Iowa Department of Natural Resources

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Iowa Department of Natural Resources Leading Iowans in caring for our natural resources
Active: 8-4:30 M-F
www.iowadnr.gov/SocialMedia
www.GoOutdoorsIowa.com for licenses
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The DNR manages fish and wildlife programs, ensures the health of Iowa’s forests and prairies, and provides recreational opportunities in Iowa’s state parks. Just as importantly, the DNR carries out state and federal laws that protect air, land and water through technical assistance, permitting and compliance programs. The DNR also encourages the enjoyment and stewardship of natural resources among Iowans through outreach and education. www.twitter.com/iowadnr
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www.youtube.com/iowadnr

If you need hunter ed to hunt this fall, don't wait to sign up for a course!Find a course near you: iowadnr.gov/HunterEd...
10/12/2026

If you need hunter ed to hunt this fall, don't wait to sign up for a course!

Find a course near you: iowadnr.gov/HunterEd

Hunter education introduces students to fi****ms safety and several other life-long skills important for many outdoor recreational activities.

A person who is 11 years old or older may enroll in a course, but those who are 11 and successfully complete the course will be issued a certificate which becomes valid on their 12th birthday.

All hunters born after Jan. 1, 1972 are required to take a hunter safety course.

Students may certify in several ways, such as the traditional classroom course or a hybrid online/field day course. Students 18 years of age and older may certify completely online with no field day requirement. For more information on course options, visit iowadnr.gov/HunterEd.

The Hawkeyes fly to the west coast this weekend, but you can watch lots of hawks and raptors flying south this weekend a...
10/09/2026

The Hawkeyes fly to the west coast this weekend, but you can watch lots of hawks and raptors flying south this weekend at home!

Yes, we've posted a lot about birds migrating at night. Hawks, though, migrate during the day. And even the raptors you still see around Iowa in winter - red-tailed hawks, Cooper's hawks, eagles and kestrels - are considered migratory. In fact, all of the diurnal raptors (hawks, vultures, osprey, eagles, falcons) in Iowa are considered migratory!

On World Migratory Bird Day Saturday, head toward Madrid for the High Trestle Trail Overlook Hawk Watch. Iowa wildlife experts will be on hand to help identify and count migrating hawks, falcons, vultures and osprey flying along the Des Moines River.

More info on the Hawk Watch event: facebook.com/events/1994841091174123

Fall hawk watching is commonly used to understand how raptor populations are doing from year to year.

Colors are starting to pop -- better drop this in the group chat to plan that weekend road trip! 🍁🚙🍂
10/09/2026

Colors are starting to pop -- better drop this in the group chat to plan that weekend road trip! 🍁🚙🍂

For Whom the Nightcrawler Tolls? 🎣⚡The shirt might not be real, but the tour is (as long as you know by "world," we mean...
10/07/2026

For Whom the Nightcrawler Tolls? 🎣⚡

The shirt might not be real, but the tour is (as long as you know by "world," we mean "Iowa").

We're releasing 1,500 trout at each of 20 locations across the state as part of our cool weather trout program that brings trout to areas that cannot support them during the summer months. You just need a fishing license and a trout fee!

Details, plus stocking info for NE Iowa trout streams: iowadnr.gov/trout

Tour stops/2026 Fall Community Trout Stocking Schedule:

Oct. 23, Ada Hayden Heritage Park Lake, Ames, Noon

Oct. 23, Lake Petocka, Bondurant, Noon

Oct. 26, Triumph Park East & West, Waukee, Noon

Oct. 26, Terra Lake, Johnston, Noon

Oct. 27, Big Lake, Council Bluffs, 3 p.m.

Oct. 27, Moorland Pond, Fort Dodge, Noon

Oct. 28, North Prairie Lake, Cedar Falls, 11:30 a.m.

Oct. 28, Heritage Pond, Dubuque, 11 a.m.

Oct. 29, Sand Lake, Marshalltown, Noon

Oct. 31, Discovery Park Pond, Muscatine, 10 a.m.

Oct. 31, Marr Park Pond, Ainsworth, 11:30 a.m.

Oct. 31, Emma Young Pond, Clinton, 10 a.m.

Nov. 2, Ottumwa Park Pond, Ottumwa, 11 a.m.

Nov. 2, Liberty Centre Pond, North Liberty, 10:30 a.m.

Nov. 2, North Ridge Park Pond, Coralville, 11:30 a.m.

Nov. 3, Noelridge Park Pond, Cedar Rapids, 9:30 a.m.

Nov. 3, Ely Pond, Ely, 11 a.m.

Nov. 4, Bacon Creek, Sioux City, 1 p.m.

Nov. 7, Stolley Pond, Spencer, Noon

Nov. 24, Blue Pit, Mason City, 11 a.m.

Campfires just hit different in fall camping 🏕️Don't believe us? We'll give you 20% off your fall campground stay in an ...
10/06/2026

Campfires just hit different in fall camping 🏕️

Don't believe us? We'll give you 20% off your fall campground stay in an Iowa State Park!

Use Promo Code: FallColor on our reservation site at IowaStateParks.ReserveAmerica.com.

Be aware, though, that when temperatures drop as we get further into October, we do begin to turn off water in campgrounds. You can check on individual parks on our Alerts and Closures webpage: https://bit.ly/45tUT36; for other questions, call the park directly.

The details:
Enter promo code FallColor during checkout. This offer is for online reservations only. The promo code can be used for campsite reservations now - October 31, 2026; not available for cabins or youth group sites.

10/05/2026

Good golly, Gramps was right.

Tree stand incidents can happen to anyone - but most are preventable!

1. Always inspect your equipment
2. Buckle on your full-body harness
3. Connect to the tree before your feet leave the ground
4. Keep your phone on your person
5. Tell others where you'll be and when you'll return

More info: iowadnr.gov/HunterEd

Video description: a deer hunter finds the perfect tree for his tree stand. The screen reads "Grandpa always told us to do this one hunting thing." The hunter installs the tree stand and begins climbing up the tree and into the stand, and we see the safety harness still on the ground, with the text "Wear that gosh darned tree stand harness!" as if Grandpa were saying it. The hunter's foot slips on a step, and the camera shoots down, where we see a watermelon hit the ground and crack open, when the words "It protects your melon!" comes on the screen.

On Mean Girls Day, we wear blaze orange. 🧡(Yes, we know tomorrow is Oct. 3. Get in, we're celebrating early.)
10/02/2026

On Mean Girls Day, we wear blaze orange. 🧡

(Yes, we know tomorrow is Oct. 3. Get in, we're celebrating early.)

This weather is for the birds, right? Well, 29.1 MILLION birds disagree and are heading south through Iowa tonight!This ...
10/01/2026

This weather is for the birds, right? Well, 29.1 MILLION birds disagree and are heading south through Iowa tonight!

This may be the highest migration night this fall. There have been some birds making an extended stop in Iowa, waiting for the right wind and pressure to migrate.

Tonight, those birds will be joined by all the birds north of us who have also been waiting to leave without all the weather fronts working against them!

A few things you can do to help:
1. Turn off unnecessary outdoor lighting from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. Why? Birds are attracted to artificial light, which interferes with their migration navigation, and it can bring them in closer to hazards.

2. Turn off unneeded indoor lights overnight and use stickers or other methods to help make windows more visible and reduce collisions.

3. And keep those cats inside, too.

What's migrating? Grosbeaks, kinglets, some wrens and sparrows, lots of warblers. You can find a live, local dashboard on BirdCast's website: https://dashboard.birdcast.org/region/US-IA

Images: BirdCast and Purdue AeroEco Lab

Your first Fall Color Report is here, Iowa! 🍂NE: Walnuts and some sugar maple are starting to turn yellow/orange. Virgin...
09/30/2026

Your first Fall Color Report is here, Iowa! 🍂

NE: Walnuts and some sugar maple are starting to turn yellow/orange. Virginia creeper and sumac are red. Rain and wind have knocked some leaves down already.

NW: Silver maple and American sycamore trees are starting to turn yellow. Sumac shrubs are dark red.

Central: Cottonwood, walnut and elms are starting to turn yellow. A few scattered maples are turning red. Roadside sumac and Virginia creeper are changing to maroon.

SE: The landscape is still mostly green. Some yellows and browns are starting to appear; it is early for colors.

South Central: Walnuts and cottonwoods are starting to turn yellow. Some urban maples are starting to change colors.

West Central: Some leaves are just starting to turn. Sumac are changing colors. Cottonwoods should be turning yellow by this weekend. The last of the prairie flowers should be on full display throughout the week.

Get more details and sign up for our weekly reports at iowadnr.gov/FallColor

Pictured: Palisades-Kepler near Cedar Rapids by gracesscamera (via Instagram)

Address

6200 Park Avenue, Suite 200
Des Moines, IA
50321

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 4:30pm
Tuesday 8am - 4:30pm
Wednesday 8am - 4:30pm
Thursday 8am - 4:30pm
Friday 8am - 4:30pm

Telephone

+15157258200

Website

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