(Area) The Iowa Department of Natural Resources annual spring wildlife spotlight survey is underway.
The survey started in the 1970’s to track raccoon activity and has evolved into a method providing useful data on the state’s deer population along with coyotes, badgers, and other species. “There are routes in every county. Last year Iowa DNR personnel drove 4,700 mile at a slow speed with spotlights going out both sides just counting animals that they see.”
The 2022 survey, according to the Iowa DNR’s Bryan Hayes, produced a count of around 17,000 deer. Coyote numbers were up, bobcats were at their average, skunks increased, and raccoons were up for a 3rd year in a row. “That spotlight survey is a good trend survey used by Iowa DNR to track and manage wildlife populations across the state.”
Findings from the survey will be released this summer.
