(Radio Iowa) – The first of two Iowa gun seasons for deer opens Saturday. D-N-R state deer biologist Jace Elliott says harvest numbers started out down for the early youth, archery and muzzleloader seasons due to warm weather. “Luckily, things cooled down in the second-half of October. Conditions across the state stayed really nice for deer harvest throughout November, and we ended up catching up as a statewide harvest to exactly where we were at this point last year,” Elliott says. Elliott says the deer population in some areas is still recovering from a couple of bad years for disease. “Much of central, western and southern Iowa counties have experienced severe hemorrhagic disease in 2023 and 2024,” Elliott says. “Fortunately, we got a a break from it across the state this year. But we are still hearing from a lot of folks in those counties, the numbers are still quite a bit lower than they were prior to those outbreaks.”

Elliott says the colder weather can be a benefit for hunters as it keeps the meat cold and ensures that deer are active. “There seems to be a certain point at which it also increases your movement. Especially when we have some snow on the ground that’s going to keep deer on their feet longer during daylight hours, they still have the same calorie requirements to fulfill, and so they’re going to have to be a lot more active to meet those energy needs in order to to survive,” he says. “Cold weather and snow is good for deer movement. It’s good for observing deer. It’s good for tracking wounded deer. So hunters should definitely be excited about the conditions we have coming up over the next week or two,” he says.

Elliott says the first gun season had been the most popular for many years, but there’s been a shift. “Everybody wanted to get that first crack. Over the years, we’ve seen a lot more of a shift into gun two, and over the last few years we have almost an even split,” he says. “And it really comes down to the weather during gun one. I think a lot of people make last minute calls on whether they’re going to buy a gun one or gun two tag, and over the last few years it’s been very even.”

Elliott says there are no regulation changes this year, but there are still some restrictions for western Iowa. “For hunters in Western Iowa, make sure that you’re aware whether or not your county has buck only requirement for gun one. Most of the far Western counties along the Missouri River would be included all the way up to Lyon County there in the northwest,” he says. “So just read the regulations and make sure that you understand what you can and cannot harvest during gun one, even if your tag says any deer.”

The first gun season runs through December 10th and the second gun season starts December 13th and runs through the 21st. Hunters are expected to harvest between 55 to 60-thousand deer during the two guns seasons

DES MOINES, Iowa, June 16, 2024 — U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Rural Development Deputy State Director in Iowa Henry Kummerer today (Thursday) announced that the Agency is investing in six projects in Iowa including three loans totaling $3,000,000 and three grants totaling $683,333. Five of the projects support small business expansion and one project will improve fire and emergency service. In a news release, Kummerer said “Throughout the state, cooperatives help unleash innovation and entrepreneurship by passing along project financing to small businesses and ag producers with funds from USDA programs. Under the leadership of the Trump Administration, USDA is continuing to partner with co-ops to support job creation and to promote economic development in rural Iowa.” The funding was made through the Rural Economic Development Loan and Grant program.

The projects and the amount of the funds received include:

• Raccoon Valley Electric Cooperative: A $1-million dollar loan to fund a pass-through loan to Iowa Corn Processors L.C.; The project will replace outdated equipment and upgrade the company’s packaging line at its milling services facility in Glidden. The project is expected to create five new jobs and promote economic development in this rural Carroll County community.
• Corn Belt Power Cooperative: A $1-million dollar loan to fund a pass-through loan to Iowa Corn Processors, L.C.; This project will replace outdated equipment and upgrade the company’s packaging line at its milling services facility in Glidden. This project is expected to create five new jobs and promote economic development in this rural Carroll County community.
• The Central Iowa Power Cooperative received a $1,000,000 loan to fund a pass-through loan to Industrial Hardfacing Inc., a company located in Lamoni which manufactures custom parts for rendering, meatpacking, oil seed and the pet food industry. This project will fund building expansion and equipment purchases. The project is expected to create six jobs and promote rural economic development in Decatur County and surrounding areas.
• The Dumont Telephone Company, headquartered in Butler County, received a $300,000 grant to provide a loan to Erika and Thaylan Bowman DDS PLLC, doing business as White Oak Dental. This loan will help the company purchase a dental practice in Fort Dodge in Webster County. Once completed, this project is expected to promote employment, expand dental care options, and support economic development in this rural community and surrounding areas.
• The Lehigh Valley Cooperative Telephone Association Inc. received a $300,000 grant to establish a revolving loan fund. This project will provide a loan to Erika and Thaylan Bowman DDS PLLC, doing business as White Oak Dental. The loan will help the company purchase a dental practice in Fort Dodge in Webster County. Once completed, this project is expected to promote employment, expand dental care options, and support economic development in this rural community and surrounding areas.
• Rockwell Cooperative Telephone Association received an $83,333 grant to establish a revolving loan fund. This project will partially finance the construction of a new fire department and emergency services facility for the Bristow Fire Department. Repayment of this loan will be used for future business and community development loans and will help spur economic development in the rural community of Bristow in Butler County as well as in surrounding areas.

USDA Rural Development has 11 offices across the state to serve the 1.3 million Iowans living in rural communities and areas. Office locations include a state office in Des Moines, along with area offices in Albia, Atlantic, Humboldt, Indianola, Iowa Falls, Le Mars, Mount Pleasant, Storm Lake, Tipton and Waverly. To learn more about investment resources for rural areas in Iowa, call (515) 284-4663 or visit www.rd.usda.gov/ia.

Cass County: Corn $4.10 Beans $10.78
Adair County: Corn $4.07 Beans $10.81
Adams County: Corn $4.07 Beans $10.77
Audubon County: Corn $4.09 Beans $10.80
East Pottawattamie County: Corn $4.13 Beans $10.78
Guthrie County: Corn $4.12 Beans $10.82
Montgomery County: Corn $4.12 Beans $10.80
Shelby County: Corn $4.13 Beans $10.78

Oats: $2.55 (same in all counties)

(Prices are per bushel; information is from the area Farm Service Agency [FSA] offices)

Lewis, Iowa –Cass County Conservation and the Iowa Bluebird Conservationists and are once again hosting a Cass County Christmas Bird Count on Sunday, December 21st. Those that want to participate in the count will be meeting at Cold Springs State Park in Lewis at 8:00am to divide into groups that will cover different sections of the count circle. Birders are encouraged to dress for the conditions and bring along binoculars and bird books if you have them, otherwise they can be provided.

It is also suggested to either wear or bring along an article of blaze orange clothing for any birding that may occur in parks that allow public hunting, as it will be the final day of deer season. The count will run until 3:30pm that day as we cover a 15-mile diameter circle as thorough as we can. Organizers say participants will meet for lunch at Noon at the Atlantic Pizza Ranch to compare lists and reboot for counting in the afternoon. You are welcome to join for the whole day or just the morning or afternoon sessions. All abilities are welcome whether you are comfortable just birding from a vehicle and roadside or if you would like to walk through areas as well. Weather backup date will be determined if necessary.

Home birders may also contribute to the Cass County Count by watching their home feeder. Feeder counters will need to keep track of the time spent observing and will count the maximum number of a species seen at one time, not a cumulative for the day.

Contact Chris Parks or Lora Kanning at Cass County Conservation if you would like to contribute and we will provide guidelines. The Christmas Bird Count is a valuable research tool for the Audubon Society and is the nation’s longest running citizen-science bird project. This year is the 126th year of the count and the Cass County area is excited to join in again.

Find more information on the Christmas Bird Count at www.christmasbirdcount.org. Chris Parks says “We would really love to know you are planning on coming ahead of time, so please reach out.”

Contact: Chris Parks, Lora Kanning

Phone: 712-520-2103

Email: chparks@gmail.com

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Representatives Zach Nunn (IA-03) and Don Davis (NC-01) today introduced the Farm Transitions Act, bipartisan legislation to address the impending generational shift in American agriculture and help young and underserved farmers in Iowa carry on their family tradition. In his news release, Nunn said “In Iowa, farming is a way of life that’s passed down from one generation to the next. With over half of U.S. farmland set to change hands in the next two decades, we need to ensure that family farms can stay in the family. This bipartisan bill would give young and beginning farmers better access to the tools, capital, and support they need to build successful operations and keep our rural communities strong.”

Over 95% of Iowa’s 87,000 farms are still family-owned, forming the backbone of a rural economy that contributes more than $159 billion annually to the state. But with two-thirds of Iowa’s farmland now owned by individuals aged 65 and older, experts warn of generational consolidation when these farmers begin to retire. Without a clear path for young and beginning farmers to step in, thousands of farms that have been family-run for generations could be bought up by large corporations or outside investors.

“Strengthening rural America requires real partnerships and lasting solutions,” said Rep. Davis. “These bipartisan bills reflect our commitment to giving rural communities the tools they need to grow, thrive, and prepare for the future. From expanding access to federal rural development resources to supporting the next generation of family farmers, this work is critical to the long-term success of eastern North Carolina and rural communities nationwide. We need more people moving to eastern North Carolina and rural America. These bills will make it easier for eastern North Carolina towns to access rural development technical assistance and for our next generation of farmers to keep our rich agricultural tradition in the east going strong.”

With over 370 million acres of farmland expected to transition ownership in the coming decades, the Farm Transitions Act directs the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to stand up the Commission on Farm Transitions—Needs for 2050, which was originally authorized in the 2018 Farm Bill but never formally established. The Commission would evaluate the major challenges facing the next generation of producers, including land affordability, access to credit, tax and lending barriers, and the effectiveness of existing USDA programs. It would also assess the role of mentorship, technical training, and foreign ownership in shaping the future of American agriculture—an expansion of the original Commission mandate.

The Farm Transitions Act would require the Commission to deliver a comprehensive set of policy recommendations to Congress within two years, with an emphasis on ensuring young and beginning farmers have access to the land, resources, and support they need to keep family farms strong for the next generation.

HAMILTON COUNTY, Iowa (IOWA CAPITAL DISPATCH) – A case of highly pathogenic avian influenza has been detected in a commercial turkey flock of about 18,000 birds in Hamilton County, according to the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship. Iowa has had nine detections of the H5N1 strain of the highly pathogenic avian influenza, which has impacted more than 184 million commercial and backyard birds since February 2022.

IDALS reported a case of the bird flu in a Calhoun County turkey flock in October. The October case was the first detection in the state since April. Gov. Kim Reynolds issued a disaster proclamation for Hamilton County following the HPAI detection. The proclamation makes state resources more available as officials work to dispose of birds exposed to the virus and monitor, contain and further detect the bird flu.

IDALS asked producers to exercise heightened biosecurity around their flocks to help prevent the spread of HPAI, which is usually deadly for exposed poultry. Producers who notice sudden deaths in a flock, lethargy, decreased egg production, or birds with swollen heads and difficulty breathing, should contact their veterinarians, according to the agriculture department.

Turkey, chicken and egg products remain safe to consume during the current HPAI outbreak, IDALS said.

(Des Moines, IA – Iowa DNR news release) – Iowa’s most popular deer hunting seasons start this weekend, when more than 100,000 hunters take to the timber for the long-awaited gun seasons. Iowa’s first gun season is Dec. 6-10. Second gun season is Dec. 13-21. While hunters are split about 50-50 to which season they hunt, the trend has been moving toward second season due to the flexibility of hunting two weekends. Hunters are expected to harvest 55,000 to 60,000 deer during these two seasons, which is 50-60 percent of Iowa’s total deer harvest. So far this fall, youth, disabled hunter, early muzzleloader and archery hunters have reported 28,600 deer through the harvest reporting system, which is three percent below the five-year average.

“We’ve had a strong harvest in Eastern Iowa, which has offset a lower deer harvest in Western, Central, Southern and Northwestern regions of the state,” said Jace Elliott, state deer biologist with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR). To date, the 2025 harvest is about exactly the same as the 2024 harvest at this point in the season. “We are getting reports of low deer numbers in Central and Western Iowa in the wake of severe hemorrhagic disease impacts from 2024 and 2023. Hunters are encouraged to reach out to our wildlife staff and conservation officers to discuss what they are seeing in the field.”

Weather-wise, the 10-day forecast calls for high temperatures from middle 30s to middle 20s, which means the snow is likely here for a while. “The cooler temperature generally leads to better harvest, but the snow can be tricky. We know that snowfall on opening day leads to a 10 percent increase in harvest for the season. Snow does make it easier to see deer, track deer and to see deer signs, which are all the right conditions for hunters to be successful,” Elliott said. “However, if the snow is too deep, it can lead to fewer deer harvested and that’s likely due to hunter behavior, not deer behavior,” he said.

The gun seasons have been traditionally associated with groups of hunters walking through the timber, pushing deer towards other members of the hunting group, but results of the 2024 deer hunter survey found that gun season hunters are divided evenly in how they pursue the deer. About half participate in traditional deer drives, while the other half prefer to hunt from stationary position. The deer hunter survey found that overall, 80 percent of respondents indicated they are satisfied with the overall deer hunting experience, citing the social aspect of the hunting groups and the opportunity to put deer meat in the freezer as two reasons they hunt.

Main beam antler measurement

Hunters are required to include the main beam antler measurement when reporting their deer harvest. “Main beam antler measurement allows us to estimate the percentage of yearling bucks as part of the harvest. There was a strong variation across Iowa where counties with lower deer densities and less deer habitat saw a higher rate of yearling bucks as a percentage of the buck harvest,” Elliott said.

Statewide, yearling bucks made up roughly 40 percent of the total buck harvest.

Cass County: Corn $4.08 Beans $10.82
Adair County: Corn $4.05 Beans $10.85
Adams County: Corn $4.05 Beans $10.81
Audubon County: Corn $4.07 Beans $10.84
East Pottawattamie County: Corn $4.11 Beans $10.82
Guthrie County: Corn $4.10 Beans $10.86
Montgomery County: Corn $4.10 Beans $10.84
Shelby County: Corn $4.11 Beans $10.82

Oats: $2.63 (same in all counties)

(Prices are per bushel; information is from the area Farm Service Agency [FSA] offices)

Cass County: Corn $4.08 Beans $10.82
Adair County: Corn $4.05 Beans $10.85
Adams County: Corn $4.05 Beans $10.81
Audubon County: Corn $4.07 Beans $10.84
East Pottawattamie County: Corn $4.11 Beans $10.82
Guthrie County: Corn $4.10 Beans $10.86
Montgomery County: Corn $4.10 Beans $10.84
Shelby County: Corn $4.11 Beans $10.82

Oats: $2.67 (same in all counties)

(Prices are per bushel; information is from the area Farm Service Agency [FSA] offices)