ARCHERY DEER HUNTING SEASON OPENS OCTOBER 1

Iowa’s popular archery deer season begins Oct. 1, with nearly 60,000 hunters expected to head to the timber.

Hunters can expect to find similar or slightly fewer deer versus last year.

“When we have good weather during the growing season like we did this year, there is a lot of available food for wildlife, including deer, so I suspect hunters could have a good year,” said Willie Suchy, wildlife research supervisor for the Iowa Department of Natural Resources.

Early in the season, the deer herd will have plenty of places to hide as the corn harvest is just getting underway. In these conditions, hunting food sources initially, and then preparing for the rut in late October through mid November is a common strategy.

Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease (EHD) that impacted the deer herd in certain local areas was not reported in 2014. Deer will begin moving in to those areas where a void was created by the disease in 2012 and 2013.

The archery season closes on Dec. 5 for the shotgun deer hunting seasons, and then opens again on Dec. 22 until Jan. 10, 2015. Deer regulations are similar to last year with no changes other than fewer paid antlerless deer license in many counties.

There is a listing online of special deer hunts often associated with state parks or urban areas that bow hunters can participate. These hunts, at www.iowadnr.gov/deerhunting, often have extra requirements and the local host organization should be contacted for more information.

All deer taken must be reported using the harvest reporting system by midnight the day after the deer is recovered.  Accurately reporting the kill is an important part of Iowa’s deer management program and plays a vital role in managing deer populations and future hunting opportunities. 

Hunters can report their deer on the DNR website www.iowadnr.gov, by calling the toll free reporting number 1-800-771-4692, or at any license vendor.  For hunters with Internet access, the online reporting of your harvest is the easiest way to register your deer.

Hunters reported harvesting 20,278 deer during the 2013 archery season.