Iowa
When does Iowa’s pheasant season open? Here’s the bird outlook for this fall
Hiking safely during hunting season
Outdoor pros share safety tips with hikers who are exploring nature and fall foliage during hunting season.
Iowa’s pheasant hunting opens this month after one of the strongest seasons the state has seen since 2007.
There were an estimated 83,600 pheasant hunters participating in the 2023 season. The highest bird populations are expected to be in west-central and northwest regions, followed by central and north-central Iowa.
As the fall harvest nears completion, hunters can expect more bird sightings. Roughly one-third of the pheasant harvest takes place within the first nine days of the season, according to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources.
When does Iowa pheasant season open?
The pheasant hunting season in Iowa begins Oct. 26 and lasts until Jan. 10.
When is the youth Iowa pheasant hunting season?
Pheasant hunting in Iowa starts with designated time for youth hunters to try to bag some birds. The youth season is Oct. 19-20. During this time, pheasant hunting is open to those 15 years old and younger.
More: Deer hunting season in Iowa is fast approaching. With new rules, here is what to know:
What is the outlook for the upcoming pheasant season in Iowa?
Statewide pheasant populations were found to have 19 birds per 30-mile route, according to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources’ annual August roadside survey. This is a decline from previous years, likely due to the wetter-than-normal spring during nesting season. Those hunting in Iowa can expect a harvest between 350,000 to 400,00 roosters, according to the IDNR.
“We’ve had a population that could support this level of harvest, but until last year we didn’t have the hunter numbers,” said Todd Bogenschutz, upland wildlife biologist for the Iowa Department of Natural Resources.
How many pheasants were bagged in Iowa last season?
More than 590,000 pheasants were bagged last fall. Strong populations accounted for the 62% increase in harvest. This also resulted in a 32% increase in the number of pheasant hunters, according to the DNR. More than 83,600 hunters pursued pheasants in Iowa in comparison to the 63,500 pheasant hunters in 2022.
The drought and mild winters helped ground nesting birds including turkeys and pheasants, according to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources.
Kate Kealey is a general assignment reporter for the Des Moines Register. Reach her at kkealey@registermedia.com or follow her on Twitter at @Kkealey17.
When it comes to the Iowa Hawkeyes 2026 football season, it doesn’t get much bigger than Ohio State coming to Kinnick Stadium.
No one knows at this stage where the Buckeyes will be come Oct. 3, but Iowa has a chance to make an early impression against a team that is no stranger to winning the big one.
Iowa’s B1G schedule couldn’t get off to a worse start as they head to Michigan and then welcome the Buckeyes to Kinnick.
Hopefully for Iowa’s sake, their first three games against Northern Illinois, Iowa State, and Northern Iowa are enough to get them prepared. If not, things could get ugly.
ESPN Believes Ohio State is Iowa’s Biggest Opponent in 2026
The Michigan game will certainly be a test, but hosting the Buckeyes is a different animal. That gives the Hawkeyes an advantage like no other, and if there was ever a time to give OSU a run for their money, it’s in Iowa City on Oct. 3.
“The Hawkeyes haven’t faced Ohio State at Kinnick Stadium since 2017, when Nate Stanley threw five touchdowns as they stunned the Buckeyes 55-24. An early October win over Ohio State could propel Iowa into the Big Ten title and playoff conversations,” Jake Trotter wrote.
To put things into perspective, Indiana and Oregon were the other two teams that had the Buckeyes listed as their defining game in the 2026 season. Shockingly, Iowa was actually selected against a team, that being Minnesota. Seeing as that’s for the Floyd of Rosedale, it makes complete sense.
Iowa Can’t Let Regular Season Opportunities Go To Waste
Last year was seemingly the Hawkeyes’ first time to actually make the College Football Playoffs. They came up short as their losses to No. 16 Iowa State, No. 11 Indiana, No. 9 Oregon and No. 17 USC all added up. Sure, those were by a combined 15 points, but that doesn’t matter, as it’s bad enough that a three-loss team made the playoffs.
Iowa ended with a bang as they took down No. 14 Vanderbilt in the ReliaQuest Bowl, 34-27. Now, all eyes are on either Jeremy Hecklinski or Hank Brown. One of those men will have a chance to make their first B1G start at the Big House in Michigan.
It doesn’t get any tougher than that, as Iowa is immediately putting their new QB into deep water. They’ll have three games prior to that to get up to speed, but other than that, it’s go time as OSU awaits after their trip to Michigan.
Don’t forget to bookmark Iowa Hawkeyes on SI for the latest news. exclusive interviews, recruiting coverage and more!
MANCHESTER, Iowa — The state of Iowa lost a titan of the prep coaching world this week. Former Kee High School baseball coach Gene Schultz died on Monday at the age of 80.
Schultz spent 45 seasons as the baseball coach at Kee, helping turn the program into an Iowa dynasty. He won 9 State championships (not counting 2 fall titles, which the IHSAA doesn’t recognize in the record books), and took the Hawks to 19 State tournaments, which is also the most in Iowa history.
His 1,754 wins are not only the most in Iowa history, but the most of any high school baseball coach in the country.
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