Dubuque Iowa News

News Rabbit, Squirrel Hunting Season Opens September 4 Posted 31 August 2010 The 2010-11 hunting seasons for cottontail rabbits and squirrels (fox and gray) will open on September 4. Roadside surveys show cottontail rabbit numbers have generally decreased across the state, but will be similar to last year. "Persistent snow cover this past winter and a wet spring and summer statewide likely reduced the winter survival and reproductive success of cottontails," said Todd Bogenschutz, upland wildlife research biologist for the DNR. The DNR's roadside survey indicates the southern and eastern portions of Iowa will offer the best rabbit numbers this fall. There are several effective techniques that may be employed to hunt rabbits including stomping brush piles, walking slowly through abandoned farmsteads or along brushy fencerows, or wooded draws. The best form of rabbit hunting is done with the companionship of one or more beagles, said Bogenschutz. Beagles and other trailing dogs can increase success and improve the quality of the hunt. The cottontail season remains open until February 28, 2011, the daily bag limit is 10, and the possession limit is 20. Shooting hours are from sunrise to sunset. Hunters can view the DNR's roadside counts of cottontails in early September on the DNR's website here. Squirrel numbers are hard to estimate because the DNR does not survey the squirrel population, but statewide numbers should be similar to slightly better than last year, according to Todd Gosselink, Iowa's forest wildlife biologist. Squirrel populations typically peak following good mast years, and last fall Iowa had an average to poor mast crop for oaks and hickories. However, this year is shaping up to be an average hard mast production year, so there should be plenty of food for squirrels. "This past winter was undoubtedly a difficult year for squirrels with heavy and persistent snowfall, but squirrel populations can recover quickly with high reproduction rates," said Gosselink. Iowa's mix of agriculture and woods make an excellent habitat mix for wildlife, and provide plentiful waste grain for squirrels during the non-growing seasons. Squirrels should be at good numbers for this year's fall hunting season. Hunting opportunities for squirrels are excellent in Iowa because hunting pressure is low. In the early 1960s, Iowa had 150,000 squirrel hunters and a harvest of more than 1 million squirrels compared to last fall where an estimated 24,586 squirrel hunters harvested 169,041 squirrels in Iowa. Although forested habitat for squirrels has increased in the state over the last 30 years interest in the sport has declined. Gosselink attributes this decline to more opportunity to hunt other species, like turkey and deer and the decline in Iowa's rural population. The squirrel season opens September 4 and extends through January 31, 2011, the daily bag limit is 6 (fox and gray squirrels combined) and the possession limit is 12. There is no restriction on shooting hours. Fox squirrels can be found anywhere there are a few acres of trees, but gray squirrels are generally limited to the heavily forested areas in eastern and southern Iowa. Squirrel hunting is best done in one of two ways: the sit-and-wait technique and the still-hunting technique. The sit-and-wait technique is used near likely feeding areas such as beneath oak, walnut, or hickory trees or corn-forest edges. The still-hunting technique is employed by slowly walking through forested areas and stopping frequently to watch for feeding squirrels. The best hunting times usually are during the morning and afternoon feeding hours.

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