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| Each year the Iowa Department of
Natural Resources (IDNR) uses a roadside survey to assess its upland game
populations. The August Roadside Survey, as it is called, is
conducted on sunny calm, mornings, with a heavy dew on the grass, between
August 1st-15th of each year. Most upland wildlife, particularly
pheasants, hate to be wet. On mornings with a heavy dew, hen pheasants
bring their broods to the roadsides to dry off before they begin feeding.
This natural tendency allows the birds to be counted and reproduction can
be evaluated by counting the number of broods seen and their size.
Survey routes are 30 miles long and are entirely on gravel roads.
When conditions are favorable, Iowa DNR biologists and conservation officers
drive their assigned routes, at 10-15 mph, and count all the pheasants,
quail, partridge, rabbits, and jackrabbits seen. In all, there are
210-30 mile routes driven (6,300 miles) every August to assess Iowa’s upland
game populations. Most counties have 2 routes, and the information
from all of these routes is condensed to produce Iowa’s
small game distribution map.
To see the 2009 information on ring-necked
pheasants, along with comparisons to the previous year's survey click here.
The full 12-page
2009
August Roadside Survey Report is also provided here in PDF format for interested individuals who would like to see more detailed and long-term trend information.
To view this file you must have Adobe
Acrobat Reader installed on your computer. Use the button below to
obtain a free download of the latest version of the Acrobat Reader from
Adobe.
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Buy Iowa Hunting Licenses On-line
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Interested
in the August Roadside Numbers?
You can sign up here to receive
e-mail notification of the posting of the "2010 August Roadside
Report" as soon as it is posted to the web. This saves you time
and phone calls and allows us to get the report out in a timely manner.
Note: We do not retain information from prior
year sign-ups; you must sign-up each calendar year you wish to receive ARS notification.
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Last Update September 3, 2009
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