August Roadside Pheasant Routes Underway
by Joe Wilkinson

From 100 yards away, our targets were in sight. Three little heads and a big one poked out of the roadside grass. We crept to a stop and got out for a closer look. One after another, the pheasant chicks-four of them now--and a hen launched into short flights from the ditch back into the cornfield.

Robin-sized, the little balls of feathers were flapping their wings for one of the first times. "They were probably two weeks old," guessed Department of Natural Resources wildlife technician Dennis Proctor. "The mother's early nest was probably hit by predators and she came back and brought off (this) late brood."

They became hash marks on the tally sheet as we approached the end of his 30-mile survey route in Cedar County. Another startled hen flew low through the ditch, but she was a few hundred feet past the end point. She wouldn't count. The rest of them did, though, making it a pretty good day. "We had 27 birds today. It was a good route, compared to what we normally see," pronounced Proctor. The five-year average here is less than 20. In fact, two years ago, we saw none.

Across Iowa each August, wildlife workers and conservation officers drive about 215 routes. The recipe is the same; start at dawn; with calm, clear skies and heavy dew over 30 miles of gravel. Pheasants and other birds come out to the dusty roads to dry off before setting about the process of surviving one more day. Creeping along at 15 miles an hour, surveyors note how many birds they see - roosters, hens and young of the year. The size of the birds is noted to help determine their age. Also important is the number of birds in a brood. It all gets plugged into the pheasant forecast formula used by DNR upland bird biologist Todd Bogenschutz to estimate bird numbers-and subsequently-hunter success this fall and winter.

Heading into the August surveys, Bogenschutz was cautiously optimistic. Following a 19 percent upturn in pheasant numbers last summer, a mild winter meant increased hen survival. A fairly dry spring meant better nesting conditions. Over the next month, results will be plugged into statewide and regional outlooks. Sightings of quail, partridge and rabbits along the routes are also compiled.

A lot of those counts were run a few days late this summer; delayed by the extreme heat through late July and early August. With soil moisture important, Bogenschutz noted that areas in western and northern Iowa have been quite dry through these hot months. Optimal conditions exist when the early morning temperatures meet the dew point. That just wasn't happening, when it was 80 degrees at sunup. Proctor and I finally got out late last week. An overnight shower had moved out of the area, so the 'heavy dew' part was right on the money. Partly cloudy skies and a slight breeze were tolerable.

And the critters did their part. One of five rabbits we would count showed up almost immediately. We saw a dew-soaked rooster slink back into the ditch within the first mile. After three minutes, we were already ahead of that 'O-fer' route in 2004. In the second five miles, the first brood appeared. Wading into the shoulder high grass after them, I was peppered by hundreds of tiny green grasshoppers. We had also interrupted breakfast for Mother Hen and her nearly grown chicks. A couple more roosters, three more broods and a lone hen or two graced us with their presence.

As the 'extra' birds appeared, one more factor became obvious. There was actually habitat. This route, west, north and northeast of Tipton, is usually all corn and soybeans, with the scant hayfields and waterways mowed to near-golf course uniformity. Not this year. "Very few ditches and waterways were mowed. It might be because of the high fuel prices, maybe landowners aren't mowing as much," offered Proctor. "Usually they mow them on this route."

A silver lining, perhaps, in the dark cloud of high oil prices? Whatever the reason, each time we saw pheasants, they were in or alongside tall grass and weeds; the stuff they need year-round for protection from predators and the weather. And while this east central Iowa route doesn't compare with traditionally high central and northern routes; for one day, on one route, the view from the windshield was pretty good, with pheasant season less than three months away.

Hunter Safety Clinic

With fall approaching, hunter safety courses are beginning to appear on the calendar. The course is mandatory for some one 16 or over who wishes to buy a hunting license in Iowa. However, it can be helpful in other scenarios, too.

"With a firearm present in about half of all American households, it is important for all young people to be familiar with firearm safety whether or not they plan to hunt," stresses hunter safety educator Jeff McDowell. "Curiosity has a strong hold on our youth and those that have never seen a gun or talked about safe gun handling are more likely to be curious enough to pick-up a gun they find or are shown by a friend." McDowell says hunter education courses give people the opportunity to learn about firearms and the safe handling of them, should they ever be encountered. Parents are invited to attend, as well.

For hunter education locations and dates, go to www.iowadnr.com and click on safety education (upper right) to select the county and month you wish to view.