DES MOINES — Once easily visible in large winter flocks scratching in picked crop fields along timber edges for waste grain, Iowa’s wild turkeys will seemingly disappear into the landscape as the days lengthen and temperatures warm.

Driven by instinct, males will begin calling, displaying and competing against other males for the attention of the hens as part of the annual breeding season.

In this arena, steps the turkey hunter – who tries to mimic the hens and frustrate the toms (mature) and jakes (one-year old male’s) to the point of investigating why she is not responding to his calls.

“Turkey hunting is an intimate experience, calling the birds close, making it go against instinct, using your experience and skills learned from time spent in the woods to try to trick that bird to coming to you,” said Jim Coffey, forest wildlife biologist with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR). “And if everything goes right, only around 22-25 percent of our tags get filled. Even the most experienced turkey hunters make mistakes.”

Last year, more than 50,000 tags were sold and hunters reporting harvesting more than 15,000 birds; the second highest total since mandatory harvest began in 2006.

“We had a good turkey hatch in 2025, and that was on top of a good hatch in 2024, so we should have a good number of jakes and young toms available this spring,” Coffey said.

Considered a woodland species, turkeys can be found in grasslands, field edges and other places you don’t expect to see them. Birds were harvested in all of Iowa’s 99 counties in the 2025 spring season.

Iowa’s spring turkey hunting offers four split seasons, where hunters may choose up to two seasons, with at least one being season four. Seasons spread out hunting pressure to provide positive experience. Surveys indicate that hunter satisfaction is highest when they do not run into another hunter while hunting and when they hear a lot of gobbling.

With a few weeks to go till the season starts, now is a good time to go through the equipment and gear to make sure it still works and fits, and to practice calling.

“Spring weather could be finicky – it could be in the 70s or snowing,” he said. “And just a reminder, it will be tick season.”

Hunting safety reminder

Hunters should write out their hunting plan that identifies the hunt location, who’s on the hunt and outlines their role, describes how the hunt will unfold and when the hunters are expected to return home. Hunters are encouraged to leave a copy of the plan with someone or somewhere easy to find, in the event of an emergency.

Hunters are reminded to avoid wearing patriotic colors – red, white and blue – that are colors found on a male turkey head and waddle, and to not shoot at movement. Identify the target and what’s beyond it, especially with the new loads that have increased range.

If another hunter walks in to your area, Coffey said remain still and say in a clear voice ‘Hunter over here.’ “The person should turn and walk directly away,” he said.

Those who harvest a bird are required to report their harvest through the harvest reporting system. It is essential and mandatory to report the bird, which helps the DNR with management.

“There are plenty of birds – be mindful of other hunters out there – they’re out there to have fun too,” he said.

Youth Season

Youth season is designed to be a mentoring experience, teaching the youth about turkey hunting and building skills, like learning how to call.

SEASONS

• Youth-only – residents only, age 15 and younger – April 10-12
• Season 1 – April 13-16
• Season 2 – April 17-21
• Season 3 – April 22-28
• Season 4 – April 29 – May 17
• Resident Archery Only – April 13 – May 17

By Matt Kelley (Radio Iowa)

A new survey done for the Iowa Food Bank Association finds one in eight Iowans is food insecure, as is one in six Iowa children, and there’s strong support for finding more ways to help.

Katie Sorrell, the association’s executive director, says 71-percent of respondents said food insecurity is a problem in Iowa, and half said the state isn’t doing enough to support people facing hunger.

“Choose Iowa is a program where food banks can buy directly from local farmers, and 80% of Iowans think there should be increased state support for that program,” Sorrell says. “So through Choose Iowa, when Iowans go to food pantries, they will have access to fruits and vegetables produced by local farmers.”

The survey, done by the research firm Murmuration, found 77-percent of those questioned say they support universal school food programs that fund free breakfast and lunch for all students, not just those from lower incomes. She says all Iowans are being impacted by rising food costs, some more than others.

“Seventy-seven percent of Iowans have had to change the amounts or types of food that they purchase just because food is more expensive. So we’re all feeling the pressure of increased food costs,” Sorrell says, “and I think Iowans want to help each other out, and they see that for their neighbors that are struggling, food insecurity is an issue.”

The survey found 71-percent of respondents agree the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program helps those experiencing food insecurity, while 64-percent say SNAP helps the Iowa economy.

“Double Up Food Bucks is a program where when people use their SNAP card to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables, the amount is doubled. So if you buy $15 in fruits and vegetables, you get $15 back on your SNAP card to buy additional fruits and vegetables,” she says, “and the support for that program is huge in Iowa.”

The Iowa Food Bank Association is comprised of Iowa’s six Feeding America food banks: Food Bank of Iowa, Food Bank for the Heartland, Food Bank of Siouxland, HACAP, Northeast Iowa Food Bank, and River Bend Food Bank. They collectively distributed more than 54-million meals through 1,500 partner agencies in all 99 Iowa counties last year.