DES MOINES, IOWA (AP) -- Officials say a series of hard winters and soggy springs are to blame for fewer pheasants in Iowa as the hunting season gets under way.
The Iowa Department of Natural Resources says with the corn crop nearly harvested, hunting should be easier than last year. But state biologist Todd Bogenschutz says an August roadside survey found 30 percent fewer pheasants.
According to The Des Moines Register, it's the fourth consecutive year the pheasant population has been in a free fall, affecting hunters and non-hunters alike.
Hunters spent $109 million in Iowa in 2006, but that has dwindled by more than half.
About 70,000 pheasant hunters are expected this season, continuing a steady decline from 200,000 in 1996.
Pheasant season starts Saturday and runs through Jan. 10.
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