• Home
  • News
    • Politics & Government
    • Business & Economy
    • Crime / Courts
    • Health / Medicine
  • Sports
    • High School Sports
    • Radio Iowa Poll
  • Affiliates
    • Affiliate Support Page
  • Contact Us
    • Reporters

Radio Iowa

Iowa's Radio News Network

You are here: Home / Business / Poor outlook for pheasant hunting will impact state economy

Poor outlook for pheasant hunting will impact state economy

September 12, 2011 By Matt Kelley

A survey released last week showing Iowa’s pheasant population is at an all-time low is not only bad news for hunters, it’s a big blow for the Iowa economy. Kevin Baskins, spokesperson for the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, says hunters spend a lot of money on hotels, food and equipment – but they’re not spending as much when their chances for a successful hunt are affected.

“A lot of that spending occurs in Iowa’s most rural areas, where there’s more amble hunting opportunities,” Baskins said. “So, certainly this can have a big impact on main streets across the state because if we don’t have the pheasants, we’re not going to have the hunters coming into those smaller communities and spending money during that time frame.”

Iowa’s 2011 pheasant hunting season runs from October 29 through January 10, 2012. The D.N.R.’s roadside survey, conducted in August, found an average of 7 birds counted for each 30 miles of route driven. That compares to 11 birds per route last year. Baskins says the situation may not be as bad as it seems.

“A lot of our biologists and people who were involved in with that roadside count have noted that since the official count was over, they have been seeing more birds,” Baskins said. “We would guess at this point, if we are off in terms of our estimations, we’re probably off on the low side. There may be more birds out there than what we’re projecting at this point.”

The dwindling pheasant population is blamed primarily on five consecutive winters of above average snowfall, in addition to a series of cold and wet springs.

Link to DNR’s roadside survey:www.iowadnr.gov/Hunting/PheasantSmallGame/AugustRoadsideSurveyData.aspx

Share this:

  • Facebook
  • Twitter

Filed Under: Business, Outdoors, Recreation / Entertainment Tagged With: Department of Natural Resources, Hunting & Fishing

Featured Stories

Final employee who was there at the launch of the Iowa Lottery to retire

No more USPS mail in Iowa prisons; inmates to get copies of mail

State officials warn of influx of fake prescription drugs laced with fentanyl

‘Brain-eating amoeba’ discovered in Taylor County lake

Cedar Rapids therapist’s relationship with student leads to years in prison

TwitterFacebook
Tweets by RadioIowa

Hutchinson calls Iowa State a perfect fit

Northern Iowa’s Farley touts new practice facility

First minor league game gets things started tonight at Field of Dreams site

Knoxville set to host sprint car racing’s biggest event

Iowa State basketball builds on its identity

More Sports

eNews and Updates

Enter your email address:

Delivered by FeedBurner

Archives

Copyright © 2022 ยท Learfield News & Ag, LLC