blake
Life Member
NEWS:
From the Iowa DNR:
Spring<ST1
<?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com
</st1:country-region>Turkey Season Begins
The first segment of this year's five part, spring turkey hunting season begins Friday, April 9 with a special three-day, adult mentored youth hunt.
The first segment of the regular gun/bow season begins Monday, April 12. Although populations may vary between regions, good to excellent numbers of spring gobblers will be available to hunters statewide, says DNR Turkey Biologist, Todd Gosselink.
"Right now, I'd have to say that the Loess Hills region [extreme western Iowa] is the current turkey stronghold. The Loess Hills typically receive less rainfall than other parts of the state which leads to good reproduction and high poult survival. Our summer brood surveys have revealed some very good turkey densities in that region, with the highest number of turkeys reported per flock in <st1:State w:st="on"><ST1Iowa</st1:State>," said Gosselink.
"North-central and northeastern <st1:State w:st="on">Iowa </st1:State>showed an increase in turkey reproduction during 2009, while the remainder of the state suffered a decline. The results of the DNR's 2009 summer brood surveys showed a 10 - 15 percent decline in turkey reproduction statewide. We've had some very wet conditions during recent nesting seasons and overall turkey numbers are not as good as they were ten years ago. But I think hunters should also keep in mind that, when compared to other regions of the U.S., Iowa still has some very good turkey densities and some great opportunities for hunting those birds," adds Gosselink.
During recent years, an average of 53,000 licensed turkey hunters have taken to <st1:State w:st="on"><ST1Iowa</st1:State> woodlands each spring. Hunter success averages around 30 percent --- significantly higher than for most regions of the <st1:country-region w:st="on">U.S.</st1:country-region>
<st1:country-region w:st="on"></st1:country-region>
"People often ask which segment of the <st1:State w:st="on">Iowa</st1:State> season is best," says Gosselink. "I really push for people to take a kid hunting during our youth season. It's a great opportunity to get into the out-of-doors, and getting young people started is critical for maintaining our turkey hunting tradition.
"For adults, I'd recommend trying the third [April 21- 27] season. The third season is definitely our most underutilized segment. Only 12 percent of <st1:State w:st="on">Iowa</st1:State> turkey hunters go third season, compared with 44 percent during the fourth season. All things considered, there's no such thing as a 'bad' segment of the <st1:State w:st="on">Iowa</st1:State> season."
From the Iowa DNR:
Spring<ST1
<?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com
The first segment of this year's five part, spring turkey hunting season begins Friday, April 9 with a special three-day, adult mentored youth hunt.
The first segment of the regular gun/bow season begins Monday, April 12. Although populations may vary between regions, good to excellent numbers of spring gobblers will be available to hunters statewide, says DNR Turkey Biologist, Todd Gosselink.
"Right now, I'd have to say that the Loess Hills region [extreme western Iowa] is the current turkey stronghold. The Loess Hills typically receive less rainfall than other parts of the state which leads to good reproduction and high poult survival. Our summer brood surveys have revealed some very good turkey densities in that region, with the highest number of turkeys reported per flock in <st1:State w:st="on"><ST1
Iowa</st1:State>," said Gosselink. "North-central and northeastern <st1:State w:st="on">Iowa </st1:State>showed an increase in turkey reproduction during 2009, while the remainder of the state suffered a decline. The results of the DNR's 2009 summer brood surveys showed a 10 - 15 percent decline in turkey reproduction statewide. We've had some very wet conditions during recent nesting seasons and overall turkey numbers are not as good as they were ten years ago. But I think hunters should also keep in mind that, when compared to other regions of the U.S., Iowa still has some very good turkey densities and some great opportunities for hunting those birds," adds Gosselink.
During recent years, an average of 53,000 licensed turkey hunters have taken to <st1:State w:st="on"><ST1
Iowa</st1:State> woodlands each spring. Hunter success averages around 30 percent --- significantly higher than for most regions of the <st1:country-region w:st="on">U.S.</st1:country-region><st1:country-region w:st="on"></st1:country-region>
"People often ask which segment of the <st1:State w:st="on">Iowa</st1:State> season is best," says Gosselink. "I really push for people to take a kid hunting during our youth season. It's a great opportunity to get into the out-of-doors, and getting young people started is critical for maintaining our turkey hunting tradition.
"For adults, I'd recommend trying the third [April 21- 27] season. The third season is definitely our most underutilized segment. Only 12 percent of <st1:State w:st="on">Iowa</st1:State> turkey hunters go third season, compared with 44 percent during the fourth season. All things considered, there's no such thing as a 'bad' segment of the <st1:State w:st="on">Iowa</st1:State> season."
