirous of embarking in such an enter¬ 
prise, v r e offer the following brief account of methods that have been 
proven successful by this Commission and other experienced breeders. 
