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Iowa DNR predicts a great pheasant hunting season in 2018

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IOWA- Iowa’s pheasant season opens October, 27.  and the Department of Natural Resources is reporting the second-highest pheasant population in a decade, leaving many hunters optimistic.

“We have good pheasant hunting across the state where we have good habitat,” said Todd Bogenschutz, upland wildlife research biologist with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources.

According to the DNR, results from the August roadside survey say hunters can expect to harvest 250,000 to 300,000 roosters this fall. Last year, an estimated 55,000 hunters harvested 221,000 roosters. That’s 2,000 fewer hunters than in 2016.

“We have the birds to support a harvest of 400,000 but we need more hunters to reach it,” Bogenschutz said. “We have a similar pheasant population estimate as 2007 when we shot 600,000 roosters but the difference between 2007 and today is 30,000 pheasant hunters. Until more hunters return, we won’t see our harvest match what the population can support.”

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Bogenschutz says:

“Hunters have options when it comes to pursuing pheasants. Much of Iowa’s public land is managed to benefit pheasants, plus, landowners in Iowa are friendly to hunting if hunters are willing to knock on some doors,  And we have our Iowa Habitat and Access Program partnership between the two where we work with participating landowners to provide public hunting access to private CRP land.”

According to their website, Iowa’s youth-only pheasant season is for hunters age 15 and younger. The two day season is October, 20-21.

The Iowa Pheasant Season

According to Iowa hunting laws, Iowa’s pheasant season is October 27, 2018 -January 10, 2019, shooting hours are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The daily bag limit is three rooster pheasants with a possession limit of 12. Hunters must have a valid hunting license and habitat fee.
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DNR’s Leads on Places to Hunt

The Iowa DNR’s online hunting atlas lists nearly 700,000 acres of public hunting land, including more than 25,000 acres of land enrolled in the popular Iowa Habitat and Access Program (IHAP) allowing hunter access to private land.

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