The Pennsylvania Game Commission is releasing about 8,400 new pheasants into hunting locations across Pennsylvania, including State Game Land 95 in the northern part of the county.

The releases are scheduled to take place over Wednesday and Thursday, Feb. 12-13.

According to Ian Gregg, the Wildlife Operations Division chief for the Game Commission, the pheasants to be released are “backup” pheasants who were raised in case the main supply of pheasants fell ill to a disease, such as highly pathogenic avian influenza.

“The primary breeder flocks have remained healthy to date and it is not feasible for the ‘backup’ birds to also be held into the upcoming breeding season,” Gregg said in a news release. “Therefore, these surplus pheasants will be released a few weeks before the end of the pheasant season to provide late-winter hunting opportunities.”

Pheasant hunting season in Pennsylvania runs through Feb. 28.