NYS Department of Environmental Conservation is continuing to give hunters more "PARTY DAYS" as they've released over 30,000 non-native ring-necked pheasants to be killed by waiting hunters around the state. Just 2.8% of NYS residents are hunters: the DEC continues to ignore the public's overwhelming opposition. The people want wildlife conservation - not wildlife carnage, violence and slaughter!
These birds don't have a chance; they are hand-raised, used to humans feeding them so they don't even avoid the hunters! Every year from 25,000-160,000 birds are raised by the DEC, released and killed by hunters as the DEC "stocks" parks and even wildlife refuges with the helpless birds. The DEC claims the hunting program does "no harm"! But this program fills the environment with cruel traps and lead pellets from shooters, even as the pheasants devour the food supply of our native species: everything from migrating songbirds, grouse and quail have been driven to near-extinction levels as the larger pheasants take prey and foraging food, leaving the native species starving.
In the hunti-the-pheasant "recreational" slaughter program, youth and teens are encouraged to begin a career killing birds/wildlife, - let's not forget the connection with harming/killing animals and mass shootings, and that the Buffalo NY and Uvalde, TX shooters were known animal abusers. Hunting desensitizes the shooter to the pain and suffering of others; exposure to "trophy" and canned hunts are proven to increase the incidence of violence and anti-social behavior in youth and hunting families, while most of society is working to reduce violence!
Tell the NYS DEC and Governor Hochul to END THE CRUEL PHEASANT HUNTS in NYS. This unpopular hunting program serves the 2.8% of the public, and is condemned by the rest.
Support this work at NY4Whales.org/donate; NY4Wildlife is a project of ny4whales.org, a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization.
