cableguy119 - The severe decline in the PA pheasant population isn' t due to over-hunting. It' s due to farming practices that have changed in the past two decades or so eliminating much of the cover and habitat that these birds need. I don' t believe that the population would recover on its own if we limited the hunting of them. Stocking them (right now) is the only way to keep them around. Anybody else have a take on this? Now, the other question you raised, about continuing to stock a bird that has naturally declined and not sustainable, is a whole other debate.