Interesting thread. Just got back from 8 days of pheasant hunting with a gun and dog named Parker. Four days in southwest Iowa and 4 days in SD. I have hunted the same farms in Iowa since 1970 never missing a year. Back in the early 70's after a blizzard the population dropped off to nearly nothing. They had 3 years of dry springs and the population came back. I think SW Iowa has had the perfect storm for the past two years; Wet springs and cold wet winters. My farmers are really concerned about the population and are talking about raising birds themselves even though they don't hunt or allow anyone else on the farms. Granted crops are still in the field but 6 good walking hunters killed one bird. The Iowa DNR made it even worse by increasing the fees. Fewer birds, more cost,dumb move! Having hunted many years there makes killing bunch of birds not important but seeing the DNR increase fees 20% and doing nothing but waiting on better weather to increase populations doesn't make much sense either. I agree with the theory that raising a bunch of pen raised birds will not increase the population but I do think they would be well served to take much of the funds from the out of state licenses and pay farmers to leave as much land as possible in a conservation CRP since most of the current land is coming out. Motels, resturants and stores really down due to no hunters. SD loaded with birds due to dry springs. Just hope Iowa comes back.
David
