From the Iowa Department of Natural Resources

Results of Iowa’s 2024 pheasant population survey are in and the results were nearly identical to the 2022 and 2021.

The annual August roadside survey found Iowa’s statewide pheasant population to be 19 birds per 30-mile route, down from 23 birds per route in 2023. The decline was expected after much of Iowa received 3-7 inches of rainfall above normal during the nesting season.

“Iowa hunters have enjoyed good pheasant hunting over most of the state for the past five seasons, including last year, when we had the highest harvest in 16 years. If our dry weather continues into fall, the corn and soybean harvest could be mostly complete by opening day, and that usually leads to good success,” Todd Bogenschutz, upland wildlife research biologist with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, said.

Based on the results of the August roadside survey, Iowa hunters can expect to harvest 350,000 to 400,000 roosters. Last year, Iowa saw an increase of an estimated 20,000 pheasant hunters over 2022, which helped push the harvest to nearly 600,000.

“Last year, pheasant hunting was the best it’s been since 2007, and while the numbers from the survey were lower, it’s shaping up for another good fall,” he said. The full report is available at www.iowadnr.gov/pheasantsurvey.

Iowa’s quail population was led by the southwest and west central regions of the state.

“Route after route, we had staff recording quail further into the west central region,” Bogenschutz said.

Iowa’s partridge population was lower with the better numbers coming from the northcentral and northwest region. The rabbit population was higher than last year with the better population in the south half of Iowa, but good numbers can be found across the state 

The annual August roadside survey has been collecting data on Iowa’s upland game populations since 1962.

• Youth pheasant season is Oct. 19-20
• Pheasant season is Oct. 26 – Jan. 10, 2025
• Quail season is Oct. 26 – Jan. 31, 2025
• Rabbit season is Aug. 31 – Feb. 28, 2025
• Partridge season is Oct. 12 – Jan. 31, 2025

Citizens packed the Guthrie Center Activity Center for the CO2 pipeline meeting.

By Rich Wicks | Times Vedette

On Aug. 28, an informational meeting was held at the Guthrie Center Activity Center, beginning at 6 p.m. A “standing room only” crowd, estimated at 200, was on hand to hear from various viewpoints. 

Speakers included representatives from the Iowa Utilities Commission (IUC), Office of the Consumer Advocate, and Summit Carbon Solutions. Handouts from IUC included the standard process regarding hazardous liquid pipelines and eminent domain.

Special to the Times Vedette

The Panorama School District posted a video of its elementary students reciting the pledge of allegiance on the first day of school. This is a regular tradition for the Panthers, but the social media post on Facebook has gone viral, being played more than 1.4 million times nationwide with more than 4,700 shares — and those numbers keep growing, so much so that the school district turned off the comments as it was becoming too much to monitor. See the post here.

By Rich Wicks | Times Vedette

Riley Gibson was crowned by 2023 Queen Kiersten Knobbe during the Guthrie County Fair in 2023

Riley Gibson is the 2024 Guthrie County Fair Queen, and she will reign during this year’s fair, which runs Aug. 29 through Sept. 2. She will be on hand when the 2025 Queen is announced at 6 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 1 at the Little Amphitheater. The Queen announcement is traditionally one of the highlights of the fair.

Gibson is a 2024 graduate of Panorama High School and is enrolled at Iowa State University. She is the daughter of Jim and Karwyn Gibson.

The coronation ceremony will announce the new Queen from among three candidates: Addison Laughery, Kassidy Olson and Shyann Young.

Addison Laughery lives in Guthrie Center and is a 17-year-old senior at ACGC high school. She participates in National Honor Society, 4-H, Leo’s Club, FCCLA, football cheerleading, basketball cheerleading, All-Star Competitive Cheer, volleyball, dance team, competitive dance, choir, large group speech, individual speech, drama and FCA.

Kassidy Olson lives in Coon Rapids and is a 17-year-old senior at Coon Rapids-Bayard High School. She participates in FFA, cheerleading and school musicals. She has been involved in the Coon Rapids Main Street Volunteer program, tutoring and the National Youth Coon Hunting Association. She raises sheep, and she works as a greenhouse manager and babysitter. She has been an exhibitor at the Guthrie and Carroll County fairs in Iowa and the Martin County Fair in Minnesota.

Shyann Young lives in Adair and is a 17-year-old senior at ACGC High School. She participates in volleyball, track, 4-H, concert band, marching band, jazz band, choir, large group speech, individual speech, art club, theater and student council. She has also been active in swing choir, FFA and FCCLA.