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DNR News Releases

Archive by tag: wildlifeReturn

Transformation taking shape at Rathbun Wildlife Area

• 6/11/2019 3:37:00 PM
• View Count 4697

Change is coming to the west end of the Rathbun Wildlife Area, along the south fork of the Chariton River that has long been sought out by deer and turkey hunters for excellent habitat along the river corridor.

6 cool things you should know about flying squirrels

• 6/5/2019 10:42:00 AM
• View Count 13875

It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s a… flying squirrel? Rarely spotted, these critters are Iowa’s smallest squirrels.

Dudgeon Lake wildlife area remains popular despite 2011 storm

• 5/7/2019 2:34:00 PM
• View Count 2903

It’s been nearly eight years since the Derecho blew through Benton County, but the impact of that storm on Dudgeon Lake Wildlife Area is still easily visible off Hwy. 150. The popular 1,800-acre public area on the north edge of Vinton was in the path of the powerful storm packing 110-130 mile per hour winds, knocking down buildings, powerlines and trees on July 11, 2011.

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

• 4/30/2019 11:44:00 AM
• View Count 6228

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."

14 state parks to host University of Iowa Wildlife Camps

• 4/30/2019 11:43:00 AM
• View Count 4639

This summer, the University of Iowa is partnering with 14 Iowa state parks to host Wildlife Camps for kids across the state.  

Annual spring wildlife survey underway

• 4/9/2019 12:07:00 PM
• View Count 3068

Ordinarily, a slow moving vehicle at night in the Iowa countryside spotlighting deer, raccoons or coyotes would send Iowans to their phone, speed-dialing their local conservation officer, but in this case, it may be the officer doing the shining.

Prairie Chicken Restoration Efforts in Iowa

• 4/2/2019 2:03:00 PM
• View Count 8856

Greater Prairie Chickens (Tympancichus cupido pinnatus) commonly nested in Iowa until about 1900. In the 1880s prairie chickens were the most abundant gamebird on Iowa’s prairies.

Iowa DNR to begin annual spring burning

• 3/18/2019 12:42:00 PM
• View Count 2568

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources will be conducting prescribed burns this spring on wildlife management areas managed by the Iowa DNR’s Black Hawk Wildlife Unit in Sac, Buena Vista, Calhoun, Crawford and Ida counties.

Iowa DNR to begin annual spring burning

• 3/18/2019 8:31:00 AM
• View Count 2979

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) will be conducting prescribed burns this spring on wildlife management areas managed by the Iowa DNR’s Prairie Lakes Wildlife Unit in Buena Vista, Clay, Emmet, Palo Alto and Kossuth counties.

Sport the plates that support the resources

• 2/20/2019 7:58:00 AM
• View Count 3814

Iowans can put their support for conservation on cruise control by purchasing a natural resources license plate when it’s time to renew their vehicle registration.

How Iowa's wildlife deals with extreme cold

• 1/29/2019 10:34:00 AM
• View Count 12607

When wind chills dip so low that they can lead to frostbite in just minutes - you might be wondering how Iowa’s wildlife survives such brutal cold. Step back from the bread, eggs and milk aisles to learn how everything from mice to deer ride out the storm!

Iowa citizens playing key role in tracking bald eagle nests and frog and toad populations

• 1/22/2019 11:40:00 AM
• View Count 4287

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. A volunteer stands clipboard in hand, ear cocked, mentally sorting out each of the calling species which are using this seemingly ordinary pond. 

Hawkeye Wildlife Area Refuge Opens Dec. 18

• 12/11/2018 10:19:00 AM
• View Count 3380

The wildlife refuge at the Hawkeye Wildlife Area in Johnson County will be open for public use, including hunting and trapping, on Dec. 18. 

Wildlife Notes

• 12/4/2018 3:54:00 PM
• View Count 5819

Brief updates on wildlife and hunting news

Iowa DNR to discuss deer diseases at Iowa City public meeting

• 11/6/2018 11:01:00 AM
• View Count 2616

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources will be in Iowa City on Nov. 14 to discuss issues related to deer diseases in an urban deer herd, the recent restrictions on wildlife rehabilitators accepting deer and hunter participation in the battle against chronic wasting disease (CWD).

Did you know that Iowa has nine species of bats?

• 10/25/2018 8:24:00 AM
• View Count 24328

Two of the most common bats in Iowa are the little brown bat (Myotis lucifigus) and the big brown bat (Eptesicus fuscus). Like all of the bats in Iowa, they are insectivores and are critical for keeping Iowa’s insect populations in check.

Hunter, dog rescued after kayak capsized

• 10/25/2018 8:21:00 AM
• View Count 3152

JACKSON COUNTY, Iowa – On October 20, around 9:00 a.m., the Sabula Fire and Rescue were dispatched to Browns Lake near Green Island Wildlife Management Area for a hunter in the water holding onto a capsized kayak.

Hunters enjoy diverse experiences at Madison County wildlife area

• 10/9/2018 1:02:00 PM
• View Count 3006

East Peru, Iowa - Heather Jobst arrived for a tour of a potential new wildlife area and was immediately struck by the uniqueness of the parcel’s size, lack of internal roads and its location less than an hour from Des Moines.

Its size, habitat diversity and location make Sweet Marsh a top birding and duck hunting spot in Iowa

• 9/18/2018 4:14:00 PM
• View Count 6657

Tripoli, Iowa - Wildlife biologist Jason Auel received a rather unusual complaint from a resident near the Sweet Marsh Wildlife Area in northeast Bremer County.

Badger Lake offers an easy nature stop off I-29

• 9/11/2018 1:13:00 PM
• View Count 4988

Whiting, Iowa - Sitting not quite halfway between Sioux City and Council Bluffs with I-29 going right through it, it’s easy to think that Badger Lake Wildlife Area would be overrun with bird watchers, duck hunters, kayakers and nature lovers 24/7/365. While it does get busy when the duck migration is on, many days the only visitor is a wayward cormorant or a neighbor stopping by to wet a line.

Ringgold Wildlife Area touts prairie, timber, ponds

• 9/4/2018 1:16:00 PM
• View Count 5408

The Ringgold Wildlife Area, south of Mount Ayr on the Missouri border, is 2,600 acres of prairie, timber, oak savannas and floodplains with a handful of fishable ponds mixed in.

Gabrielson Wildlife Area offers visitors a glimpse of what Iowa may have looked like centuries ago

• 8/21/2018 12:43:00 PM
• View Count 7141

Forest City - The 800-acre Gabrielson Wildlife Management Area in northeast Hancock County is a unique mix of mature oak timber with wetlands dotting the savanna, prairies and hidden fens.

Meet Iowa's smallest carnivore

• 8/15/2018 9:54:00 AM
• View Count 25055

Though they be but little, they are fierce! The least weasel (Mustela nivalis) is the smallest species of true carnivore, coming from the order Carnivora.

DNR to hold public meeting on proposed forest wildlife stewardship plan in Vinton

• 8/14/2018 12:48:00 PM
• View Count 3078

VINTON – Members of the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) will hold a public meeting on August 23, 2018 at 6 p.m. at the US Bank in Vinton to discuss the proposed forest wildlife stewardship plan at Dudgeon Lake Forest Wildlife Area.

Hawkeye Wildlife Area: The high tech corridor's rough and rugged neighbor

• 7/24/2018 12:20:00 PM
• View Count 12329

SWISHER, Iowa - Hawkeye Wildlife Area has a well-earned reputation as an important birding area during the spring migration and as a duck hunting hot spot during the fall.

New wildlife area drawing wildlife, hunters to southeast Jones County

• 7/17/2018 12:18:00 PM
• View Count 3953

Oxford Junction, Iowa - The Oxford Junction Wildlife Area in southeast Jones County might be hard to find on a map made before 2017. That’s because it didn’t exist.

Remote and quiet, Willow Slough is a Mills County treasure

• 7/10/2018 2:11:00 PM
• View Count 7073

Willow Slough Wildlife Area is the solution to the problem of what to do with land too wet to farm.

Eldon, Fox Hills Wildlife Areas still wild after all these years

• 7/3/2018 11:46:00 AM
• View Count 9210

Ottumwa - Iowa’s newest bird conservation area includes two public wildlife areas steeped in pioneer history and important to generations of Sac and Fox tribes. The Eldon Wildlife Area and Fox Hills Wildlife Area, near the Des Moines River southeast of Ottumwa, provide nearly 2,700 acres of public land to hike, hunt, birdwatch, fish and camp.

Hands-on outdoor programs brings wildlife up close

• 7/3/2018 11:39:00 AM
• View Count 2745

MADRID - The Iowa Department of Natural Resources and the Iowa Wildlife Center are partnering in three events focusing on living with Iowa wildlife.  The events are free and open to all ages.

Visitors drawn to bountiful wildlife and natural areas at Ingham-High Wetland Complex

• 6/26/2018 11:47:00 AM
• View Count 5979

Heading north on Emmet County Road N40 drivers are welcomed by a centuries-old oak tree lined canopy leading to the Ingham-High Wetland Complex Wildlife Area, a unique wild oasis nine miles southeast of Estherville.

Kettleson Hogsback is like nowhere else in Iowa

• 6/19/2018 1:35:00 PM
• View Count 9392

SPIRIT LAKE - Dickinson County is home to a unique Iowa glacial area that has been attracting thousands of visitors a year, some from as far away as California, just to enjoy the scenery.

Noddleman Island is Western Iowa’s secret wild playground

• 6/12/2018 11:41:00 AM
• View Count 9362

The old advertising tag line – just waiting to be explored – could have been written for Noddleman Island Wildlife Management Area on the east shore of the Missouri River.

Historic photos guiding management decisions at Hooper Wildlife Area

• 6/6/2018 9:38:00 AM
• View Count 4101

Indianola - The Hooper Wildlife Area is a highly popular place to hunt deer and turkeys, but outside of those seasons, it doesn’t receive much attention, save for the lake. But that quietness of the offseason could be changing thanks to a series of old photos that are helping to transform the area.

Iowans reminded not to “rescue” wildlife babies

• 5/16/2018 11:19:00 AM
• View Count 19622

Springtime means baby season for Iowa wildlife, beginning with the first hatched great horned owls in March on to June when most of the pheasant chicks arrive and nothing looks more innocent and cute than baby animals. Just check the internet.

Nine Iowa state parks to host University of Iowa Wildlife Camps

• 4/10/2018 1:53:00 PM
• View Count 4225

This summer, the University of Iowa is partnering with Iowa state parks to host Wildlife Camps for kids in nine state parks.  

April 7th - Kellerton Wildlife Area, Prairie-chickens at dawn

• 4/3/2018 2:27:00 PM
• View Count 4508

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.

Annual spring wildlife survey underway

• 4/3/2018 1:11:00 PM
• View Count 3245

Ordinarily, a slow-moving vehicle at night in the Iowa countryside spotlighting deer, raccoons or coyotes would send Iowans to their phone, speed-dialing their local conservation officer, but in this case, it may be the officer doing the shining.

Iowa DNR to begin annual spring burning

• 3/27/2018 1:05:00 PM
• View Count 3737

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources will be conducting prescribed burns this spring on wildlife management areas managed by the Iowa DNR’s Black Hawk Wildlife Unit in Sac, Pocahontas and Cherokee counties.

15th Annual Prairie Chicken Day is April 7

• 3/20/2018 12:58:00 PM
• View Count 5200

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.

Iowa citizens playing key role in tracking imperiled wildlife

• 2/6/2018 1:12:00 PM
• View Count 4444

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. A volunteer stands clipboard in hand, ear cocked, mentally sorting out each of the calling species which are using this seemingly ordinary pond. 

Officials hope tax check-off that benefits conservation continues upward trend on 2017 tax returns

• 1/23/2018 12:47:00 PM
• View Count 6032

Last year, more than 7,800 of Iowa’s 1.6 million taxpayers helped boost wildlife conservation with donations to the Fish and Wildlife Fund on their state income tax form – an increase of nearly 300 contributors over 2016.

Bill before Congress would benefit Iowa wildlife, water resources

• 12/26/2017 8:37:00 AM
• View Count 3842

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources is in support of the Recovering America’s Wildlife Act bill, introduced in Congress last Thursday, as a way to support Iowa’s State Wildlife Action Plan.

Tax Season is Almost Here - Hurrah!

• 12/14/2017 8:40:00 AM
• View Count 3563

It may seem odd to cheer the start of tax season, but for the Wildlife Diversity Program it means a season of giving.

Hawkeye Wildlife Area refuge opens Dec. 19

• 12/8/2017 10:28:00 AM
• View Count 4841

The wildlife refuge at the Hawkeye Wildlife Area in Johnson County will be open for public use, including hunting and trapping, on Dec. 19. 

Winter-time Land Management Tips for Wildlife Diversity

• 11/27/2017 1:59:00 PM
• View Count 3785

Iowa's fascinating wildlife diversity consists of a wide array of species and their habitats. From wetlands and woodlands to prairies and pastures, habitat needs for wildlife can begin with you and your land. Most of us think cold weather means we have to hunker down by the fire and wait until spring. Fortunately, winter is a great time for land management!  Here are three important wildlife management practices that can be done right now.  

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