Iowa Pheasant and Small Game (2024)

• Bobwhite Quail (Colinus virginianus)
• Hungarian Partridge (Perdix perdix)
• Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura)
• Ring-necked Pheasant (Phasianus colchicus)
• White-tailed jackrabbit (Lepus townsendii)
• Wild turkey (Meleagris gallopovo)
• Cottontail rabbit (Sylvilagus floridanus)
• A Review of Iowa's Upland Game Bird Populations

Trends in Iowa Wildlife Populations and Harvest/Bowhunter Observation Survey The Populations and Harvest Trends (Logbook) is compiled annually by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources Wildlife Bureau. Publication for the preceding calendar year usually occurs in September.

• Financial Assistance
• Technical Assistance
• Conservation Reserve Program

• How to Age Your Rooster
• The Ring-necked Pheasant in Iowa - Farris 1977
• What We Know About Nesting
• Effects of Weather and Habitat on Pheasant Survival
• What We Know About Weather
• Effect of Hunting Seasons on Populations

• Game Breeder
  • Becoming a game breeder, Iowa Code 481A.60 Raising Game
  • Game breeders application
• Iowa Code 481A.47 prohibits the release of fish and game into the wild, however, an exception is made for pen-reared pheasant.
• Iowa code allows landowners/tenants to release pen-reared pheasants on their own land. Iowa Code 481A.6A Pen-reared pheasants release by landowners and tenants.
  1. As used in this section, “pen-reared pheasant” means a Chinese ring-necked pheasant (Phasianus colchicus torquatus) and its subspecies which originates from a captive population and which has been propagated and held by a hatchery. For the purposes of this section “pen-reared pheasant” does not include a Reeves (Syrmaticus reevesii) or Lady Amherst (Chrysolophus amherstiae) pheasant, a subspecies of the Chinese ring-necked pheasant classified as a Japanese (Phasianus versicolor) or a Black-necked (P. colchicus colchicus) pheasant, or a melanistic mutant (black, white, or other color mix) of the Chinese ring-necked pheasant.
  2. Notwithstanding section 481A.60, an owner or tenant of land may obtain pen-reared pheasants from a hatchery approved by the department, and raise or release the pen-reared pheasants on the owner's or tenant's land. A person shall not relocate a pen-reared pheasant to any other land.Approved hatcheries:
     • Cedar River Pheasants – Nashua, Iowa
     • Iowa Quail Farm – Janesville, Iowa
     • Hoovers Hatchery, Inc. - Rudd, Iowa
     • Murray McMurray Hatchery, Inc. - Webster City, Iowa
     • Malloy Gamebirds - State Center, Iowa
       
  3. A person taking a pen-reared pheasant shall comply with all requirements provided in this chapter and chapter 483A. 484B.15 Pen-reared pheasants -- exception. This chapter does not apply to an owner or tenant of land raising or releasing pen-reared pheasants on the owner's or tenant's land as provided in section 481A.6A, provided that a person taking a pen-reared pheasant complies with all requirements provided in chapters 481A and 483A.

Dog training has deep roots in hunting and conservation culture. In order to develop dogs that can reliably hunt and recover game, it is vital to train with a variety of game under varying conditions. It is important that dog trainers and clubs know the rules concerning use of game during training to both support wildlife conservation and stay out of trouble with the law. Many state and federal laws and regulations apply to the importation, possession, use and disposal of game used in training and field events. These rules serve two general purposes: to protect the health and welfare of native wildlife populations in Iowa, and to ensure that hunting regulations are enforceable.

Dog training refers to any teaching or exercising activity involving sporting dogs in which the primary purpose is to enhance performance. Sporting dogs are utilized for hunting game birds and game mammals and include breeds as pointers, setters, retrievers, and hounds.

Regulations governing the training of sporting dogs vary according to what species the dogs are being trained with and where the training takes place.

Dog Training and Trialing Information

If the band number starts with the letters FT, you can keep the band. Birds carrying a leg band starting with the letters FT are pen raised birds that were released at a dog field trial event.

If the band number does not start with the letters FT, please contact the Iowa DNR, Wallace State Office Building, Des Moines, IA 50319-0034 or call 515-725-8200.

Iowa Economic Development and Tourism at (515) 242-4707.

Iowa became the 42nd state to have a hunting season for mourning doves in 2011. Dove hunting provides an opportunity for hunters of any age or experience level to participate due to an abundance of birds, simple equipment needs and moderate physical activity.

Doves are a migratory bird and can be found in all 99 counties with highest populations in the Loess Hills and southern three tiers of Iowa counties. They prefer open habitats such as farmland, prairies, grasslands and lightly wooded areas.

More information: Mourning Dove Hunting in Iowa