While the derecho storm has affected some farmers harvesting practices this season, it can also affect hunting areas for the small game and upland seasons.

For Iowa the gray partridge, crow, squirrel, and rabbit hunting seasons are underway, with youth and adult rooster pheasant, bobwhite quail, and ruffed grouse seasons to come later this month. Department of Natural Resources Conservation Officer for Audubon, Greene, and Guthrie counties Jeremy King says some area farmers have cleared fields by cutting damaged corn stalks down, which makes those areas unlawful to hunt, “If you hunt a field that was not combined and the landowner just disced the standing corn or laid down corn over that is going to be illegal because that field will be considered baited. And I’ve gotten one or two phone calls on this so anybody that does go to one of those fields that’s gonna hunt ducks or geese, they are going to have to go to a different field because that will be considered a baiting and violation.”

King mentions that last year’s mild winter and dry spring had a positive impact on the local pheasant and upland bird population, as he says he had the second largest count of his career in this year’s Pheasant Roadside Survey in August.