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Aug. 1, 2024Des Moines, Iowa |  By: Jeremy Werner

Iowa DNR getting ready for roadside pheasant count

pheasant

DES MOINES, Iowa - Pheasant hunters in Iowa are eagerly awaiting the 2024 season, following a successful year in 2023.

Because of that, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources' annual roadside pheasant count is underway to forecast the fall hunting season.

This survey, conducted through Aug. 15, involves DNR staff driving 225 routes totaling 6,000 miles on gravel roads at dawn to count pheasants and other wildlife.

The DNR's June weather model predicted a potential decrease in pheasant numbers compared to last year, but the August survey will provide more accurate data.

The survey also tracks quail, partridge, cottontails, and jackrabbits. Results will be available in early September at iowadnr.gov/pheasantsurvey, with the pheasant season starting on Oct. 26.