Minutes from a 2005 Illinois DNR Advisory Board meeting confirm the $9 per bird is an operational loss and Illinois Office of Management and Budget spokeswoman Kelley Quinn said "raising pheasants at a financial loss, just so they can be killed" was a "not our top priorities" last year.
But the program dodged a bullet and provides "recreation" to adults and children this very month on public lands.
Illinois citizens may be without jobs, healthcare and sometimes homes but thanks to IDNR they have a steady stream of pheasants to shoot and are safe from carp attacks.
(Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher).