Pheasant season has begun and the Wyoming Game and Fish Department raises and releases pheasants at many locations around the State. If you are interested in keeping up with the releases for the Ocean Lake and Sand Mesa Wildlife Habitat Management Areas (WHMA) outside of Riverton, Wyoming, you should check out the online calendar.

The calendar shows each day that pheasants will be released this season. Wildlife Biologist Greg Anderson updates the calendar as well to give the public important season notices and up to date information if releases need to be postponed or canceled.  If there are no special notifications on the calendar, hunters can expect that birds were released as scheduled. 

Personnel generally release birds after the close of shooting hours on the release day (after 2 pm). Birds are released on Sand Mesa WHMA throughout the area directly north of Bass Lake and at all public access sites along the west and north side of Ocean Lake WHMA except the boat ramp. This year a new release spot and a new parking area have been added above Pond #5 on the east side of Ocean Lake. 

An average of over 3700 pheasants have been released on the Sand Mesa and Ocean Lake WHMAs annually since 1996. Of the pheasant released, 40-45% are typically males and the remaining 55-60% are females.

Any pheasant may be taken on the Sand Mesa and Ocean Lake WHMAs during the release period (check your regulations for specific dates). And please keep in mind that all hunters need a pheasant management stamp to hunt in these areas.