(Lewis) The 2023 August pheasant population survey brings good news to Iowa’s hunters. The survey showed the highest statewide counts since 2015, with the biggest increases coming from the state’s southwest, northwest, and northeast regions.
Bryan Hayes, with the DNR Office in Lewis, says the statewide average was nearly 23 birds per route, a 15 percent increase over 2022.
The survey showed 12.72 birds per route in southwest Iowa compared to five last year, the highest count in 15 years.
Based on roadside counts, if hunters turn out as they have over the past few years, they can expect to harvest around 400,000 roosters.
