| The ring-necked pheasant, native to Asia, was | | | | opportunities, thanks in part to the actions of the |
| introduced to Iowa about 1900 after being | | | | Iowa Department of Natural Resources both on |
| successfully introduced to the North American | | | | public and private land. |
| continent in 1881. | | | | However, efforts on public lands, including planting |
| Their introduction to Iowa was the result of a | | | | of native grasses, wildflowers and grain crops, |
| storm that destroyed the pens of breeder William | | | | have been offset by farming practices on private |
| Benton of Cedar Falls, freeing about 2,000 | | | | land. New farming techniques as well as structural |
| pheasants into the wild. | | | | development, residential and commercial, have |
| In 1910 the Department of Natural Resources | | | | eliminated more acres than have been replaced |
| began stocking the birds and today the ring-neck | | | | by the IDNR--thereby affecting future Iowa |
| pheasant has become the premier game bird of | | | | pheasant hunting prospects. |
| Iowa | | | | Information important to the hunter interested in |
| The combination of Iowa's grasslands and | | | | Iowa pheasant hunting can be found from the |
| croplands makes the state one of the top | | | | Iowa Department of Natural Resources, which |
| pheasant harvesting areas in the country. Many | | | | undertakes a yearly, roadside survey the first |
| retailers refer to Iowa as the pheasant hunting | | | | two weeks of August, when an attempt is made |
| capitol of the nation, making Iowa pheasant | | | | to assess the pheasant population. On cool, sunny |
| hunting an important part of the state's economy | | | | mornings with heavy dew, hen pheasants bring |
| For any hunter wanting an Iowa pheasant hunting | | | | their chicks to the roadside to dry off before |
| experience, the state offers classic pheasant | | | | they begin feeding. While the pheasants are on |
| habitat featuring cornfields with wide, grassy | | | | the roads conservation officers and biologists |
| draws, large tracts of Conservation Reserve | | | | have an opportunity to count the number of |
| Program grassland, and thorny brush--excellent | | | | broods and their size as they travel 6,300 miles |
| for shielding the birds from predators. | | | | of gravel roads. Other species of wildlife are |
| The future success of Iowa pheasant hunting | | | | counted as well as pheasants and the information |
| depends on maintaining the pheasant habitat, | | | | is used to produce Iowa's small game distribution |
| which currently varies from generally improved on | | | | map. |
| public lands to frequently ideal on CRP acres. A | | | | Although helpful in estimating pheasant numbers, |
| lack of uniformity characterizes conditions on | | | | the August survey numbers do not always reflect |
| private land, where farmers remove habitat and | | | | the number of pheasants hunters report finding. |
| acres to enlarge fields thereby diminishing its value | | | | Discrepancies could be due to the timing of the |
| as habitat for pheasants and decreasing their | | | | survey and the timing of the spring hatch, and |
| numbers. | | | | lower populations reported in August don't always |
| The north-central area of the state has, over the | | | | translate into lower harvests during hunting |
| years, offered the best Iowa pheasant hunting | | | | season. |