TRENDS IN IOWA WILDLIFE POPULATIONS AND HARVEST 2011 Iowa Department of Natural Resources Chuck Gipp, Director October 2012 TRENDS IN IOWA WILDLIFE POPULATIONS AND HARVEST 2011 Compiled by: Peter Fritzell Chapters Prepared by: Tom Litchfield White-tailed Deer Todd Gosselink Wild Turkeys Vince Evelsizer Furbearers Guy Zenner Waterfowl Todd Bogenschutz Upland Wildlife Pat Schlarbaum Peregrine Falcon Pat Schlarbaum Osprey Pat Schlarbaum Sandhill Crane Bruce Ehresman Bald Eagle Vince Evelsizer Mountain Lion Vince Evelsizer Black Bear Vince Evelsizer Gray Wolf David Hoffman Trumpeter Swan Stephanie Shepherd Greater Prairie Chicken Peter Fritzell Bowhunter Observation Survey CONSERVATION & RECREATION DIVISION October 2012 Iowa Department of Natural Resources Chuck Gipp, Director TABLE OF CONTENTS (Sections were submitted as PDF documents by authors. Page numbering provided here indicates the page in the compiled digital file. Numbering that appears within the file exists if authors chose to number their individual sections separately.) WHITE-TAILED DEER Historical perspective .................................................................................................................................. 9 2011-2012 Hunting Season Results ........................................................................................................... 10 Population Trend Surveys ......................................................................................................................... 15 Outlook for 2012 ........................................................................................................................................ 16 Figures ....................................................................................................................................................... 18 Tables…. .................................................................................................................................................... 24 WILD TURKEYS Historical perspective ................................................................................................................................ 37 Spring harvest survey ................................................................................................................................ 38 Youth Turkey Season………………………………………………………………..……………………………… 39 Fall harvest survey .................................................................................................................................... 39 Brood survey .............................................................................................................................................. 42 Figures ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 45 Tables ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 50 FURBEARERS Introduction ............................................................................................................................................... 65 Historical Furbearer Harvests .................................................................................................................. 66 Number of Licensed Furharvesters …………………………………………………………………...……… ... .67 Current Fur Market in Iowa ………………………………………………………………………………….. .... .68 2011-2012 Furharvest Season in Iowa …………………………………………………………………….….. .. 68 Figures ……………………………………………………………………………………………………..………... 79 Tables ……………………………………………………………………………………………………...……… . 100 WATERFOWL Waterfowl Management, Seasons, and Harvests in Iowa ………………………………….……………… .. .111 Duck breeding populations ……………………………………………………………………..……………… . 111 Giant Canada Goose Populations………………………………………………………………………..……. 111 Waterfowl harvests…………………………………………………………………………………….……….. ... 112 Waterfowl seasons ………………………………………………………………………….……………….…. ... 113 Waterfowl banding ………………………………………………………………………………………….… ..... 113 Figures …………………………………………………………………………………………………………. ..... 114 Tables ………………………………………………………………………………………………………..... ..... 116 UPLAND WILDLIFE Historical summary of populations and harvest …………………………………………………….….. ....... 135 2011 Small Game Harvest Survey………………………………………………………………………… ....... 140 Tables ……………………………………………………………………………………………………..….. ...... 142 Figures ………………………………………………………………………………………………………… ...... 157 WILDLIFE RESTORATION – 2011-2012 activities Peregrine Falcon Restoration ................................................................................................................. 169 Greater Prairie Chicken Restoration ....................................................................................................... 189 Trumpeter Swan Restoration .................................................................................................................... 201 Osprey Restoration .................................................................................................................................. 213 Sandhill Crane Status in Iowa ................................................................................................................. 225 Bald Eagle Restoration ............................................................................................................................ 231 Mountain Lion Status in Iowa ................................................................................................................. 241 Black Bear Status in Iowa ....................................................................................................................... 247 Gray Wolf Status in Iowa…..……………………………………………………………….………….. ............ 251 PRIOR RESTORATIONS – without 2010 - 2012 activities Ruffed Grouse …………………………(Archived in 2002, http://www.iowadnr.gov/wildlife/)…….. Wild Turkeys …………………………(Archived in 2002, http://www.iowadnr.gov/wildlife/)……… Canada Geese ……………….…….(Archived in 2001, http://www.iowadnr.gov/wildlife/)…….. APPENDICES Bowhunter Observation Survey ……………………………………………………………………… .............. 255 Ruffed Grouse Observation Survey …………………………………………………………………................275 WHITE-TAILED DEER Historical Perspective federal Conservation Reserve Program (CRP). Standing corn also provides ideal White-tailed deer (Odocoileus habitat for part of the year since it virginianus) were reported to be quite provides cover, easy travel lanes, and food abundant when European settlers arrived in during portions of the growth cycle. Iowa in the early 1800's. Although the Urban environments can also prove to be clearing and cultivating of land for good habitat for deer, especially if there agriculture may have initially improved the are green belts, parks or other natural suitability of the landscape for deer, spaces nearby. uncontrolled exploitation for food and hides Deer utilize almost all plants for rapidly reduced deer numbers. By 1880 food at one time or another during the deer were rarely sighted in much of the year. Deer feeding habits can best be state and in 1898 the deer season was described as being widely selective as legally closed. By this time deer had been deer will sample many plants while virtually eliminated from all parts of the feeding but often utilize a single, palatable state. source of food for the majority of their Re-establishment of deer into the diet seasonally. Preferred foods change state can be traced to escapes and releases throughout the year in response to from captive herds and translocation and changing metabolic demands and forage natural immigration from deer herds in availability. surrounding states. A conservative estimate The whitetail's ability to thrive in of the population in 1936 placed statewide Iowa is likely the result of abundant, numbers at between 500 and 700 animals. reliable food sources and a winter climate This small herd grew steadily. By 1950 where snow depths rarely exceed 12" for a deer were reported in most counties and the prolonged length of time. These factors statewide estimate topped 10,000. combine to allow deer to come through Concentrations in some areas were the "winter bottleneck" in excellent beginning to cause problems by damaging condition. The excellent nutrition also agricultural crops in addition to some enables deer to have high reproductive complaints concerning deer/vehicle rates. Many does in Iowa give birth to a collisions. In response to these problems single fawn at one year of age and 2 fawns the first modern deer season was held in each subsequent year. Deer in the wild December of 1953 and 4,000 deer were can maintain these high reproductive rates killed. The harvest in 1996 exceeded until they are past 10 years of age. Past 100,000 for the first time ever. research in Iowa has found that 8 to 12% Although deer are frequently of adult does have 3 fawns. associated with forested areas, they are Another reason that deer do so very adaptable and will utilize many well in Iowa is that they are very mobile. different types of habitat as long as the Although many deer never move far from area provides adequate cover. Examples the area where they were born, a of these types of areas include brushy significant number (10-20% on average) draws and fence lines, marshes, and leave and travel to new areas before grassy areas like those provided by the establishing a core area. These core areas may change seasonally with deer shifting sixth year of mandatory harvest reporting in between wintering areas and fawning Iowa. The reported kill for the 2011/12 areas. These movements allow deer to fill season was 121,407 (Table 1.1) which is voids left open due to deaths and changing about 4.5% lower than