The Iowa Department of Natural Resources kicked off its annual pheasant population survey over the weekend. DNR staff have begun traveling 225 different 30-mile routes each morning with heavy dew, and will continue to do so until August 15th. In June, the DNR issued a prediction for the roadside count using a model based upon snowfall, rainfall, and temperatures from the past winter and spring. This year, the model predicted numbers similar to those seen in 2025, when the pheasant population in the state reached a 20-year high of 28 birds per route. Pheasant season in Iowa begins October 31st.