Just saw this in the online NY Times: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/16/nyregion/16pheasant.html?hp

As someone who lived awhile in central NY, I naturally never found released birds the equal of wild. But some adapted quickly and were game enough. Aside from pay-to-shoot preserves, that's been it for pheasants in NY state for many years. Too bad, especially considering that license fees reportedly covered the cost. If more cash was needed, they could certainly have introduced a pheasant stamp, as have other states.