Hunting Seasons Begin Sept. 1

Iowa hunting seasons kick-off September 1, when rabbit and squirrel seasons open statewide, and based on the early returns from the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) August roadside survey, cottontail hunters should have good hunting this year.

"The southern third of Iowa will offer the best rabbit numbers this fall," said Todd Bogenschutz, upland wildlife research biologist for the Iowa DNR.

Techniques common for rabbit hunting include stomping brush piles, walking slowly through abandoned farmsteads or along brushy fence rows or wooded draws. The best form of rabbit hunting is done with the companionship of one or more beagles, Bogenschutz said. "Beagles and other trailing dogs can increase your success and improve the quality of the hunt," he said.

Rabbit season is open through Feb. 28, 2007. The daily bag limit is 10, with a possession limit of 20. Shooting hours are from sunrise to sunset.

Hunters may view the DNR's roadside counts of cottontails in early September on the DNR's website at www.iowadnr.com/wildlife/files/uproad.html.

Hunters also will begin pursuing squirrels on Friday.

"Squirrel numbers are more difficult to estimate because we do not survey our squirrel populations, but statewide, numbers should be similar to last year," said Todd Gosselink, forest wildlife research biologist with the DNR. Squirrel populations typically peak following good mast years. There was a fair mast crop across eastern and southern Iowa last fall.

"Although the mast production was average last year, hunting opportunities for squirrels are excellent in Iowa because hunting pressure is low," Gosselink said. Squirrel hunting is best done in one of two ways: the sit and wait technique and the walking slowly through the timber technique, he said.

The sit and wait technique is used near likely feeding areas such as beneath oak, walnut, or hickory trees or corn-forest edges. The still-hunting technique is employed by slowly walking through forested areas and stopping frequently to watch for feeding squirrels. The best hunting times usually are during the morning and afternoon feeding hours.

Fox squirrels can be found anywhere there are a few acres of trees, but gray squirrels are generally limited to the heavily forested areas in eastern and southern Iowa.

Interest in squirrel hunting has declined even though squirrel habitat has increased over the past 30 years. One factor is hunter focus has shifted to pursuing other species, like turkey and deer. Another factor is Iowa's shrinking rural population. In the 1960s, Iowa had 150,000 squirrel hunters who harvested more than 1 million squirrels. In 2005, 35,400 squirrel hunters harvested 217,000 squirrels.

Squirrel hunting season runs through Jan. 31, 2007. The daily bag limit is six [fox and gray combined], and the possession limit is 12. There are no restrictions on shooting hours.