ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — The Department of Environmental Conservation says it's about to release 30,000 adult pheasants on lands open to public hunting.

The pheasant hunting season begins on October 1 in northern and eastern New York, October 18 in central and western portions, and November 1 on Long Island.

Junior hunters, 12-to-15 years old, have the opportunity to hunt the weekend before the regular season starts.

A list of release sites is on the DEC website.

The birds were hatched at a DEC game farm and distributed as day-old chicks to volunteers who raised them to adulthood.