2026 Pheasant Forecast

According to the combined results of this year’s annual roadside game surveys, hunters can expect to encounter good to excellent pheasant numbers when they take to the fields this fall.  Although pheasant numbers failed to show a statewide gain during 2026, bird populations mostly held their own and remain similar to the 20-year high seen in 2025.  That’s exciting news for Iowa hunters already looking forward to this season’s October 31^st pheasant opener.  

The summer roadside counts are annually conducted by DNR wildlife biologists between August 1 and August 15 when biologists record small game numbers sighted along 225 standardized, 30-mile long survey routes.  Beginning at daylight, the routes are run on clear, calm mornings when heavy dew forces pheasant broods [and other small game species] onto rural roadways to dry off.

“This year’s roadside pheasant counts were the second highest since 2015,” says DNR Wildlife Research Biologist, Todd Bogenschutz.  “Although pheasant numbers showed a decrease in the state’s Northeastern Region, bird counts remained strong across the North Central and Northwestern portions of the state.  Statewide, hunters should encounter pheasant numbers very similar to what was seen during 2025.”

Biologists also note that this year’s survey results may have actually underestimated pheasant numbers due to unfavorable survey conditions — heavy overcast, rain, and fog — that permeated much of the survey period after August 5^th.

Although heavy spring rainfalls caused bobwhite quail numbers to drop by 21 percent from last year, quail populations currently remain at their 10-year average.  The strongest quail numbers were found in southwest and south central Iowa.

Surveyed populations of gray [Hungarian] partridge were highest in North Central and Northwestern Iowa.

This summer’s statewide count of cottontail rabbits was the highest since 2014.  Cottontails are currently a full 30 percent above the ten year average.