(I guess Iowa DNR doesn't want anyone forwarding information from their site. They cry to get more hunters to travel to Iowa but I can't copy the web address for the survey or the survey maps. It's a pain anyway. Search "Iowa Pheasant Survey". An article will pop up, but you have to click on a link to get to the survey with map.) Over the years, I've spent hundreds of hours on more than a few state hunting sites and in my opinion, Iowa has the most difficult site to navigate of anywhere I hunt. Wouldn't surprise me if they won their site development as a prize in a Cracker Jacks box.

RING-NECKED PHEASANT

Statewide: This year the statewide pheasant index of 22.5 birds/route represents a significant increase

over last year’s estimate of 19.5 birds/route. This year’s statewide pheasant population index is 17%

above the 10-year trend, and the highest index in the last 7 years. Counts in the NE and SW

regions were statistically higher than 2022. All other regions reported numbers comparable to 2022 with counts

showing upward or downward trends, but none statistically significant - meaning there was no consistent trend in

the counts within these regions; some routes increased while others decreased.

Iowa research indicates overwinter hen survival, brood survival, and nest success are the major factors

influencing annual changes in pheasant numbers. Statewide, the total hens (10%) and chicks (19%) counted on

routes this year were significantly higher than 2022. Statewide data on chicks/brood (measure of chick

survival) and age ratios (chicks per adult hen – measure of overall hen success), were also statistically higher (4%

and 17% respectively) than last year, suggesting from an overall statewide perspective that winter hen survival

and nest season success were better than in 2022. From a regional perspective the numbers suggest

status quo trends in the WC and EC regions, with positive trends in all other regions.

Overall, pheasant hunters in the Hawkeye state should expect pheasant numbers to be as good or better

than in 2022 in most regions. The NW, NC, WC, and C regions show the best overall densities, however hunters

in the EC and SE regions should see more birds compared to a year ago. Five (NW, NC, NE, WC, C) of the 9

survey regions reported pheasant averages of 25+ birds per route and should offer excellent hunting. Pheasant

hunting last fall in the Hawkeye state was very good and this fall should be on par with last year. Given this

year’s statewide index of approximately 23 birds per route, Iowa pheasant hunters should harvest

approximately 300,000 to 400,000 roosters this fall. As of early September, Iowa was still experiencing very dry

conditions across most of the state. If this pattern continues into October, Iowa could see an early crop harvest,

with most fields harvested and plowed by the pheasant opener. Hunter success is usually very good on openers

where most crops have been harvested. Hawkeye pheasant hunters could have another very good fall!

Northern Regions: Counts in all northern regions exhibited upward trends compared to last year. Counts in the

NE region showed a statistically significant increase and the 2023 count is the highest the region has seen since

1998!!. Counts in all three regions are above their 10-year averages. The NW region averaged 39.3 birds per route

which was the highest density of any region in 2023, while the NC region had the second highest average at

31 birds/route. All 3 regions should offer good to excellent pheasant hunting, particularly around public and

private lands with good winter habitat. Better counts in NW came from, Clay, O’Brien, and Osceola counties.

Floyd, Kossuth, and Winnebago counties reported better numbers in the NC region, while the NE region reported

the best counts in Bremer, Fayette, and Howard counties.

Central Regions: The WC region reported the highest counts in the central third of Iowa with 27.4 birds

per route in 2023, with the C region just a bird behind at 26.4 birds/route. Counts in the EC region showed a

non-significant downward trend, suggesting populations were unchanged from 2022. The EC region reported

fewer hens and broods than in 2022, which led to the lower counts. All 3 regions should offer good to excellent

hunting this fall where good quality pheasant habitat exists. The WC region reported better counts in Greene,

Guthrie, Sac, and Woodbury counties. The Central region reported good bird numbers in Boone, Grundy,

Hamilton, and Webster counties, while the EC region reported better numbers in Benton, Johnson, and

Jones counties.

Southern Regions: Counts across the southern regions all showed increasing trends compared to 2022,

however only the counts in the SW region were statistically higher than in 2023. Counts in SW region increased

146% and are the highest counts that region has seen in over 15 years. Counts in the SW and SC regions are above

their 10-year means, while the SE remains below its 10-year mean. Hunters should see better bird numbers in all 3

regions this fall. Some of the better counts in 2023 came from Adams, Cass, Jefferson, Keokuk, Louisa, Montgomery, Pottawattamie, Ringgold, Union, and Washington counties.

BOBWHITE QUAIL

Iowa’s statewide bobwhite quail index was unchanged from last year with 0.8 quail/route in 2023

compared to 0.9 quail/route in 2022. This year’s statewide quail index is -23% below the 10-

year average and -42% below the long term mean. Given the mild winter and lack of snowfall quail

numbers were expected to increase in 2023. Good winter survival is crucial for increasing populations in Iowa, as

Iowa represents the northern fringe of the quail range in the United States. Why counts were not better is a

mystery, as anecdotal reports across the region report good numbers of whistling males this spring. Counts

showed no statistically significant trend in any Southern region this year. Staff detected fewer broods in 2023 than

in 2022, which contributed to no change in populations. The SC region reported the best overall quail numbers in

2023, followed by the SW region. Better counts in 2023 came from Adams, Madison, Taylor, Union, and Wayne counties.

Hunters should focus quail hunting were there is a good mix of shrubs, ag fields, and weedy habitat.

GRAY PARTRIDGE

The 2023 statewide gray partridge count increased significantly (+43%) when compared to 2022. Partridge are only

found in the northern and central regions of Iowa, and counts showed upward trends in all regions, except the

NE region. None of the regional numbers were statistically significant, except for the increase in the WC region,

meaning there was no consistent trend in gains verses losses among routes within most regions. This year’s statewide

estimate is 13% above the 10-year mean and 32% below the long term mean. Gray partridge prefer the wide-open and

treeless agricultural lands of the northern two-thirds of the state. The NW, NC, and C regions reported the best densities

in 2023. Typically, partridge numbers increase following mild winters and when spring/summer precipitation is below

normal. Better counts in 2023 came from Boone, Buena Vista, Cerro Gordo, Emmet, Franklin, Hamilton, Palo Alto, Pocahontas, Sac, and Wright counties.