Iowa Deer Hunting Season Extension

Iowa deer hunting is seeing a change this year. In a departure from the past the Iowa Department of Natural Reources has extended deer hunting season for Muzzleloader and Shotgun hunters through emergency rule. With Iowa's new Harvest Reporting System the DNR is able to determine that poor weather conditions affected deer harvests during the open weekend of 1st and 2nd season shotgun hunting. I don't want to interpert or restate the rules of the extension so I am going to copy and paste the news release from the Iowa DNR below for fear of making a mistake and sending someone out doing something they thought was right but wasn't. Good luck with the extended season and lets make sure to use this opportunity to remove some of the does from the population. Remember that for each doe that is removed you are effectively removing 3 deer since that does would likely have had 2 fawns in the Spring.

Extension of Deer Seasons Prompts Many Questions from Hunters
Posted: December 14, 2007

DES MOINES -Extension of deer hunting seasons approved Thursday by the Natural Resources Commission is prompting a great deal of interest - and questions - from Iowa hunters.

"We obviously have a big departure from the way that we normally set and announce deer seasons given the short time frame from when these season extensions were established until when they take place. We have not had the normal amount of time to get the word on the applicable regulations to our hunters," said Dale Garner, wildlife bureau chief for the DNR.

Under the season extensions approved Thursday, those hunters who had valid deer licenses for the two regular shotgun seasons and the youth season will be allowed to hunt again Dec. 21-23.

"The best way for shotgun hunters to think about this is that it is simply three more days being added to their previous season, but only antlerless deer may be harvested," Garner said.

The deer season for late muzzleloader hunters has also been extended to include Jan. 11-13.

The important regulations applying to these season extensions include:

• Save any shotgun licenses you may currently have. All hunters must possess a valid deer hunting license during the season extension.
• The season extensions apply to Iowa residents only.
• The extension of the two shotgun seasons for Dec. 21-23 is for antlerless deer only, regardless of the type of license the hunter had during the first two regular seasons.
• Participants of the previous youth season will only be able to harvest antlerless deer during the Dec. 21-23 extension.
• Hunters with valid licenses will still be allowed to party hunt, but they may only use valid, un-filled tags left from shotgun seasons. For example, if there are 12 people in your group and 10 un-filled tags from the previous seasons, than 10 antlerless deer can be harvested by the group.
• Valid depredation tags for the first two shotgun seasons are also valid during the season extension Dec. 21-23.
• Those hunting during the extension of the late muzzleloader season Jan. 11-13 who would normally need to have a valid hunting license will be required to purchase a 2008 hunting license and habitat stamp.
• Safety needs to be of paramount concern due to the overlap of seasons with bow hunters. Bow hunters are NOT required to wear blaze orange, but are strongly URGED to do so. "Deer are color blind so it doesn't really make a difference to the deer, but greatly increases your visibility to other hunters," said Garner.
• All deer harvested must be reported using the mandatory harvest reporting system.
• Those hunters who have already thrown away un-used tags or deer licenses from the regular shotgun and youth seasons will be able to get duplicate tags via the internet next week at no charge. Details of the duplicate tag availability will be available early next week at www.iowadnr.gov Answers to frequently asked questions is currently available at www.iowadnr.gov

For additional information, contact the DNR helpdesk at 515-281-5918.

Iowa Department of Natural Resources Frequently Asked Questions

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR Jason Smith is a Land Specialist and Real Estate Auctioneer with Whitetail Trophy Properties. Jason offers property listings as well as land auctions in Iowa. As a sportsman himself Jason enjoys archery and muzzleloader hunting for whitetail deer. In college Jason studied Fish and Wildlife Biology and specializes in rural properties only including Iowa hunting land, recreational land, farms and rural building lots. Jason also manages over 260 acres of hunting land using QDM. As a member of the (QDMA) Quality Deer Management Association he has joined ranks with whitetail enthusiasts across the United States in controlling and growing a healthy whitetail population for all to enjoy. Jason is a member of the Iowa Auctioneers Association, National Auctioneers Association.