Iowa's dove hunting season opens today and DNR wildlife biologist Todd Bogenschutz says numbers are up despite some bad spring weather. "It was a challenge for some of the guys to do some of the food plots because you know the weather was just so goofy. Especially in April there was a snowstorm, … [Read more...]
Survey finds good pheasant numbers in most of the state
The state's pheasant population is expected to be up when hunters take to the fields, despite up and down spring weather this year. Iowa Department of Natural Resources wildlife biologist, Todd Bogenschutz says the results from the roadside survey show an uptick in numbers. He says he put the … [Read more...]
Waterloo men accused of illegally hunting deer
Two Black Hawk County men are facing 14 charges for allegedly taking two deer out of season. Iowa Department of Natural Resources conservation officer, Dakota Drish, says Waterloo police called him after officers found the men on the east side of the city. "They were on routine patrol and noticed a … [Read more...]
DNR taking comments on proposal to raise cost of hunting and fishing licenses
The price Iowans pay for an annual hunting or fishing license would rise from $17 to $20 under a proposal from the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. Joe Larscheid, chief of the Iowa DNR's Fisheries Bureau, believes the fee increases are long overdue. "It's been 14 years for most licenses and … [Read more...]
Iowa and Michigan families accused of plan to illegally take deer
A family in Michigan is accused of illegally hunting deer in Eastern Iowa for nearly 16 years. The investigation started last year when Eric Wright, a DNR conservation officer in Cedar County, noticed a trophy-sized buck in the area suddenly disappeared. "The locals had not said who had shot … [Read more...]
Pheasant harvest drops slightly in 2017
Pheasant hunters shot around 20,000 fewer birds last hunting season compared to the year before. Iowa DNR wildlife biologist, Todd Bogenschutz says the drop follows lower counts in the roadside surveys. "I kind of expected that because the roadside counts...were down 30%. We were in a drought when … [Read more...]
DNR asks hunters to help count turkeys
The Iowa Department of Natural Resources is asking turkey hunters and others to help them get an accurate count on the number of birds roaming the woods in Iowa. Wildlife biologist Jim Coffey says they have made it easy for you to report what you see with an area on their website where you can go … [Read more...]
Turkey hunters overcome cool spring conditions to nearly match last year
Iowa turkey hunters took home 11,700 birds this season which ran from April 7th to May 20th. DNR wildlife biologist Jim Coffee says that was down just 78 turkeys from last year. The total is good considering the weather conditions when things got started. "It had a lot of people concerned," Coffee … [Read more...]
Chronic wasting disease found for the first time in deer outside of northeast Iowa
The Iowa Department of Natural Resources reports the first confirmed case of chronic wasting disease (CWD) in a county outside of northeast Iowa. Widlife biologist Terry Haindfield says a doe taken in the first shotgun season tested positive for the disease. "In the southeast corner of Wayne … [Read more...]
Hunters take 4% more deer this year
Hunters shot 4,100 more deer this year than were taken the year before. Iowa Department of Natural Resources spokesman Tyler Harms says a total of 105,554 deer were shot with bows, shotguns, pistols and muzzleloaders. "The important thing is that we are hovering right around that 100,000 mark -- … [Read more...]