“MR. ROOSTER”, commonly referred to as ring neck pheasant, has a grand opening for hunting on October 30th and extends through January 10th, 2011. Shooting hours are from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. with a daily bag limit of 3 and possession of 12.

This is the one season we all look forward to and have since our childhood. One of the first t.v. series I remember as a child was “THE AMERICAN SPORTSMAN” (1965-1986) that occurred near Victor, Iowa County, Iowa. It was considered a celebrity shoot in that Bing Crosby and Phil Harris, both shooting underover shotguns, hunted “MR. ROOSTER” and in between shots, sang songs.

Several years ago on a “Iowa Governor’s Hunt” which occurred in Iowa County, my guide, who claimed he was a child during the time “THE AMERICAN SPORTSMAN” was being filmed with Bing Crosby and Phil Harris, indicated that his father took him into a bar in Victor, Iowa to meet Bing Crosby. I was very impressed that he remembers the show well. On several occasions, I have tried or attempted to obtain a copy of the program, “THE AMERICAN SPORTSMAN”, but I have been unable to locate one.

If any of you readers know of one, please advise me so I may obtain such copy.

As you all know there are very few pheasants this year and this is one of the first times since early history that the farmers have been allowed to release birds on their own. This obviously will help the pheasant population and also give the farmers some input into the bird problem.

Pursuant to the D.N.R. Press Releases, the US Agriculture Secretary, Tom Vilsak, announced that Iowa was one of seventeen states to share more than 11.75 million dollars for involuntary public access, habitat and city programs. It’s about time the Federal Government gets into the habitat program for pheasants as local organizations and farmers can’t keep up with it.

Iowa will receive 1.5 million dollars over 3 years to help fund grass seeding, tree and shrub plantings, burning, disking, spraying, interseeding, food plots, edged feathering, timber stand improvement, and wetland restoration on private land and in return for this, the land owners have to agree to allow public access to their land for a period of 3 to 10 years. State officials feel the grant should give a boost to Iowa’s ground-nesting birds struggling after 4 straight years of wet springs, records snowfalls, proving nesting success and low winter survival rates.

Now that the Federal Government is getting involved in the habitat, it’s time the State gets involved in providing habitat and pursuant to the November 2nd, 2010 Iowa Elections, the public will be allowed to get involved because of the Constitutional Amendment called “IOWA WATER & LAND LEGACY”. This will set up a trust fund for Iowa and the monies will be extended towards the D.N.R. and the outdoors.

Legislation has already passed the House and Senate on 2 successive years and comes up for Constitutional Amendment by the public on November 2nd, 2010. The “IOWA WATER & LAND LEGACY” (“IF” there is an increase in sales tax at 3/8 of one percent of said sales tax), will go towards the Iowa Conservation Programs. State Legislature had allocated a pie chart of the 3/8 of one percent increase as follows: 7% for lakes restoration; 10% for land and water trails; 13% to local communities for improvement of parks, preserves etc.; 13% to Iowa’s Resource Enhancement and Protection (REAP) Fund; 14% for watershed protection; 20% for soil conservation & watershed protection; 23% for the establishment, restoration or enhancement of state parks, preserves and etc.

It should be noted that this Constitutional Amendment will certainly benefit the farming communities of Iowa, the conservation communities of Iowa and all outdoor organizations. There has been some negative advertisement and promotion against this however, it is minimum and it’s in the farmer’s interest that this matter be voted on the majority of Iowan’s and past.

As all of you that read my columns know, it’s indicated that farmer’s have finally been allowed to release pheasants on their own property as along as the bird is obtained properly in accordance with the D.N.R. regulations. The 3 hatcheries in Iowa which the D.N.R. has approved to sell birds to farmers are: Hoover’s Hatchery in Rudd, Iowa (1-800-247-7014); Murray McMurray in Webster City, Iowa (1-800-456-3280); and Malloy Game Birds in State Center, Iowa (1-641-483-2617).

I get several phone calls weekly from farmers regarding this matter and they are all very happy with the legislation as such and they promise to obtain birds and if they obtain the birds, they will have the habitat for them which will also draw Iowa birds in.

The “Iowa Outdoors D.N.R.” indicates that recent charges have been filed against 3 Louisiana men in southeast Iowa underscoring a growing problem during deer season. Iowa only offers 6,000 nonresident deer licenses and the waiting period can be up to 3 years to get one. There appears to be a growing and disturbing trend of nonresidents purchasing land, sometimes even a house and trying to claim their residency is in Iowa, including obtaining an Iowa driver’s license.

Whenever a person falsely claims residency here and obtains an Iowa driver’s license, it is a felony. Of the 3 Louisiana patrons, one faces a $6,085.00 fine and $60,600.00 in liquidated damages. These 3 men were all turned in to the “TIP” (Turn In Poachers) hotline. The reason these out-of-state “residents” want Iowa resident hunting licenses is because Iowa has the biggest deer and nicest racks in the United States, as far as I’m concerned; and it’s difficult to get a non-resident license.

If you have any questions or comments, feel free to contact me by calling (515) 283-2330, emailing me at dmlaw@qwestoffice.net or by writing to 206 – 6th Avenue, Suite 510, Des Moines, Iowa 50309.