Outdoors

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources recently confirmed that zebra mussels are in Lake Manawa. A homeowner on Lake Manawa reported finding zebra mussels on rip-rap along his shoreline. Investigation by DNR staff discovered low numbers of zebra mussels around the lake. DNR staff will conduct additional surveys at Lake Manawa this fall and next summer to monitor the abundance and distribution of zebra mussels...

The positive impact Iowa’s mild winter and reasonably dry spring has had on pheasant nesting success will likely be seen when the Iowa Department of Natural Resources conducts its annual roadside pheasant counts between Aug. 1-15. The statewide survey is conducted by Iowa DNR staff who drive 218, 30-mile routes on gravel roads at dawn on mornings with heavy dew. ...

Standing on a vista overlooking the expansive Cayler Prairie, it’s easy to imagine bison ― the icon of the open prairie ― at home on this historic area. The 1,200-acre rolling prairie complex in Dickinson County, a short 3 miles west of West Okoboji Lake, boasts some of the highest quality and diverse virgin prairie in Iowa...

In my over 50 years of fishing, I’ve had the wonderful opportunity to fish from a variety of boats and boat styles. Some were outstanding fishing rigs, others not so much. Fishing partners and I have shared space in flat-bottom jonboats, high end bass boats, deep-vee multi-specie boats, canoes, runabouts and pontoons...

Here we are pushing the end of July, and the early hunting seasons are only four to six weeks away. It brings to mind the importance of our hunting dogs. Beginning in September, they take center stage. Whether it is in the duck blind or on land, our hunting dogs do what they have been bred to do: hunt. And it is so much fun to witness their passion to hunt...

DNR note: Last summer, we visited with landowners who are making a difference for Monarch butterflies and other pollinators by planting prairie, including Phyllis Kimball. These landowners have made a commitment to help bring the Monarch butterfly back and support pollinators and other wildlife by planting prairie. We hope their stories will inspire you and give you some ideas about how you could also help save the Monarch and honor Iowa's prairie heritage...

Fishing for catfish is a summer tradition for many Iowa families. You can always count on channel catfish when the bite slows down for other fish in the heat of Iowa summers. “Catfish will bite most of the time, no matter what the water temperature,” explained Daniel Vogeler, fisheries technician with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. “They are biting in most lakes, ponds, rivers and streams across Iowa.”...

WICHITA, Kans. — Pass It On — Outdoor Mentors recently announced a partnership with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources to pilot a program to engage high school and college trap shooters in hunting activities. Based on the Shooting Sports Outreach Program that Pass It On — Outdoor Mentors launched in Kansas in 2019, the pilot program will engage student athletes from at least 15 different Scholastic Clay Target Program teams, both college and high school, in dove, pheasant and waterfowl hunts.. ...

Across the Midwest, in fact across much of the United States, it’s been either hot or really hot for the past few weeks. The infrequent rains have been very welcome. As with the temperatures in many places, the fishing has been hot for anglers who adapt their techniques to the summer weather. Fishing in the heat of summer is different from other seasons in some ways, but it’s also the same in a couple of ways...

Finally, as we head toward the end of July, the water levels on the Iowa Great Lakes have slowly subsided to the point that the water is only going over the Big Spirit spillway by a little over 2 inches and a little over 5 inches going over the overflow at Lower Gar. ...

As an outdoor writer, I feel it’s a good idea to subscribe to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources' press releases and updates. In that way, stuff that I think is important I can get out to the readers of the Outdoors page. Often, I read reports of people caught breaking hunting and fishing laws. ...

The popularity of bottom bouncers for fishing walleyes has expanded far and wide. Come midsummer bottom bouncers are probably my go to presentation to catch walleyes day in and day out. You can speed up to cover water at over 2 mph with a bottom bouncer. ...

When a person decides to go fishing, a primary goal is to catch some fish. And, while we certainly enjoy the time spent with our boat partner or just being on the water, catching a few or a bunch of fish is the main reason that we go fishing. We know that we’re not always going to catch lots of fish, but we also know that there are some things that we can do to increase our chances for catching a few (or a bunch). Finding the fish that are most willing to bite is a big part of catching fish...

In the summer months, the water is warm, the fish are hungry, and there is a lot of food in the water for the fish to eat. The predator fish have a lot of options on their menu, so if we want to get them to bite the bait on the end of our line, we need to show them something that appeals to them. With so much real food in the water for the predators, making our bait more appealing can be a challenge...

A program that doesn’t get enough credit for the benefits that come from it is the Resource Enhancement and Protection program. Since its beginning in 1989, REAP has helped fund the protection of Iowa’s beautiful and important resources. Each year REAP funds these areas:...

You may have heard of walleye before, but do you know where the name comes from? The fish have whitish, glossy eyes that help them see through murky and dark waters. Their eyesight lets them hunt for food easier, too. The walleye is the largest species of the perch family — they can weigh up to 20 pounds. ...

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources is working with stakeholders and agencies from across the Missouri River basin to identify problem areas and potential solutions for flood impacts along the lower Missouri River. The study will use existing data and hydraulic models, along with stakeholder input, to define existing conditions and develop conceptual-level solutions for identified problem areas, and to develop a flood risk management plan...

SPIRIT LAKE — With $3.2 million in improvements to campground facilities and roadways, Marble Beach State Recreation Area will open its doors to campers on July 1. “We are excited to unveil the work that’s been taking place here at Marble Beach,” said Frank Rickerl, northwest Iowa supervisor for Iowa state parks, forests and preserves...

Jim McDonnell, who was a local fishing guide and outdoor expert, is one of 10 individuals being inducted into the 2020 Fresh Water Fishing Hall of Fame. Plans for the induction ceremony will be released later. Known as the “Fishing Professor” or “Mac” to his friends, McDonnell spent 35 years as an educator and coach and operated his fishing guide business on the Iowa Great Lakes for over 40 years. Unfortunately, he passed away unexpectedly in 2012 at the age of 74...

We all love the Iowa Great Lakes area. We want to protect it — for future generations, for water quality, for wildlife. And we can all start helping to protect our natural world through simple changes we can make right at home, no matter where we live...

Iowa fisheries biologist Ben Wallace recently received the American Fisheries Society’s Fisheries Management Section Award of Merit for his efforts in community based watershed management and lake restoration projects. The American Fisheries Society is the world’s oldest and largest organization dedicated to strengthen the fisheries profession, advance fisheries science, and conserve fisheries resources. ...

Iowa’s recent mild winter and dryer than normal April and May could lead to positive results for pheasant hunters this fall. Hen survival increases during mild winters, and more hens mean more nests and more nests typically means more pheasants in the fall...

The summer of 2020 is here. For most anglers, spring fishing success has ranged from “pretty darn good” to “outstanding” to quote many. Summer fishing is different than spring fishing. Some people who fish refer to fishing in July and August as the “Dog Days,” and they’re not saying that in a complimentary way. However, fishing in the summer can be outstanding if we keep a few things in mind. Following are some of those things...

As Father’s Day approached Sunday, I gave reflection on my own upbringing and the parenting that I received growing up. I find that happening more and more as I move through the seventh decade of my life. As I look back at my youth, more and more I appreciate what my parents did for me. I couldn’t have asked for a better childhood...

WASHINGTON — Hundreds of bird species will benefit from $160 million in funding for various wetland conservation projects in North America. The funding was approved by the Migratory Bird Conservation Commission, which is chaired by U.S. Secretary of the Interior David L. Bernhardt...

DES MOINES ― On Thursday, June 11, the Iowa Tourism Office and the Iowa Department of Natural Resources announced two new opportunities for Iowans to help celebrate the 100th anniversary of Iowa state parks and also to support tourism attractions and businesses impacted by the coronavirus crisis:...

You might be sharing my feelings of both hope and uncertainty about what “Summer at the Lakes” will be like this year. We sense that this summer won’t be exactly like prior years. Let’s look for a fresh angle this summer. Nature is calling us to discover new places in new ways!...

The summer bite has arrived across Walleye Country. Most species of fish have completed the spawning process and have one thing on their minds: Predators such as walleyes want to eat. If we want to catch more walleyes, we need to determine where they are and what they want to eat. If we do that, our chances for catching them are very good...

One of the sought-after fish on our Iowa lakes are slab crappies. When the month of May comes and the temperatures move into the upper 50s, crappies begin to move shallow into their spawning areas. Optimum spawning temperatures are between 68-72 degrees. ...