A hay bale fire this (Thursday) morning southwest of Clarinda was the result of spontaneous combustion. According to Clarinda Assistant Fire Chief Joe Moore, at around 8:30-a.m., the Clarinda Fire Department was called to 2311 Maple Street, approximately 5 miles southwest of Clarinda, when large round hay bales caught fire. Approximately 15 bales, valued at $1,500 altogether, were destroyed.  They had been baled approximately 30-45 days earlier, and were stacked together.  Several other bales were moved from the fire area that were not damaged. The bales were owned by Wellhausen Farms.

Info from the Atlantic Animal Shelter.

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w/ Dr. Keith Leonard

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The Iowa Department of Natural Resources say dry conditions over much of Iowa will concentrate trappers near existing water when the Iowa furbearer hunting and trapping season begins on Saturday, Nov. 3rd.  Vince Evelsizer, furbearer biologist for the DNR says “Right now, most of the crops are out and the weather looks decent for the first half of November,” so he’s expecting a good start to the furbearer season.

Surveys of two of the higher profile furbearers in Iowa – bobcat and river otter – have indicated the species could support additional harvest. The DNR increased the bobcat quota from 350 to 450 in the open zone, but kept the one bobcat per furharvester restriction, regardless if it was hunted or trapped. The river otter quota was raised to 850 this year, with licensed trappers allowed up to three otters.

Both species must be reported within 24 hours of harvest and a CITES tag applied within seven days after the harvest is reported to DNR staff. Last year, a record 326,368 raccoons were harvested in Iowa and Evelsizer expects the harvest this year to be similar to slightly higher.  He said the fur markets are dependent on the Asian and European economies but appear to be about the same as last year.

Trapper numbers have increased more than 20 percent since 2009, from 14,000 to 17,000 last year.

w/ Max Dirks

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w/ Kate Olson

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Thousands of hunters are moving through the fields and woods of Iowa now with several hunting and trapping seasons underway. The coordinator of the Iowa Department of Natural Resources “Turn in Poachers” or TIP hotline, Steve Dermand, is asking hunters to help ensure all the activity is legal. Dermand says those who are not hunting can also help out by reporting activity or people who don’t seem right. “A landowner who comes across a big deer carcass lying in his field with the head removed, you know wondering about a buck that was probably poached there on his property. We encourage people who see things, who see other individuals who are doing things that are maybe contrary to the law,” Dermand says. You can call the TIP at 1-800-532-2020 and anonymously report what you saw.

He also encourages hunters and those who fish to be ready to warn the D-N-R of people they see breaking the law. “Have the cellphone number of your conservation officer programmed in your cellphone so that you can hit it quickly on a speeddial, and when you come across that (illegal activity) it’ll be something that you can report immediately,” Dermand says. “The one thing we’ve learned over time in this business as far as fish and wildlife poaching goes — the long you wait — the less likely we are to make a case.” He says it’s important to write down information like a description of the person involved, the license plate number and color and make of a vehicle, and the area where the crime happened. That way you won’t forget it later and the investigators won’t be left without key information.

“It just seems like evidence will disappear, or it gets cold and you are not able to find the things you need to find in order to make a case,” Dermand says. You may not think it’s a big deal if someone shoots an extra deer illegally, but he says helping stop poachers protects the rights of those who legally hunt and fish and even those who just like to enjoy nature. “The big deal about the fish and wildlife and deer included is that they are our Iowa natural resources, they are the things that are out there in the field that belong to all of us. Every citizen, every individual in this state,” Dermand explained. “And we should be proud of that. We should be proud of the resources that we have available to us, for viewing, for harvest by legal means, and just enjoyment.”

The TIP number is a 24 automated system. You can also report poaching online at: www.iowadnr.gov/tip, and it will send a report directly to the local officer. In cases where officers investigate and write a ticket, the individual who reported the violations can be eligible for a reward.

(Radio Iowa)

Farmers interested in learning about the benefits of raising cattle under roof are invited to attend an open house at the David Rydberg farm on Thursday, November 15 from 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. The Rydberg farm is located at 1448 I Ave, Essex, Iowa.  The event is open to the public and a complimentary lunch will be provided.  (Note: If you are unable to attend at this time, David welcomes you to stop by anytime that afternoon.) The event is sponsored by the Coalition to Support Iowa’s Farmers (CSIF), Iowa Cattlemen’s Association, Summit Livestock Facilities and the Page County Cattlemen.

The open house will highlight how modern livestock buildings enhance animal care and safeguard the environment while showcasing the economic development new livestock farms create.  For example, the Rydberg’s open house will feature a new deep-bedded monoslope cattle barn that provides the cattle with shade in the summer and protection from the cold in the winter.

The Rydberg family will offer tours of the new facility, explain how livestock is raised and demonstrate the latest technology used in cattle feeding. Experts from CSIF will also be available to provide insight into interpreting rules and regulations impacting animal agriculture, enhancing relationships with neighbors and choosing good locations for new barns and feedlots. CSIF assistance is available to farm families at no charge.

CSIF is a non-profit organization that assists livestock farmers who want help interpreting rules and regulations, guidance on good site locations for barns, counsel on enhancing neighbor relations and tips on how to protect the environment at no cost. This positive, solutions-based approach to helping livestock farmers grow is a collaborative effort involving the Iowa Cattlemen’s Association, Iowa Corn Growers Association, Iowa Farm Bureau, Iowa Pork Producers Association, Iowa Soybean Association, Iowa Turkey Federation and the Midwest Dairy Association.  For more information, call 1-800-932-2436 or visit www.supportfarmers.com.

The Shelby County Emergency Management Agency has upgraded the Fire Danger Index in the County, to “Moderate.” The index had been in the “Low” category last week, but Emergency Management Coordinator Bob Seivert says winds and drying conditions this week will increase the risk for field and grassland fires.

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources reports one-person was injured during a hunting expedition Saturday, in Poweshiek County. Officials say 78-year old Darrell Lamb, of Grinnell, suffered minor injuries after being struck in the face by shotgun pellets while hunting pheasants.

Lamb was hit in the face by two pellet shots, when a pheasant flushed between him and three other members of his hunting party at the end of a food plot. Lamb and the others could not see one another because of the height of the food plot and the topography of the land.

The man was treated and released from Grinnell Regional Hospital. The incident occurred at approximately 11 a.m. Saturday.