DES MOINES - The number one weekend for hunters has also been the number one weekend for unintentional injuries. The Iowa pheasant hunting season begins at 8 a.m. Saturday with an estimated 150,000 hunters heading to the field.

"The first two weeks of pheasant season have historically had the most hunting injuries of any hunting season in Iowa," said Rod Slings, recreation safety program supervisor with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. "The excitement of a flushing bird, maybe a little competition among hunters or not knowing where everyone is during the hunt are all factors that make these early weeks the most injury riddled of any of our hunting seasons."

Slings said hunters need to approach opening weekend with a plan that spells out where every hunter in the group will be and each person's role in the hunt.

"Discussing the hunting plan single best thing hunters can do to avoid injuries. Stay in sight of each other. Know the zone of fire and stay within that zone and be sure to wear plenty of blaze orange," Slings said.

Hunters are reminded of the blaze orange requirement to hunt upland game - pheasants, roughed grouse, quail, Hungarian partridge and woodcock. The requirement can be fulfilled by wearing a hat, cap, vest coat, jacket, sweatshirt, sweater, shirt or coveralls that are at least 50 percent solid blaze orange.

The DNR investigated five injuries in 2004 that occurred while pheasant hunting. In 2003, 15 pheasant hunters were injured, and in 2002, there were five injuries.

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