Iowa pheasant hunters are eagerly anticipating the 2024 season following last year’s success, and a measure of how the season might go begins tomorrow (Thursday). The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) commences its annual roadside pheasant counts on Aug. 1 to forecast the fall season. Between Aug. 1 and 15, Iowa DNR staff will survey more than 200 30-mile routes on gravel roads at dawn, when heavy dew prompts hen pheasants to bring their broods to the roadside to dry off, making them easier to count. In June, the DNR issued a prediction for the counts using a weather model based on winter and spring snowfall, rainfall, and temperatures. The model suggests pheasant numbers may be lower than last year. However, the August roadside survey, covering more than 6,000 miles of rural roads, provides the most accurate fall forecast. The survey has been conducted every year since 1962 and also gathers data on quail, partridge, cottontails, and jackrabbits. Results will be posted online at www.iowadnr.gov/pheasantsurvey in early September. Iowa’s pheasant season begins on Oct. 26.
