(Des Moines) Mild winter and spring weather across much of Iowa will benefit pheasant hunters this fall. DNR Fisheries Biologist Bryan Hayes says the DNR uses a model based on winter and spring weather conditions, previous weather data, and more than 50 years of pheasant roadside population surveys to predict pheasant population trends for the fall.
Audio PlayerStatewide, snowfall from December through March averaged one inch above average. Still, the northern third of Iowa, and the central region, received significantly more snow, likely reducing hen survival in the northwest and northcentral areas where total winter snowfall exceeded three feet.
The southern third of Iowa received very little snow all winter, and hen survival should be excellent in the state’s southern region. Southern Iowa’s mild winter will also lead to high quail numbers too.
