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If you like being outside, Iowa is an excellent state to visit since it offers a variety of outdoor activities, such as for deer and turkey. Making the most of your visit may be accomplished by being familiar with the regulations and pursuing seasons.
There is something for every hunter in the state, where there is a wide range of wildlife to choose from, including deer, turkey, and waterfowl. Hunters are advised to become acquainted with these laws before entering the field. Hunters should make a strategy and weigh their alternatives before acquiring a license since there are several zones, permits, and special hunts available.
Deer
Youth
Youth Season
Sept 21 – Oct 6, 2024
Disabled Hunter
Disabled Hunter (Requires a permit)
Sept 21 – Oct 6, 2024
Archery
Archery, Early Split
Oct 1 – Dec 6, 2024
Archery, Late Split
Dec 23 – Jan 10, 2025
Muzzleloader
Early Muzzleloader (residents only)
Oct 12 – 20, 2024
Late Muzzleloader
Dec 23 – Jan 10, 2025
Shotgun
Shotgun 1
Dec 7 – 11, 2024
Shotgun 2
Dec 14 – 22, 2024
Nonresident Holiday
Nonresident Holiday
Dec 24 – Jan 2, 2025
Iowa DNR youth regulations-Deer
Dates:
September 21 – October 6
Requirements:
To hunt deer in Iowa, you need a hunting license and to complete an accredited hunter safety course.
Hours:
Hunters are permitted to be in the field ½ hour before sunrise and ½ hour after sunset.
Marion County and surrounding areas to explore, emphasizing the region’s abundant natural resources for hunting and fishing.
Additional:
Disabled hunters season also begins on the same day.
Turkey
Youth (residents only)
Apr 5 – Apr 7, 2024
Resident archery-only
Apr 8 – May 12, 2024
Regular Season
1
Apr 8 – Apr 11, 2024
2
Apr 12 – Apr 16, 2024
3
Apr 17 – Apr 23, 2024
4
Apr 24 – May 12, 2024
Note:
Application period for non-resident spring turkeys runs from January 1st through the final Sunday of the month. The application will be available in December.
The daily bag limit for hunters with valid licenses and transportation tags is one bearded or male wild turkey, and the season possession limit is two.
Iowa Upland Birds
Pheasant
Pheasant Game
Dates
Daily Limit
Possession Limit
Rooster (Youth)
Oct 19 – Jan 20, 2025
1
2
Rooster
Oct 26 – Jan 10, 2025
3
12
Quail
Bobwhite Quail
Oct 26 – Jan 31, 2025
A daily bag of 8 and 16 as possession
Gray Partridge
Oct 12 – Jan 31, 2025
A daily bag of 8 and 16 as possession
Grouse
Oct 5 – Jan 31, 2025
A daily bag of 8 and 16 as possession
Iowa Migratory Birds
Crow
Oct 15 – Nov 30, 2024
Jan 14 – March 31, 2025
Waterfowl Season
Duck, Mergansers & Coots
North Zone
Sep. 28 – Oct. 4
Oct. 12 – Dec. 3
Central Zone
Oct. 5 – 11
Oct. 19 – Dec. 10
South Zone
Oct. 12 – 18
Oct. 26 – Dec. 17
Teal
Sept. 1 – 16
Youth Waterfowl
North Zone
23-Sep – 24-Sep
Central Zone
30-Sep – 1-Oct
South Zone
7-Oct – 8-Oct
Snipe
Sept. 7 – Nov. 30
Rails
Virginia
Sept. 7 – Nov. 15
Sora
Woodcock
Oct. 5 – Nov. 18
Dove
Sept. 1 – Nov. 29
A daily bag of 15 and 45 as possession
Waterfowl Bag Limits
Species
Daily Limit
Notes
Teal
6
Blue-wing, green-wing & cinnamon teal only
Ducks
6
No more than 4 mallards (2 female), 3 wood ducks, 2 redheads, 1 pintail, 2 black ducks & 2 canvasbacks. Scaup bag limit: 1 for first 15 days of the season, 2 for remaining 45 days.
Mergansers
5
No more than 2 hooded mergansers
Geese (Dark Geese)
5
No more than 2 Canada geese (first segment of statewide season), no more than 3 Canada geese (second segment until end of the season).
Geese (Metro Canada Goose Season)
5
Des Moines, Cedar Rapids/Iowa City, and Cedar Falls/Waterloo zones.
Geese (Light Geese)
20
No possession limit
Doves
15
Woodcock
3
Snipe
8
Rails
12
Coots
15
Furbearer Season
Rabbit
(Cottontail)
Aug 31 – Feb 28, 2025
A daily bag of 10 and 20 as possession
(Jack)
Closed
Squirrel
(Fox and Gray)
Aug 31 – Jan 31, 2025
Muskrat
Nov. 2-Feb. 28, 2025
No Limit
Badger, Bobcat, Mink, Weasel, Opossum, Fox and Skunk
Nov. 2-Feb. 28, 2025
No Limit
Raccoon, Groundhog
Continuous Open
No Limit
Coyote Season
Species
Hunting Start Date
Hunting End Date
Daily Limit
Possession Limit
Coyote Season
Continuous Open Season
No Limit
No Limit
Beaver Season
Nov. 2-April 15, 202
No Limit
Civet Cat
Trapping only
Closed
Iowa DNR Learn to Hunt–An Workshop for Women
Iowa DNR 'Learn to Hunt' Workshop for Women
Workshop Focus:
Upland game and bird hunting
Target Audience:
Women with little-to-no hunting experience or those looking to network with female hunters
teaches fundamental upland bird hunting techniques, as well as gear, hunting spots, safe hunting techniques, game handling, and cooking
Program Origin:
In response to a drop in hunting and outdoor activity in the state, the Iowa DNR and Pheasants Forever have partnered to attract and keep hunters.
Licenses
License Types
Fees
16 years of age or older to hunt.
USD 22.00
18 years and older hunting (nonresident).
USD 144.00
Furharvester 16 Years of Age and Up.
USD 26.00
Furharvester 16 and under
USD 7.50
Lifelong Hunting (Age 65 & older).
USD 61.50
Deer in general.
USD 33.00
Deer in general (nonresident).
USD 348.50
Wild Turkey.
USD 28.50
Note:
You need to be at least 16 years old and in possession of a valid hunting license.
Children under the age of 16 are permitted to hunt only if they are accompanied by a parent, legal guardian, or other responsible adult who has been granted permission by the parent.
The DNR requires all hunters to use the Harvest Reporting System to record their harvested turkeys. Hunters are not required to report if they do not kill a turkey.
Combination Gun/Bow Licenses are only valid in the zone chosen by the hunter at the time of purchase.
Paid Gun/Bow Licenses are available on a first-come, first-served basis until zone quotas are met or the season ends, whichever comes first.
The state-wide validity of a paid archery-only license extends to the whole country. Licenses are available for purchase with no restrictions or limits until the season’s conclusion.
The Landowner-Tenant Gun/Bow License and the Landowner-Tenant Archery-only License are valid until the conclusion of the hunting season for qualifying landowners, tenants, and their immediate family members.
Landowners and tenants each may only have one turkey license at a time. These Landowner-Tenant Licenses are only valid for the owner’s or tenant’s actual farm.
A resident hunter is limited to two autumn turkey permits.
You may shoot from an hour and a half before dawn till an hour after sundown.
Bow hunting is allowed one hour before dawn and one hour after sunset.
The dog may track down, flush out, and recover the bird if the hunter possesses a valid wild turkey license and an unfilled transportation tag.
Areas of north of a line drawn from Interstate 29 on the South Dakota–Iowa border, south and east along Interstate 29 to State Highway 20, and finally north to the Iowa–Illinois border are considered part of the North Zone.
All south of State Highway 92 and west of Interstate 29 up to the state line with Illinois is considered to be in the South Zone.
The remaining portion of the state is called the Central Zone.
To better understand the hunting and harvesting of migratory game birds throughout the country, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and state wildlife agencies collaborate on the Harvest Information Program.
Registration for HIP may be completed online at www.gooutdoorsiowa.com beginning on December 15th for all hunters of migratory game birds.
Ducks, geese, coots, doves, woodcock, rails, and snipe are among the migratory game birds found in the state.
During the first two weeks of September, the Des Moines, Cedar Rapids–Iowa City, and Waterloo–Cedar Falls zones have special Canada goose seasons on certain days.
In these areas, you’re only allowed to take home a maximum of 5 Canada geese every day.
As a result of the Special Teal Season in September, hunters are given a few more days to go out and look for teal.
Only teal may be hunted, and only between dawn and dusk.
On Youth Waterfowl Days, residents aged 15 and under are exempt from the state’s habitat and migratory game bird fees and the federal duck stamp requirement.
It is required that all child hunters be accompanied by an adult of at least 18 years of age.
Landowners and tenants each may only have one turkey license at a time. These Landowner-Tenant Licenses are only valid for the owner’s or tenant’s actual farm.
A resident hunter may apply for and get up to two spring turkey permits. If the hunter qualifies, one of these options is a Landowner-Tenant License.
Arrows of all types, including longbows, recurves, and compound bows, are allowed. Arrows with blunt tips and a minimum diameter of 9/16 inches are permitted. Each arrow must have a broadhead no smaller than 7/8 inches in diameter. The arrow and its broadhead may not be rigged with any explosive or chemical device.
Every standard rule regarding the taking of migrating game birds is in effect. Only teal may be hunted, and only between dawn and dusk. As a result of the Special Teal Season in September, hunters are given a few more days to go out and look for teal.
On Youth Waterfowl Days, residents aged 15 and under are exempt from the state’s habitat and migratory game bird fees and the federal duck stamp requirement. It is required that all child hunters be accompanied by an adult of at least 18 years of age.
Doves are treated somewhat differently than waterfowl and other migratory game birds under federal rules about baiting. Dove hunters, for instance, are not permitted to shoot over regions where grain or other feed has been distributed due to routine agricultural activities or from a feeder within 14 days after shooting doves over a baited area.
FAQ
When is Iowa's deer season?
Both the early archery deer season (beginning October 1) and the first shotgun season (beginning December 4)
Are nonresidents eligible for fall turkey hunting licenses in Iowa?
Non-residents cannot purchase a fall turkey hunting license.
Are there any tagging requirements for wild turkeys in Iowa?
During any season in which wild turkeys may be taken in the state, the tagged leg must stay connected to the turkey’s corpse until it is processed for human consumption.
Is there a limit on the number of turkey hunting licenses that a resident hunter can obtain in Iowa?
Two fall turkey permits are permissible for a resident hunter; they may be either Combination Gun/Bow Licenses, Archery-only Licenses, or one of each. If the hunter qualifies, one of these permits might be a Landowner-Tenant Permit.
Are dogs allowed to be used during fall turkey hunting season in Iowa?
As long as the hunter has a valid wild turkey license and an empty transportation tag, dogs may be employed to track down, flush out, and recover game birds.
Are there any special September Canada Goose hunting seasons in Iowa?
In the Des Moines, Cedar Rapids-Iowa City, and Waterloo-Cedar Falls zones, Canada goose hunting is permitted within a limited window during the first two weeks of September. In these areas, you’re only allowed to take home a maximum of 5 Canada geese every day.
Are there any restrictions on the use of recorded or electrically amplified bird calls or sounds during migratory game bird hunting in Iowa?
Using or assisting with recorded or electronically amplified imitations of bird cries, noises, or actual bird calls or sounds is prohibited. Light geese (including greater and lesser snow and Ross’s geese) are exempt from this regulation for the duration of the Conservation Order.
Are there any baiting rules for mourning doves in Iowa?
There are significant key distinctions between federal dove baiting restrictions and waterfowl baiting regulations. Hunting mourning doves over intentionally or unintentionally baited locations is prohibited by law.
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4 thoughts on “Iowa Hunting Seasons 2024-2025 [Latest Updates!]”
I have many concerns on deer retrieval onto private property. 1. I have heard several people can go onto private property to help “hunter” blood trail a wounded deer without permission and or notice. I happen to deer hunt occasionally and allow hunters to go onto posted property without notice is a complete safety violation to the land owner or anyone who does have legal permission. 2. I have also been told that the “hunt group can have motorized vehicles to assist them. Comment, I have been and will continue to be upset if I am bow hunting or gun hunting and have a group come over the hill and bust my hunt. Any hunter worth his salt will tell you a big buck will be gone for that year. Just exactly where in all these rights to retrieve a wounded animal does a tax paying landowner have? Last but not least how long are they allowed to tromp all thru the farm. I have had a game warden tell me 2-3 days! Am I just to wait until they determine they are done running my farm? Is the State of Iowa to assume all legal liability? Feel free to call. 1515-238-3972 I am in DSM at least once a week.
I have many concerns on deer retrieval onto private property. 1. I have heard several people can go onto private property to help “hunter” blood trail a wounded deer without permission and or notice. I happen to deer hunt occasionally and allow hunters to go onto posted property without notice is a complete safety violation to the land owner or anyone who does have legal permission. 2. I have also been told that the “hunt group can have motorized vehicles to assist them. Comment, I have been and will continue to be upset if I am bow hunting or gun hunting and have a group come over the hill and bust my hunt. Any hunter worth his salt will tell you a big buck will be gone for that year. Just exactly where in all these rights to retrieve a wounded animal does a tax paying landowner have? Last but not least how long are they allowed to tromp all thru the farm. I have had a game warden tell me 2-3 days! Am I just to wait until they determine they are done running my farm? Is the State of Iowa to assume all legal liability? Feel free to call. 1515-238-3972 I am in DSM at least once a week.
If you don’t believe in the obligation to retrieve your game animal
If you don’t believe it is an obligation to retrieve your game animal you’re not a hunter, nor should you consider yourself to be one…
Does the Department publish a map or directory of public and private land open to upland bird hunting? How may I obtain a copy?