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DNR News Releases

Archive by tag: wildlifeReturn

Habitat diversity draws bird watchers, hunters to Copeland Bend

• 7/16/2024 12:14:00 PM
• View Count 909

Forty miles south of Council Bluffs on the Missouri River is the 3,500-plus-acre Copeland Bend Wildlife Area, an expansive mix of grasslands and high-quality wetlands constructed after the extensive flooding in 2011, when the big river was closed to boating, and levees up and down the Big Muddy were breached.

Kirke Woods management topic of June 6 public meeting

• 5/20/2024 8:39:00 PM
• View Count 1928

BEVINGTON, Iowa - The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is hosting a public meeting to discuss past and future management of the 474-acre Kirke Woods Wildlife Area, on June 6, at 5:30 p.m., at the Bevington City Hall.

Forney Lake management is topic of June 4 public meeting

• 5/14/2024 9:46:00 AM
• View Count 2055

HAMBURG, Iowa - The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is hosting a public meeting to discuss past and future management of the 1,317-acre Forney Lake Wildlife Area.

Leave wildlife babies where they belong --- In the wild

• 4/23/2024 12:16:00 PM
• View Count 2286

It's as predictable as May flowers - from border to border, the Wildlife Baby Season has arrived in Iowa. From now until at least mid-June, DNR field offices across the state will be inundated with hundreds of phone calls and scores of deliveries regarding "orphaned wildlife."

Annual spring wildlife spotlight survey underway

• 4/2/2024 11:44:00 AM
• View Count 2245

Staff with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) are currently conducting their annual nighttime spring spotlight surveys across the state, collecting information on Iowa’s deer and furbearer populations.

Come Join the Frog and Toad Call Survey!

• 3/22/2024 6:02:00 PM
• View Count 2674

Calling all wildlife watchers! The Iowa DNR will be hosting two more frog and toad call survey training workshops in 2024.

Opportunity to help track frog and toad populations in Iowa

• 3/19/2024 2:27:00 PM
• View Count 2580

It’s 10 o’clock on a summer night along a gravel road anywhere in Iowa. In the farm pond next to the road, a raucous chorus of male frogs are making themselves heard as they vie for mates.

Number of donors to the Chickadee Tax Check-off continues to decline

• 1/23/2024 12:40:00 PM
• View Count 3391

Last year, more than 5,800 Iowa taxpayers helped boost wildlife conservation with donations to the Fish and Wildlife Fund on their state tax form.

DNR to host an open house on the Towhead Lake Wildlife Area

• 12/14/2023 2:07:00 PM
• View Count 4787

Fonda, Iowa - The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is holding an open house on Jan. 4, 2024, from 4 - 7 p.m. to discuss the habitat management, recreation use, wildlife populations and other topics of interest for the Towhead Lake Wildlife Area.

Donations allow DNR to complete wildlife tracking system to monitor migration

• 12/12/2023 12:00:00 PM
• View Count 3745

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has received two $60,000 donations that will allow it to complete its Motus Wildlife Tracking System Network across the state within the next five years.

Illinois man fatally shot while waterfowl hunting on Saturday

• 11/13/2023 2:37:00 PM
• View Count 4694

PANORA - The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is investigating a fatal hunting incident that occurred Saturday in Guthrie County.

Spirit Lake man identified as victim of Saturday’s hunting incident

• 10/23/2023 1:18:00 PM
• View Count 6379

MILFORD - Joseph Salmon, 18, of Spirit Lake, was injured Saturday morning while waterfowl hunting along the shore of a slough at the Spring Run Wildlife Area, in Dickinson County.

Oxbow Bottoms Wildlife Area won't remain a secret for long

• 10/10/2023 12:13:00 PM
• View Count 4774

Bordered by the Iowa River to the east and U.S. Hwy. 30 to the north is one of the newest public areas in Central Iowa - the 260-acre Oxbow Bottoms Wildlife Area – a floodplain grassland-wetland complex in Tama County.

Harmon Lake Wildlife Area ready for a busy fall

• 10/3/2023 12:38:00 PM
• View Count 3831

Standing at the gravel boat ramp on the middle pool of Harmon Lake, among a dense stand of bur-reed full of seeds, four noisy trumpeter swans appeared over the trees then banked west at the sight of unwelcomed visitors.

For those willing to hike, South Skunk Wildlife Area offers off-the-beaten-path experience

• 9/26/2023 12:54:00 PM
• View Count 4246

A 40-foot strip of wild plum-lined land leads from the one-and-only parking lot on the north end of the South Skunk Wildlife Area, to a large remote floodplain grassland in southern Jasper County.

Secluded Winford Wildlife Area supports quality deer and pheasant populations

• 9/19/2023 1:52:00 PM
• View Count 4006

That narrow access lane off a dead-end road is the only way in and out of the Winford Wildlife Area, a 637-acre floodplain grassland, just north of Oskaloosa. 

Popular wildlife area emerges from historic ‘Flood of ‘93’

• 9/19/2023 1:50:00 PM
• View Count 3899

West Fork Wildlife Area in Palo Alto County was developed after the historic flood of 1993, then expanded after the floods of 2018 and 2019 as landowners exited the floodplain.  

Experience the rugged beauty of the Loess Hills at Green Hollow and Blackburn areas

• 9/12/2023 1:30:00 PM
• View Count 3419

Tucked in to the southern end of the Loess Hills, within eyeshot of I-29 and nearly adjacent to Forney Lake, is the Green Hollow and Blackburn wildlife areas and state park complex in northwest Fremont County.

Brook trout thrive at South Pine Creek wildlife area

• 8/29/2023 2:08:00 PM
• View Count 3414

The brook trout in South Pine Creek might be the most well-known of the trout species in the Hawkeye State. And for good reason. This strain has been confirmed through two genetic assessments as unique to Iowa.

Open house to discuss Barber Creek and Wapsi Wildlife Areas forest wildlife stewardship plans

• 8/28/2023 9:43:00 PM
• View Count 2411

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) will hold an open house on Sept. 14, from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Clinton County Conservation Board office.

Idlewild Wildlife Area forest management plan topic of Sept. 21 open house

• 8/28/2023 9:40:00 PM
• View Count 2407

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is holding an open house for the neighbors of Idlewild Wildlife Area and others interested in the public area to discuss forest management plans.

Rugged and remote, Tubaugh Wildlife Area packs a lot into its 533 acres

• 8/22/2023 12:14:00 PM
• View Count 2896

Three wild turkeys disappeared quietly into the edge of the timber as Shane Frevert pulled his truck into the northeast parking lot at the Tubaugh Wildlife Area.

Riverton Wildlife Area wetland pumping delayed

• 8/18/2023 2:43:00 PM
• View Count 2890

Riverton, Iowa- A delay in the delivery of the precast concrete and new metal screw gate required to replace the failing Spring Creek outlet at the Riverton Wildlife Area will impact the ability for the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to pump water on to the main marsh, north of county road J46.

Hawkeye shooting ranges to reopen Friday

• 8/18/2023 8:19:00 AM
• View Count 3515

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources will reopen three shooting ranges at the Hawkeye Wildlife Area on Friday, August 18.

Hawkeye Wildlife Area to host 12th Annual Pelican Festival

• 8/16/2023 7:25:00 AM
• View Count 2949

SWISHER, Iowa - The public is invited to the 12th Annual Pelican Festival, Aug. 27, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., at the Hawkeye Wildlife Area, near Swisher.

High quality trout stream, timber make Big Mill Creek Wildlife Area popular year round

• 8/16/2023 7:19:00 AM
• View Count 3065

The parking lot at the northwest corner of the Big Mill Creek Wildlife Area provides a good spot to people watch, or more precisely, vehicle watch. Cars and trucks and SUVs coming and going, up and down the access lane to Mill Creek, where drivers try their luck with the local trout population.

Big Creek Wildlife Area is hidden in plain sight

• 8/9/2023 7:30:00 AM
• View Count 3887

Often overlooked for its similarly named state park or mistaken for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers sprawling Saylorville Wildlife Area, Big Creek Wildlife Area is roughly 3,100-acre, one stop outdoor shop just 10 minutes from Ankeny.

Diverse and unique, Dugout Creek-Yager Slough wildlife area packs a lot into 1,600 acres

• 7/25/2023 11:40:00 AM
• View Count 2747

Dugout Creek-Yager Slough wildlife areas south of Lake Park, in western Dickinson County, is home to an array of marshes plus two unique and rare habitat types in the state - one of the largest and highest quality wetland fen complexes in Iowa and high-quality remnant prairie.

Swan Lake Road closed for road improvement project

• 7/18/2023 11:45:00 AM
• View Count 2716

SWISHER - A section of Swan Lake Road on the Hawkeye Wildlife Area west of Greencastle Road, will be closed for several weeks while a bridge is being replaced.

Central Iowa birding opportunities abound at Chichaqua - Neal Smith Bird Conservation Area

• 7/5/2023 12:08:00 PM
• View Count 3529

Dedicated in the spring of 2005, the Chichaqua-Neal Smith Grassland Bird Conservation Area (BCA) is an important stop along the bird migration. Based on weather radar, an estimated 800 million birds migrate through Iowa in the spring, and up to one billion in the fall, which puts Iowa in the top five states in the country for volume.

Rugged and wild, Kirke Woods Wildlife Area is central Iowa’s newest public wilderness

• 6/13/2023 1:10:00 PM
• View Count 3067

Kirke Woods Wildlife Area, north of Bevington in northeast Madison County, is a new 240-acre mix of oak and hickory timber, and maple and cottonwood bottomlands, a reconstructed prairie and a 30-acre wetland that is open to the public.

Different habitats on the Upper Wapsi Wildlife Area attracts and supports diverse wildlife

• 5/30/2023 11:48:00 AM
• View Count 5345

The Upper Wapsi Wildlife Area is returning to a mix of wetlands, timber, and prairie that traditionally would make up this area, hosting various wildlife from sandhill cranes, Canada geese, red-shouldered hawks, bobolinks, pheasants, to wild turkeys, blandings turtles, smooth green snakes and white-tailed deer.

Leave wildlife babies where they belong --- In the wild

• 4/18/2023 4:11:00 PM
• View Count 3276

It's as predictable as May flowers - from border to border, the Wildlife Baby Season has arrived in Iowa. From now until at least mid-June, DNR field offices across the state will be inundated with hundreds of phone calls and scores of deliveries regarding "orphaned wildlife."

Iowa DNR to begin annual spring burning, Iowa River Wildlife Unit

• 3/30/2023 1:45:00 PM
• View Count 3267

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) will be conducting prescribed burns this spring on wildlife areas managed by the Iowa DNR’s Iowa River Wildlife Unit, and by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, in Cedar, Linn, Johnson, Benton, Iowa, Tama, and Mahaska counties.

Annual spring wildlife spotlight survey underway

• 3/28/2023 11:37:00 AM
• View Count 3140

Staff with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources are currently conducting their annual nighttime spring spotlight surveys across the state, collecting information on Iowa’s deer and furbearer populations.

Iowa DNR to begin annual spring burning, Cedar Wapsi Wildlife Unit

• 3/27/2023 3:51:00 PM
• View Count 2592

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) will be conducting prescribed burns this spring on wildlife management areas managed by the Iowa DNR’s Cedar Wapsi Wildlife Unit in Floyd, Chickasaw, Butler, Bremer and Buchanan counties.

Martens Lake project delayed, construction expected for fall

• 3/21/2023 11:40:00 AM
• View Count 2945

The project planned for Martens Lake in Sweet Marsh Wildlife Area has been delayed due to site conditions not progressing as expected.

Iowa DNR to begin annual spring burning, Black Hawk Wildlife Unit

• 3/20/2023 4:18:00 PM
• View Count 2185

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) will be conducting prescribed burns this spring on wildlife areas managed by the Iowa DNR’s Black Hawk Wildlife Unit, and by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, in Sac, Calhoun, Crawford, Cherokee, Buena Vista, and Pocahontas counties.

Iowa DNR to begin annual spring burning, Clear Lake Wildlife Unit

• 3/20/2023 3:52:00 PM
• View Count 2047

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) will be conducting prescribed burns this spring on wildlife management areas managed by the Iowa DNR’s Clear Lake Wildlife Unit in Cerro Gordo, Hancock, Franklin, Winnebago, Worth and Wright counties.

Annual Prairie Chicken Day Set for April 1, in Kellerton

• 3/14/2023 2:20:00 PM
• View Count 4000

Kellerton, Iowa - The first rhythmic and haunting cooing begins as the night sky fades and sunrise begins. The short grass prairie booming grounds prepares for a display found nowhere else in Iowa.

DNR to host open house to discuss Boone Forks Wildlife Area forest wildlife stewardship plan

• 3/7/2023 12:19:00 PM
• View Count 2540

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) will hold a public open house on March 23, beginning at 6 p.m., at the Hamilton County Conservation Board, 2490 Briggs Woods Trail, south of Webster City, to discuss a proposed forest wildlife stewardship plan at the Boone Forks Wildlife Management Area (WMA).

Black-capped chickadees astonishing secrets

• 2/14/2023 11:58:00 AM
• View Count 7038

Black-capped chickadees survive the harshest winters with amazing adaptive behaviors and abilities. From adjusting their core body temperatures to shedding and adding brain cells to memorizing hundreds of locales of stashed foods, these tiny wonders have astonishing secrets.

Oxbow restoration project returns unique ecosystem to Cedar Rock Wildlife Area

• 2/13/2023 9:45:00 AM
• View Count 6028

Staff with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Cedar Wapsi Wildlife Unit were working to install wetlands on the Cedar Rock Wildlife Area when the opportunity to restore an oxbow on the Wapsipinicon River came along.

Harsh winter across North Iowa is reminder habitat is critical for wildlife survival

• 2/7/2023 8:24:00 PM
• View Count 6155

State Acres for Wildlife Enhancement (SAFE) is a nationwide Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) practice within the continuous sign-up administered by the Farm Service Agency (FSA).

Number of donors to the Chickadee Check-off continues to decline

• 1/24/2023 11:57:00 AM
• View Count 10122

Last year, more than 6,200 Iowa taxpayers helped wildlife conservation with donations to the Fish and Wildlife Fund on their state tax form, which is nearly 1,000 fewer than who donated in 2020.  and represents about 0.4 percent of total taxpayers in Iowa.

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