March 28, 2024

Outdoor news

Avian flu surveillance

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources is participating in a national surveillance effort to test waterfowl for the presence of avian influenza. Testing began this summer as part of the DNR’s annual waterfowl banding work and will continue with hunter harvested ducks this fall and winter.

The project is coordinated by the USDA Wildlife Services that is targeting watersheds by season. This fall, hunters in the Upper Mississippi, Iowa, Skunk and Wapsipinicon River watershed and the Chariton and Grand River watershed may be asked to have samples collected from their harvested ducks. Later this winter, the focus shifts to the Missouri and Little Sioux River watershed.

“We are targeting dabbling ducks – teal, gadwall, widgeon, mallards are the highest priority and hope to fill our sample quotas on the opening day of regular duck season,” said Orrin Jones, waterfowl biologist with the Iowa DNR.

Watersheds were selected based on the likelihood that dabbling ducks would be intermingling with other ducks and were assigned quotas to determine if avian influenza is present in the watersheds: 60 samples, 80 samples and 140 samples, respectively.

Collection takes only a few minutes and no hunter information is taken. Hunters can be notified of the results if they choose.

While the sample collection is focused on specific watersheds, Jones asked that hunters from all parts of the state call the DNR if they find five or more dead ducks in an area.

“That is a situation we would like to investigate,” Jones said.

Hunters concerned about avian influenza should avoid taking ducks that appear sick or unhealthy or are acting odd, and should clean, rinse and cook it thoroughly. Hunters should also avoid eating, drinking or smoking while field dressing the fowl. According to the Centers for Disease Control, the risk of becoming sick from a duck contaminated with avian influenza is very low.

Rabbit and squirrel seasons

A person doesn’t need to travel far into the Iowa countryside to know there are a lot of cottontail rabbits out there, which is good news for rabbit hunters.

“Cottontail populations on average are 50 percent higher than we’ve seen over the last 10 years,” said Todd Bogenschutz, upland wildlife biologist with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. “Our cottontail populations remain strong statewide with the highest densities in southeast Iowa.”

Iowa's cottontail rabbit population estimate is part of the August roadside survey that will be available online in early September at www.iowadnr.gov/pheasantsurvey.

Iowa’s squirrel population generally follows the acorn production and 2014 was a pretty good year for bur oak and red oak acorn production meaning 2015 should be a pretty good year for squirrel numbers.

“Squirrel hunting was once an important part of our heritage but hunter interest has shifted to other species, primarily deer,” said Jim Coffey, forest wildlife research technician with the DNR. “Squirrels are definitely an underutilized resource.”

Rabbit and squirrel hunting is an inexpensive way to introduce novices to hunting with little competition and is a great way for experienced hunters to get their equipment out from storage and sharpen their outdoor skills before pheasant and deer seasons begin.

Squirrel season is Sept. 5-Jan. 31, 2016, with a daily bag limit of six squirrels and a possession limit of 12. There is no restriction on shooting hours.

Rabbit season is Sept. 5-Feb. 28, 2016, with a daily bag limit of 10 rabbits and a possession limit of 20. Shooting hours are sunrise to sunset.

Hunters looking for places to go rabbit or squirrel hunting should use Iowa's online hunting atlas at www.iowadnr.gov/hunting, with more than 600,000 acres of public land that allows hunting.

National trapping survey

Iowa trappers who purchased a fur harvester license for the 2014-15 season may be selected to participate in national survey of the use of traps by trappers.

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources a partner in this survey that is being conducted by the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies in order to have the most current information on the use of traps to guide research on the best management practices for trapping for the next 10 years.

Iowa trappers participated in the survey in 1992 and in 2004.Trappers began receiving the survey on August 20. Nearly 18,700 Iowa furharvester licenses were sold in 2014.