Over the next couple months a total of 710 ring-necked pheasants will be released at the Falls Wildlife Area near Hillsboro, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources.

Oct. 23 and Oct. 30 there will be releases of 100 and 170 pheasants, respectively. On Nov. 5 there will be 220 pheasants released, on Nov. 13 there will be 100 released and on Nov. 25 another 120 pheasants will be released.

In all, more than 15,000 ring-necked pheasants will be released at 25 Ohio public hunting areas this fall to provide additional hunting opportunities across the state, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR).

The ODNR Division of Wildlife will be releasing pheasants on Friday, Oct. 23, and Friday, Oct. 30, prior to the small-game weekends for youth hunters. Youth age 17 and younger can hunt statewide for rabbit, pheasant and all other legal game in season during two designated weekends, Oct. 24-25 and Oct. 31-Nov. 1.

Ohio’s small game hunting season begins on Friday, Nov. 6, with pheasant releases to take place Thursday, Nov. 5, and on Friday, Nov. 13. A final release of the year is scheduled to provide improved pheasant hunting opportunities throughout the Thanksgiving holiday weekend and will take place on Wednesday, Nov. 25.

A map showing release areas on the Tri-Valley Wildlife Area for the youth releases is available at: bit.ly/pheasantrelease.

A table of scheduled release numbers and locations can be found at: bit.ly/pheasantlocations.

Pheasant hunting season opens Friday, Nov. 6, and remains open through Sunday, Jan. 10, 2016, with a daily bag limit of two rooster (male) birds. No hens (females) can be killed. Females are all brown while the males have a green head, a red and brown body and long tail feathers.

Statewide pheasant hunting hours are sunrise to sunset.

ODNR ensures a balance between wise use and protection of our natural resources for the benefit of all. Visit the ODNR website at ohiodnr.gov.