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With regular gun seasons over, deer hunting shifts to late season mode

Posted on by Sam Parsons

DES MOINES — With the two regular gun seasons now in the books, Iowa’s deer hunting shifts to a more solitary endeavor with the opening of the late muzzleloader season and the reopening of the archery season.

Jace Elliott, state deer biologist for the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, said roughly 15-20,000 hunters will participate in the late muzzleloader season and likely harvest about 10,000 deer.

“The season is popular with hunters looking to avoid the crowds. It’s the season with the highest percentage of does harvested and is a good opportunity for herd management or to put meat in the freezer,” Elliott said. “This time of year, hunters would be wise to target existing food sources as these resources can be limited.”

While the archery season also re-opens, fewer deer are harvested during this time than during the early portion of the season.

The late muzzleloader and late split archery season are Dec. 23 to Jan. 10, 2025.

The final deer seasons are the two January antlerless deer only seasons – the Population Management January Antlerless Season and the Excess Tag January Antlerless Season. Both seasons run from Jan. 11-19, but there are differences between the two.

The Population Management January Antlerless Season is available only in Allamakee, Appanoose, Decatur, Lucas, Monroe, Wayne and Winneshiek counties if there are more than 100 antlerless tags available in that county on Dec. 23. Since all seven counties met that requirement, all seven will be open. Hunters participating in the population management January antlerless season may use bows, muzzleloaders, handguns, shotguns, crossbows, or rifles .223 caliber and larger, as a method of take.

The Excess Tag January Antlerless Season is available in all counties with unsold county antlerless tags on Jan. 11. Due to the compressed timeline, license sales will only be available over the counter, not online, until the quota is filled. Hunters participating in the excess tag January antlerless season may only use rifles from .223 caliber to .500 caliber as a method of take.

“We began running both seasons concurrently in 2023, and this past January we had just shy of 3,000 hunters participating who harvested about 1,500 deer statewide,” he said. “We will likely have similar counties participating as last year – primarily in northeast Iowa and southern Iowa – that will not fill their antlerless quota by Jan 10.”

Hunters can monitor the quotas in real time at iowadnr.gov/Hunting then click on the Antlerless Deer Tag Quotas link under the Helping You Prepare heading.

“If hunters are interested in using more than a centerfire rifle, they should consider purchasing the Population Management tags to have larger menu of options for the method of take,” he said.

Harvest Update

“We’ve been tracking closely to last year when we harvested 104,000 deer across the state, and I think we will end up in that same ballpark when the season closes in January,” Elliott said. To date, hunters have reported 87,000 deer.

Hemorrhagic Disease Update

Public reporting data suggests that 2024 was Iowa’s most severe hemorrhagic disease (commonly known as EHD) outbreak in recorded history. While more than 3,000 suspected EHD mortalities have been received this year in 94 counties, research suggests that multiplying that total by 10 would provide a more realistic, yet still conservative, estimate of total EHD-related mortality.

“This means that many hunters and landowners throughout the state are noticing fewer deer during the hunting season, specifically in central and northwestern Iowa,” Elliott said. “While there is still plenty of harvest opportunity during our late seasons, it’s important for our hunters to adapt their harvest goals to the current status of their local deer population. Talk with your neighbors to better understand population impacts in your area, and understand that deer tend to congregate in the late seasons, which can lead to false perceptions of abundance on certain properties.”

A new EHD reporting tool and dashboard can be found on the DNR Deer Hunting webpage at https://www.iowadnr.gov/Hunting/Deer-Hunting.

“While the majority of Iowa’s counties appear to be spared from severe population impacts from this recent outbreak, hunters should always consider the bigger picture and understand the role they play in managing balanced, healthy deer populations,” he said. “Successful local deer management relies on being informed and working together with neighbors, especially during severe EHD years.”

Chronic Wasting Disease Update

The Iowa DNR has raised its deer sample quota this year due to the sampling increases around the new positive deer from 2023. This year, the DNR has collected more than 5,000 samples from across the state to date and the lab at Iowa State University is working through them.

So far, 26 deer have been either confirmed as having chronic wasting disease or are suspected and subject to a follow up test. The 26 positive deer includes three new counties – Davis, Shelby and Wapello – where the disease has been confirmed.

Late Muzzleloader season

  • Method of Take: Bows, muzzleloaders, handgun, or crossbow
  • Season is Dec. 23-Jan. 10. 2025

Population Management January Antlerless Season

  • Method of Take: Bows, muzzleloaders, handguns, shotguns, crossbows, or rifles .223 caliber and larger
  • Season is Jan. 11-19, 2025 – only in Allamakee, Appanoose, Decatur, Lucas, Monroe, Wayne and Winneshiek counties if there are more than 100 antlerless tags available in that county on Dec. 23.

Excess Tag January Antlerless Season

  • Method of Take: Rifles .223 caliber to .500 caliber
  • Season is Jan. 11-19, 2025 – available in all counties with unsold county antlerless tags on Jan. 11, and sales will only be available over the counter, not online, until the quota is filled.

Knoxville Man Charged Following Road Rage Incident on Sunday Morning

Posted on by Sam Parsons

KNOXVILLE — A Knoxville man is facing charges following a Sunday morning road rage incident involving a firearm.

According to a release from the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, at 9:16 am Sunday, the Marion County Sheriff’s Office received a call from an individual that stated someone shot at him during a road rage incident.

Marion County Deputies and Knoxville Police Officers met with the caller and took a statement and determined the exact location where the incident took place. The caller said thought he recognized the other driver and the Officers then proceeded to the scene of the incident, at 140th Pl and G-44, and gathered more evidence. The vehicle of the other driver was located by a Marion County Deputy at that driver’s residence, and surveillance on it began.

Members from the Sheriff’s Office and the Iowa State Patrol were able to make contact with the other driver at his residence, where an interview was conducted and more evidence was seized.

As a result of the investigation, 57-year-old Paul Dean Lutz from Knoxville was arrested and charged with six charges:

Reckless use of firearm

Intimidation with weapon

Person ineligible to carry firearm

Possession controlled substance schedule II 1st offense

Possession marijuana 1st offense

Possession drug paraphernalia

Skeletal Remains Identified as Missing Ottumwa Man

Posted on by Sam Parsons

OTTUMWA — On August 28, 2019, Timothy William-Michal Fortney was reported missing to the Ottumwa Police Department by his mother.  At the time he was reported missing, Fortney had not been seen for over a year.

In February 2022, authorities recovered skeletal remains on the banks of the Des Moines River near Keosauqua, Iowa. Anthropological analysis suggested that the femur was likely from an adult male, and its condition was consistent with forensic, rather than archaeological, significance. Subsequent searches of the area did not yield more remains or any other evidence. Initial attempts at DNA extraction and traditional DNA testing were unsuccessful, and the case was entered into the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs) as UP90738. The man became known as Des Moines River John Doe.

When the Lincoln County Coroner’s Office in Missouri announced that they had successfully partnered with Southeast Missouri State University (SEMO) and Othram to identify 15-year-old Helen Groomes (https://dnasolves.com/articles/helen-groomes-missouri/) of Ottumwa, Iowa, investigators from the Ottumwa Police Department recognized the value of applying the latest DNA technology to complex cases, including those involving poorly preserved remains. Des Moines River John Doe’s remains were transported to Southeast Missouri State University, where, under the supervision of Drs. Jennifer Bengtson and Jim McGill, advanced Anthropology and Chemistry students applied non-destructive chemical analyses as part of a larger research project focused on assessing likelihood of DNA preservation from skeletal remains. 

With the necessary casework costs paid by SEMO Anthropology, the forensic evidence was then submitted to Othram’s laboratory in The Woodlands, Texas so that advanced DNA testing could be used to name the unknown man. Othram’s scientists successfully developed a DNA extract from the evidence. Although the DNA was highly degraded, a comprehensive DNA profile was built for the man using Forensic-Grade Genome Sequencing®. While SEMO students learned valuable investigative skills by searching missing persons databases and conducting records research, Othram’s in-house forensic genetic genealogy team worked to develop new leads in the case which corresponded with missing persons leads that investigators were pursuing. 

The investigation led Ottumwa Police Department investigators to collect reference samples from possible family members of the man. The unknown man’s DNA profile was compared to the DNA profile of the possible relative using Othram’s KinSNP® rapid relationship testing. This investigation confirmed the identity of Des Moines River John Doe as Timothy William-Michal Fortney. Mr. Fortney was reported missing from Ottumwa, Iowa on March 17, 2018. At the time of his disappearance, Fortney was staying at the Ottumwa Residential Facility. The circumstances of Timothy Fortney’s disappearance and death are the subject of an ongoing investigation. 

If anyone has information regarding the death of Timothy Fortney, they are requested to contact the Ottumwa Police Department Investigations Unit at (641) 683-0661.

Snow, ice and strong winds make for dangerous conditions in upper Midwest

Posted on by Sam Parsons

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — A fast-moving winter storm brought snow, ice, strong winds and bitter cold to much of the upper Midwest, snarling traffic in the Twin Cities and forcing North Dakota officials to shut down an interstate highway.

The National Weather Service issued a winter storm warning for large areas of Minnesota, Wisconsin and the Dakotas, where some interstates were snow-covered and treacherous. Several fender-benders and slide-offs were reported, some causing injuries. There were no immediate reports of deaths.

Up to 7 inches (18 centimeters) of snow were possible in Minnesota, including the Twin Cities, where Thursday morning rush hour slowed to a crawl and several accidents were reported as snowfall intensified.

North Dakota was getting the worst of it. Blustery winds of up to 50 mph (80 kilometers per hour) were common Wednesday night into Thursday morning. Snowfall totals were mostly under 6 inches (15 centimeters) — not a lot by North Dakota standards, but enough to make roads dangerous.

The North Dakota Highway Patrol says 15 people were injured early Thursday when a truck tried to stop at an intersection in the state’s southwest corner but slid on an icy road, causing a crash with a van and an SUV. The crash happened amid high winds, blowing snow and sleet near Reeder, about 115 miles (185 kilometers) southwest of Bismarck. Apart from the drivers, those injured were young, ranging in age from 8 to 18. Five of the injuries were serious, according to the highway patrol.

Freezing rain only added to the slipperiness. The North Dakota Highway Patrol issued a “no travel advisory” urging motorists to stay off the roads. That wasn’t an option for large vehicles in one corner of the state: “No Oversize loads in the Northwest Region until further notice,” the patrol posted on Facebook.

A 50-mile (80-kilometer) stretch of Interstate 94 in North Dakota, starting at the Montana state line, was closed for about 90 minutes Thursday morning when snow and ice made the road virtually impassable, and eventually blocked by trucks.

“It’s a section of the Badlands that goes through that area, so there’s quite a few hills,” highway patrol Sgt. Coby Hubble said. “We had commercial motor vehicles that could not pass through that area and became stuck.”

Snowfall of 5 to 7 inches (13 to 18 centimeters) was expected in parts of Wisconsin and Minnesota. Minnesota forecasters called for gusty winds throughout the day, creating the potential for whiteout conditions.

Planes were grounded for a time Thursday morning at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport because of snow and ice. The airport’s website said that as of early afternoon, 63 arriving flights were delayed and 89 departures were delayed.

Phil Helfrich was fueling up his car in windy and largely barren Bismarck in anticipation of a trip to Denver on Friday to see his grandchildren. The weather, he said, wouldn’t stop him, noting that his car was equipped with snow tires. He also packed a winter survival kit.

“I’m excited and my grandboys are excited,” Helfrich said.

In some ways, the snow was overdue. Until this week, less than 3 inches (8 centimeters) of snow had fallen in the Twin Cities, which typically gets over a foot (30 centimeters) of snow by mid-December.

Whether the snow sticks around long enough for a white Christmas is uncertain. The forecast through the holiday is snow-free for most of the upper Midwest, with temperatures rising above freezing early next week.

Increased Law Enforcement Presence Expected on Iowa Roads for Holiday Season

Posted on by Sam Parsons

DES MOINES — It’s hard to have a happy holiday if you’re arrested for drunk driving. The Governor’s Traffic Safety Bureau (GTSB) is partnering with law enforcement across Iowa to urge drivers to designate before you celebrate. Through January 1, 2025, drivers will see officers supporting the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) high-visibility enforcement campaign to spread the message about the dangers of impaired driving.

More parties and festivities celebrating the season bring out more drunk drivers. Last December, 990 drivers were charged with OWI on Iowa roads. Impaired drivers endanger themselves and others. On average, 37% of Iowa’s traffic deaths are impaired related. GTSB and law enforcement urge Iowans to always plan before heading out to celebrate.

“Drunk driving isn’t just dangerous, it’s illegal,” says Impaired Driving Program Administrator Michelle Cook. “Drivers have a choice: follow the law and respect their fellow drivers by refraining from drunk driving, or make the choice to drive drunk, put others at risk, and risk their own life. We need a commitment from everyone to keep our roads safe so we can all have a wonderful holiday.”

There are many options to get home safely, such as designating a sober driver or calling a taxi or rideshare. If available, use your community’s sober ride program. Remember: a few dollars spent on a ride is a lot cheaper than an OWI conviction, which can cost up to $10,000. Plan before you head out for the evening. If you see an impaired driver on the road, do not hesitate to contact law enforcement.

Iowa’s Labor Force Participation Rate Increases to 66.3 Percent in November

Posted on by Sam Parsons

DES MOINES, IOWA – Iowa’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate increased to 3.1 percent in November, and the state’s labor force participation rate rose to 66.3 percent amid a strong influx of new workers. Meanwhile, the U.S. unemployment rate increased to 4.2 percent in November.

“The bright spot in November’s report was that 1,600 Iowans came back to the labor force in search of a job,” said Beth Townsend, Executive Director of Iowa Workforce Development. “This is a welcome sign for Iowa in terms of our economic stability and growth, as well as for employers who currently are trying to fill over 50,000 open jobs. Now that we are past the election, we hope to see more hiring, more Iowans returning to the workforce, and increased growth overall.”

With the influx of work seekers, the number of unemployed Iowans increased to 53,000 in November from 51,000 in October.

The total number of working Iowans fell to 1,632,600 in November. This figure is 400 lower than October and 20,900 lower than one year ago.

Seasonally Adjusted Nonfarm Employment

Iowa employers added 400 jobs in November, raising total nonfarm employment to 1,599,300 jobs. This gain is the first since June and was largely the result of hiring within public schools (the majority out of 1,200 local government jobs added). Leisure and hospitality and manufacturing also increased hiring. These gains were tamped down by drops in professional and business services and trade and transportation. Overall, private industry shed 1,100 jobs in November while government (a sector that includes federal, state, and local political subdivisions, as well as schools, universities, and public hospitals) added a total of 1,500 jobs.

Leisure and hospitality led all private sectors in jobs added in November (+700 jobs). Arts, entertainment, and recreational industries fueled this gain as accommodations and food service industries decreased slightly (-200 jobs). Nondurable goods factories gained 500 jobs in November. This hiring was heaviest in food production and animal processing factories. Conversely, professional and business services led all private sectors in losses in November (-1,200 jobs). Administrative support and waste management industries lost the most (-500 jobs) between October and November. Finally, trade and transportation decreased by 700 jobs. These losses were split between retail trade and transportation and warehousing industries.

Compared to a year ago, total nonfarm employment is up 4,000 jobs, fueled by hiring within private service industries and government. Health care and social assistance has added the most jobs (+4,900 jobs). Health care and social assistance alone gained 3,600 jobs annually. Leisure and hospitality has increased by 4,600 jobs. Job growth has been evident in both accommodations and food services and arts, entertainment, and recreational industries. Alternatively, manufacturing has lost the most jobs annually (-5,200). These losses are largely within nondurable goods factories. Smaller losses were evident in professional and business services (-3,100 jobs). Administrative support and waste management industries shed the most jobs from one year ago (-1,900 jobs).

Life in the Arctic Circle at the ELC Program to be Held Next Week

Posted on by Sam Parsons

OSKALOOSA — ‘Tis the season for fun at the Environmental Learning Center! All ages are invited to join Mahaska County Conservation for a fun program called “Life in the Arctic Circle” that will be held on Monday, December 23 from 1:00 – 2:00 pm at the Environmental Learning Center. Supplies and space is limited, so contact Mahaska County Conservation by Friday, December 20 to reserve a seat and activity materials.  Call 641-673-9327 or email decook@mahaskacountyia.gov to make your reservation.

Mahaska County’s Green Iowa AmeriCorps member, Ella Paulson, will share about her experiences from spending time in the Arctic Circle.  She will talk about this interesting ecosystem and explain amazing facts about the reindeer at the North Pole.  Participants will be able to make and take home reindeer food to set out for Christmas Eve!

Invasive ‘murder hornets’ are wiped out in the US, officials say

Posted on by Sam Parsons

SEATTLE (AP) — The world’s largest hornet, an invasive breed dubbed the “murder hornet” for its dangerous sting and ability to slaughter a honey bee hive in a matter of hours, has been declared eradicated in the U.S., five years after being spotted for the first time in Washington state near the Canadian border.

The Washington and U.S. Departments of Agriculture announced the eradication Wednesday, saying there had been no detections of the northern giant hornet in Washington since 2021.

The news represented an enormous success that included residents agreeing to place traps on their properties and reporting sightings, as well as researchers capturing a live hornet, attaching a tiny radio tracking tag to it with dental floss, and following it through a forest to a nest in an alder tree. Scientists destroyed the nest just as a number of queens were just beginning to emerge, officials said.

“I’ve gotta tell you, as an entomologist — I’ve been doing this for over 25 years now, and it is a rare day when the humans actually get to win one against the insects,” Sven Spichiger, pest program manager of the Washington State Department of Agriculture, told a virtual news conference.

The hornets, which can be 2 inches (5 cm) long and were formerly called Asian giant hornets, gained attention in 2013, when they killed 42 people in China and seriously injured 1,675. In the U.S., around 72 people a year die from bee and hornet stings each year, according to data from the National Institutes of Health.

The hornets were first detected in North America in British Columbia, Canada, in August 2019 and confirmed in Washington state in December 2019, when a Whatcom County resident reported a specimen. A beekeeper also reported hives being attacked and turned over specimens in the summer of 2020. The hornets could have traveled to North America in plant pots or shipping containers, experts said.

DNA evidence suggested the populations found in British Columbia and Washington were not related and appeared to originate from different countries. There also have been no confirmed reports in British Columbia since 2021, and the nonprofit Invasive Species Centre in Canada has said the hornet is also considered eradicated there.

Northern giant hornets pose significant threats to pollinators and native insects. They can wipe out a honey bee hive in as little as 90 minutes, decapitating the bees and then defending the hive as their own, taking the brood to feed their own young.

The hornet can sting through most beekeeper suits, deliver nearly seven times the amount of venom as a honey bee, and sting multiple times. At one point the Washington agriculture department ordered special reinforced suits from China.

Washington is the only state that has had confirmed reports of northern giant hornets. Trappers found four nests in 2020 and 2021.

Spichiger said Washington will remain on the lookout, despite reporting the eradication. He noted that entomologists will continue to monitor traps in Kitsap County, where a resident reported an unconfirmed sighting in October but where trapping efforts and public outreach have come up empty.

He noted that other invasive hornets can also pose problems: Officials in Georgia and South Carolina are fighting yellow-legged hornets, and southern giant hornets were recently detected in Spain.

“We will continue to be vigilant,” Spichiger said.

Weekly Fuel Report

Posted on by Sam Parsons

DES MOINES — The price of regular unleaded gasoline rose 4 cents, averaging $2.74 across Iowa according to AAA.

Crude Oil Summary

  • The price of global crude oil rose this week on the West Texas Intermediate (WTI) by $.71 per barrel over last week, currently priced at $70.74.
  • Brent crude oil rose by $.25 and is currently priced at $73.64.
  • One year ago, WTI crude sold for $72.16 and Brent crude was $78.89.

Motor Fuels

  • As of Wednesday, the price of regular unleaded gasoline averaged $2.74 across Iowa according to AAA.
    • Prices rose 4 cents from last week’s price and are down 2 cents from a year ago.
    • The national average on Wednesday was $3.03, up 1 cent from last week’s price.
  • Retail diesel prices in Iowa rose 4 cents this week with a statewide average of $3.29.
    • One year ago, diesel prices averaged $3.74 in Iowa.
    • The current Iowa diesel price is 22 cents lower than the national average of $3.51.
  • Wholesale ethanol held steady and is currently priced at $2.16.
  • The current Des Moines Terminal/Rack Prices are $1.88 for U87-E10, $2.08 for Unleaded 87 (clear), $2.16 for ULSD#2, $2.40 for ULSD#1, and $1.80 per gallon for E-70 prices.

Heating Fuels

  • Natural gas prices held steady at the Henry Hub reporting site and are currently priced at $3.38/MMbtu.
  • Propane prices averaged $1.56 per gallon in Iowa.
  • Home heating oil prices had a statewide average of $2.88 per gallon.

Tips for saving energy on the road or at home are available at energy.gov and fueleconomy.gov.

Bird Food Giveaway at the Environmental Learning Center This Saturday

Posted on by Sam Parsons

OSKALOOSA — The Mahaska County Conservation Board is providing the public free cracked corn for bird feeding this Saturday, December 21, 2024 from 9:00 am – noon behind the Environmental Learning Center.  Families can get up to 10 gallons of free cracked corn for bird feeding this winter. Please bring your own containers and they will be filled and loaded into your vehicle. Donations are greatly appreciated.  The Environmental Learning Center is located at 2342 Hwy. 92, Oskaloosa, IA 52577.  If you have questions, contact our office at (641)673-9327.

This giveaway has been made possible by the generous corn donation from Cargill, cracking of corn by Ozinga Feed Service, and the volunteers and staff of the Mahaska County Conservation Board.

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