Iowa pheasant hunters  may be in for a challenging season after last year’s hard winter cut down the local pheasant population drastically. Iowa Department of Natural Resources Upland Biologist Todd Bogenshutz tells KCII News that a statewide survey done in preparation for the fall hunting season showed just 17.5 birds per 30 miles. That is down from 21 last year. Southeast Iowa was hit particularly hard, here there were only 13 pheasants per 30 miles, down from 23 last season. A cold winter mixed with heavy rainfall during the species’ nesting season resulted in a shrinking population. Pheasant season begins October 26th and ends January 10th.