High Rainfall Amounts Could Impact Pheasant Population

(Lewis) The abundant rainfall this spring will likely hurt the pheasant population this fall. John Lorenzen of the Iowa Department of Natural Resources stated that the weather impact won’t be known until the roadside count is conducted in August to estimate the pheasant numbers for the upcoming fall hunting season. Lorenzen mentioned that pheasant numbers in Iowa tend to decrease after snowy winters, followed by cold, wet springs.

Specifically, snowy winters of 30 inches or more and cold, wet springs with eight inches or more of rainfall in April and May likely cause a decline in pheasant numbers in Iowa. On the other hand, pheasant numbers remain relatively stable with average weather conditions of 20 to 30 inches of snow and spring with six to eight inches of rainfall.

Lorenzen expressed concern, especially since many areas where pheasants nest are low-lying and prone to flooding, such as waterways, road ditches, and buffers along creeks.