State stresses safety as pheasant season opens

Pheasant season opens tomorrow morning at eight o’clock in Iowa, though state officials expect the number of hunters — and birds — to be lower than usual this year. Randy Edwards is a safety officer with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources and says hunting is a tradition for some whether they get birds or not.Some Iowa pheasant seasons bring out up to 170-thousand hunters. This year, the number may be down by ten or 20-thousand. As the season begins, Edwards says the prime concern is safety. He says the biggest problem is people driving with loaded weapons.In addition to the proper transportation of firearms, Edwards says there’s also concern about what the hunters will be wearing. He says it’s not required for hunters to wear orange, but it’s recommended for safety. Pheasant season runs through January 10th.