Extreme Drought Impacts on Hunting

The summer of 2012 is one for the record books! Our intense heat produced the 2nd hottest July on record for central Iowa and our dry summer pattern rivaled that of the drought of 1983.

As hot and dry seemed to breed hot and dry -Iowa even broke records set in the dust bowl years 1936 and 1934! After heavy spring rains, the faucet turned off launching the state into severe drought within weeks. And it still persists with 17 out of the last 19 weeks below normal for state-wide precipitation. Here is the current Iowa Drought Status. Our extreme summer and dry fall is taking it's toll on the ecosystem - effecting farmers, ranchers, Iowa's wildlife and now hunters.

One of the more obvious changes to the start of hunting season is the lack of water. River and stream-flow is at record low levels. Lakes are low, ponds are filthy mud pits and wetlands and marshes are dried up. From waterfowl to Whitetails, animals are redirecting from annual patterns in search of water. Any open water is good but spring-fed creeks are best - becoming magnets not only for livestock, but heavy-horned bucks. Concentrated water means concentrated wildlife and in many cases if you're not seeing the normal activity be ready to change your strategy.

Stressed & skinny. This doe disappeared from camera 4 days later.

Wandering far in the heat in search of better habitat has taken it's toll on deer and the herd is stressed and deer are skinny. The lack of regular quality rainfall has also deteriorated forage. Normal seasonal browse may be damaged or non-existent forcing deer to shift food sources. Antler quality and mass may even be lower as a buck's biology redirects resources and nutrients from procreation to simple survival. Fortunately, June weather wasn't terrible so these impacts should be minimal. It's important for hunters to focus on preferred browse, so get the boots on the ground and find food sources that are attracting wildlife.

Alfalfa has a durable root network and is drought resistant. It also has a high nutritional value, so these fields would be good food sources for Whitetail. Forbs and shrubs also become preferred browse during dry times because they are easier for animals to digest. Acorns are always a good bet, but even more so in a drought year. They have been falling since August and Oak trees that are producing good mast are deer magnets. Focus on any oak stands loaded with acorns, hunt them in the morning and you'll find deer.

Mid- September looked like early October. Fall's come early.

Fall has come early this year. Harvest is at record pace and most fields are on track to be harvested by mid-October. The leaves are already changing and record cold settled into the state on the Duck Season opening weekend. Peak fall colors will be 2-3 weeks ahead of schedule which means leaves will be knocked down by the wind much earlier than normal. The accelerated season may even bring about an earlier rut. Expect a future blog about that possibility.

Drought compounds disease and Iowa's Whitetail herd is under attack. Epizootic hemorrhagic disease or EHD is hitting the herd hard with the worst conditions in decades (News Story). I recently spoke with DNR conservation officers and the death toll to the herd will likely be well into the thousands. Madison and Warren Counties have been hit the hardest so far, but the count is still rising.

The exposed ribs tell her tale -possibly diseased and suffering.

This disease is transmitted by the female Biting Midge fly. This fly breeds near water and once it infects deer, the results are almost always fatal. Incubation for the disease is around one week and once symptoms show in deer, they have less than 36 hours to live. Deer run a fever, their lungs fill with blood and they suffocate often dying near water. It's a horrible death. It's happening at record levels. And once sportsmen hit the timber, more dead deer reports are likely.

Chronic Wasting Disease or CWD is also becoming a factor. It has already been confirmed in high-fence operations in the state but it is believed to be present in the wild herd too. Drought spreads disease faster as deer concentrate around scarce resources like water. Sportsmen are on the front-lines and we're all encouraged to call the local DNR officer in your area and report any sick or dead deer.This will help protect our resource with a more accurate wildlife management.

As an avid outdoorsman, it's hard to not be worried about the state of hunting and the drought. Despite all the hardship, drought is a natural cycle culling the sick, weak and over-populated wildlife. As sad as it is to see, it's part of nature. The herd will survive and the hunting will still be good this year. Hunters just need to adapt to the pattern changes and report any suspicious animal behaviors or death as we see it. We're less than a week away, and I wish all the Iowa bow-hunters the best of luck this season!!

-Chris