Results of Iowa’s 2024 pheasant population survey are in and the results were nearly identical to the 2022 and 2021.
The annual August roadside survey found Iowa’s statewide pheasant population to be 19 birds per 30-mile route, down from 23 birds per route in 2023. The decline was expected after much of Iowa received 3-7 inches of rainfall above normal during the nesting season.
“Iowa hunters have enjoyed good pheasant hunting over most of the state for the past five seasons, including last year, when we had the highest harvest in 16 years. If our dry weather continues into fall, the corn and soybean harvest could be mostly complete by opening day, and that usually leads to good success,” said Todd Bogenschutz, upland wildlife research biologist with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources.
Based on the results of the August roadside survey, Iowa hunters can expect to harvest 350,000 to 400,000 roosters. Last year, Iowa saw an increase of an estimated 20,000 pheasant hunters over 2022, which helped push the harvest to nearly 600,000.
“Last year, pheasant hunting was the best it’s been since 2007, and while the numbers from the survey were lower, it’s shaping up for another good fall,” he said. The full report is available at www.iowadnr.gov/pheasantsurvey.
Iowa’s quail population was led by the southwest and west central regions of the state.
“Route after route, we had staff recording quail further into the west central region,” Bogenschutz said.
Iowa’s partridge population was lower, with the better numbers coming from the northcentral and northwest region. The rabbit population was higher than last year with the better population in the south half of Iowa, but good numbers can be found across the state.
The annual August roadside survey has been collecting data on Iowa’s upland game populations since 1962.
