The annual Iowa roadside pheasant survey began this past Sunday, and the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is out on the roadways taking count. The impact of a cold and snowy winter as well as the driest spring since 1994 will likely be seen during the count that runs through Aug. 15. Staff members drive the 218, 30-mile routes on gravel roads at dawn on mornings with heavy dew. Hen pheasants will move their broods to the edge of the gravel road to dry off before they begin feeding, which makes them easier to count. The adverse winter could have hurt hen survival rates, but a dry spring likely resulted in nesting success. Upland Wildlife Research Biologist, Todd Bogenschutz, says because of these factors, they are expecting to see status quo or a slight increase. “It will be interesting to see the survey results,” he adds. “The conditions for the survey are important as the accuracy of the counts depend on the dew conditions when the routes are run,” Bogenschutz explains. “While the drought conditions have eased across most of Iowa, we are still fairly dry.” The survey has utilized the same routes since 1962 and collects data on not only pheasants, but also quail, partridge, cottontails and jackrabbits. Results will be posted online in early September and a link for those can be found below. Pheasant hunting season opens on Oct. 30.
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Pheasant Survey results: www.iowadnr.gov/pheasantsurvey