Iowa’s busiest deer hunting stretch begins this weekend as more than 100,000 hunters are expected to head into the timber for the state’s two shotgun seasons. The first season runs Saturday, Dec. 6, through Wednesday, Dec. 10, followed by the second season from Dec. 13 through Dec. 21. Hunters are expected to harvest 55,000 to 60,000 deer during the two periods, accounting for around 60 percent of Iowa’s annual deer harvest. So far this fall, hunters in the youth, disabled hunter, early muzzleloader, and archery seasons have reported 28,600 deer, which is about 3 percent below the five-year average. According to Iowa Department of Natural Resources Deer Biologist Jace Elliott, strong harvests in eastern Iowa are balancing lower numbers recorded elsewhere as herds recover from rampant hemorrhagic disease cases in 2023 and 2024. The snowing conditions in the forecast for opening weekend bode well for hunters, and Elliot says, “The cooler temperature generally leads to better harvest, but the snow can be tricky. We know that snowfall on opening day leads to a 10-percent increase in the season’s harvest. Snow does make it easier to see deer, track blood trails, and see deer signs, which are all the right conditions for hunters to be successful.” The DNR is also reminding hunters to review safety plans and wear plenty of blaze orange when they head out. The agency will again collect tissue samples for chronic wasting disease surveillance. Hunters can submit samples through local wildlife staff or the DNR’s online system.
