With a few small game hunting seasons underway in Iowa, there are a few things that hunters need to keep in mind.

One of the biggest things to stay on top of, is knowing the regulations for different species and hunting seasons. Iowa Department of Natural Resources Conservation Officer Jeremy King says that especially with waterfowl like ducks, mistaken identity can easily lead to violations. He advises someone to call their conservation officer if they accidentally harvest the wrong animal.

“Absolutely. And that’s a hard phone call for somebody to make, but I can’t say you won’t get a ticket. Just, we are a lot more lenient on the fact that if you call and report yourself, we’ll typically try to work with you the best we can.”

King reminds hunters that right now only teal ducks are in season, with green and blue winged teal making up the majority of the population, although some cinnamon teal might find their way into the state by accident. He adds that this advice pertains to any accidental infractions, and that writing tickets is the least favorite thing of the job that conservation officers have to do.

King also mentions that it is better to call in yourself when a mistake is made, because most likely, there is someone else in the area, and if you don’t, they will, especially with waterfowl. He explains that over the opening week for teal season, he received many texts and Global Positioning System (GPS) pins on hunters that were out shooting before the legal start to the day.