Iowa Conservationist

By Vance Polton

Eighty- two years ago back on February 15,1942 the Iowa Conservation Commission published the first edition of the "Iowa Conservationist".  The Conservation Commission's purpose for creating this monthly publication or as they called it a "bulletin" was placed front and center on the front page of that first edition:

Those first few editions were mailed out, at no cost to the recipient, to 12,500 different locations which included: barber shops, schools, public libraries, newspapers, county government offices, conservation and sporting organizations, and local boy scout and girl scout troops.  Each Conservation Officer was also mailed 40 copies to hand out as they saw fit. A new edition was sent out each month on the 15th for free until the middle of 1943 when demand for the Iowa Conservationist became too great for the Commission's budget and they started to have to charge for the publication.  An annual subscription to the Iowa Conservationist starting in June of 1943?  40 cents.   

The lead article of that first edition was, of course, Fisheries related: "Trout Culture from "Cradle to Creel" Guarantees Regal Sport for Fishermen"  

Below I have attached a digital copy of that first edition: volume 1 number 1.  Courtesy of the State Library of Iowa and their "Iowa Publications Online" webpage, Link: Item matches "iowa conservationist" - Iowa Publications Online where they have digitized all the old Iowa Conservationists and several years of Iowa Outdoors magazine as well. Also on this website are all the old Biology Section Reports, several of our old Biennial Reports (1874-mid 1920's), a few of the old fishing regulations, and many other "Fish" related State publications.  It's worth checking it out. And they continue to add items to this website on a regular basis.