Pheasant hunters in Iowa eagerly await the 2023 season following an excellent harvest in 2022. The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is gearing up to determine the fall forecast by conducting its annual roadside pheasant counts, commencing on Aug. 1. DNR staff will traverse 218 30-mile routes on gravel roads at dawn on days with heavy dew between Aug. 1 and Aug. 15. This method is effective as hen pheasants, along with their broods, gather at the edge of gravel roads to dry off before beginning to feed, making them easier to count. Previously, in June, the DNR issued its forecast based on a weather model using data from past winter and spring snowfall, rainfall, and temperatures. The model indicates that pheasant numbers are expected to be better than last year, bringing good news for hunters. The most accurate indicator for the fall season will be the August roadside survey, covering over 6,000 miles of rural gravel roads, counting actual pheasants sighted. Data on other wildlife, such as quail, partridge, cottontails, and jackrabbits, will also be collected. Results from the August roadside survey will be available online at www.iowadnr.gov/pheasantsurvey in early September. Pheasant season in Iowa is set to begin on Oct. 28.
