The pheasants we have here--Nebraska, USA--seem to have first come up from a relased population in Kansas (state to the south of Nebraska) about 1910 or so. Over the next decade, additional birds were released on an intermittent basis: some years a few hundred, some none. In the 1920s, a few thousand a year were released, most years. First season was in 1927, limited to areas where the population was judged to be strong enough.

Most hunting in Nebraska these days is of wild birds. Game and Parks is releasing a bunch of birds in some wildlife management areas that have been designated for youth hunts, to try to provide more opportunities for youth to hunt. There are a few private game farms where birds are released ("planted")for shooters. Driven shoots on the English model are almost unknown, although a local variant was done occasionally in the '40s and '50s.

As might be expected, the best populations are in areas where small grains are grown: in this part of the state the focus on corn and soybean production has cut populations far below what were seen in the '60s and '70s. Weather this year could have been better, but the numbers I'm seeing while out driving around have been pretty good.