One of Iowa’s most popular hunting seasons gets underway this in one week. Department of Natural Resources conservation officer Andrea Bevington says wild turkeys are some of the most popular game for hunters in Iowa. There are four different turkey-hunting seasons, and in all they last more than a month.
Bevington says when it comes to hunting turkeys during those spring seasons, it may be not what you know — but who you know, that owns some land in a rural area. Most of the land in Iowa is privately owned, and hunters depend on the landowners to let them hunt on their property. For this quarry, they’ll be looking around the timbered edges of cornfields, fence lines and creeks.
Spotting a likely location isn’t enough. Bevington says the law is clear that hunters must have permission before taking aim. Bevington says you must get express permission from the landowner, go up in person and request permission from the owner before entering the land to hunt, fish or trap. She says it’s a good idea to produce your hunting license, so the owner of the land knows you’re doing it legally.
Bevington’s been working on the case of three bald eagles found dead recently within a few miles of Bedford, in southwest Iowa’s Taylor County. She hasn’t learned much, though there is now a reward of at least $3,000 being offered for helping to solve the case.