2024-25

Iowa Hunting, Trapping &

Migratory Game Bird Regulations
www.iowadnr.gov

Turn In Poachers

1­800­532­2020 or
www.iowadnr.gov/tip This booklet contains rules and regulations most likely
Donating $2
Donating $2 to
to the
the TIP
TIP needed for hunting in IoIowa. However,
wa. Ho wever, it is
is not
not aa complete
complete
program when
program when buying
buying list of all hunting regulations or laws, nor is it a legal
aa license
license helps
helps put
put fish
fish document. For more information, go to www.iowadnr.gov
and wildlife
and wildlife poachers
poachers or contact the DNR Central Office in Des Moines at
out of
out of business
business 515-725-8200.
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3
Our founding ethic of fair chase

Those of us of a certain age often reflect fondly of a time before cell phones and the 24-hour
news cycle, before what we knew WIFI was and the ills of social media, back when hunting skills
were honed in the field, and stories shared with those in our inner circle.

Throughout our history, prairies, wetlands and timber has been our oasis, where today, we can
still “lose” cell service while recharging our internal battery. But the ever-expanding networks and
improving technology are reaching further into Iowa’s remote places and these oases are smaller
and fewer. With the temptation to use technology as part of the hunt, lets look back at the princi-
pals on which hunting was founded – the ethic of fair chase.

The Boone and Crockett Club defines fair chase as the ethical, sportsmanlike, and lawful pur-
suit and taking of any free-ranging wild game animal in a manner that does not give the hunter
an improper or unfair advantage over the game animals.

Simple is often best, and, when it comes to hunting, can be most rewarding. Let’s maximize
the benefits of being out in nature – reduced stress, fresh air and improved well-being, and keep
technology to a bare minimum.

Kayla Lyon
Director, Iowa Department of Natural Resources

Free Language Assistance- If you speak a non-English language, we offer you language assistance
services free of charge. Call (515) 725-8200.
Asistencia lingüística gratuita - Si habla un idioma que no sea el inglés, los servicios de asistencia
lingüística están disponibles de forma gratuita. Llame al (515) 725-8200.

4
TABLE OF CONTENTS

SEASONS/
Hunting Seasons and Limits.............................. 7 Multiple Offender ............................................. 27

QUOTAS
Spring Turkey Hunting ....................................... 7 Coyote vs Wolf Identification................................31
Deer Hunting and Antlerless Quotas ................. 8 Hunting & Trapping Furbearers ......................... 32
Migratory Game Bird Seasons & Limits............. 9 Chronic Wasting Disease ................................ 35
Fall Turkey Hunting.......................................... 10 Deer Hunting Information ................................ 36
Furbearer Seasons & Limits ............................ 10 Prohibited Devices and Activities..................... 37
Hunting License Requirements ...................... 11 Legal Method of Take ...................................... 37

REGULATIONS
Licenses, Fees and Stamps Required............. 12 Hunting Deer, Elk, Moose Out of State............ 39
License Not Required ...................................... 12 Deer License Options ...................................... 40

GENERAL
Landowner-Tenant General License ............... 13 Bonus Deer Hunts ........................................... 41
General Hunting Regulations .......................... 14 Deer Management Zone Hunts ....................... 42
Upland Game Hunting Information .................. 14 Landowner-Tenant Deer Licenses .................. 42
Use of Equipment on Public Lands ................. 15 Deer-Turkey Tagging & Harvest Reporting...... 43
Use of CB, Mobile Transmitter, Cell Phone ..... 15 HUSH & Iowa Deer Exchange ........................ 45
Transporting Firearms ..................................... 16 Fall Wild Turkey Information ............................ 46

LANDOWNER
Motor Vehicle Restrictions ............................... 17 2025 Resident Spring Turkey Hunting............. 47
Iowa Refuges................................................... 18 Hunting Shed Antlers....................................... 49

TENANT
State, Federal Areas Requiring Nontoxic Shot ... 19 OHV Use and Hunting ..................................... 49
Migratory Game Bird Regulations ................... 20 Dog Restrictions .............................................. 50
Duck & Goose Zones ...................................... 20 Wildlife Office Phone Numbers........................ 52
General Migratory Hunting Regulations .......... 23 Conservation Officers ...................................... 53

GAME BIRDS
Turn-In-Poachers............................................. 27

MIGRATORY
2024 LICENSE & FEES LICENSES are available online at
RESIDENT HUNTING www.iowadnr.gov or at any of the
Hunting Age 16 & Older $22.00 retail outlets across the state
Habitat Fee (Age 16-64) $15.00
Hunting & Habitat Fee Combo $35.00 NONRESIDENT HUNTING
Hunting 3-Year with Habitat Fee $101.00 Nonresident licenses for 2025 are on sale Jan. 1, 2025.

FURBEARERS
Migratory Game Bird Fee $11.50 2024 nonresident licenses expire Jan. 10, 2025.
Federal Duck Stamp $29.00 Hunting 18 years & older $131.00
Apprentice (includes Hunting & Habitat) $35.00 **Hunting 16 - 17 years old $32.00
Furharvester Age 16 & Older $26.00 *Hunting 5-day 18 years & older $77.00
Furharvester Under 16 $7.50 Habitat Fee $15.00
Hunting, Fishing, Habitat Fee Combo $55.00 Hunting & Habitat Fee Combo
Furharvester & Habitat Fee Combo $39.00 18 & Older $144.00

DEER
Veterans Hunting & Fishing Combo $7.00 Migratory Game Bird Fee $11.50
Hunting Preserve $7.00 Federal Duck Stamp $29.00
Lifetime Hunting (Age 65 & Older) $61.50
*Apprentice (includes hunting & habitat) $144.00
Lifetime Furharvester (Age 65 & Older) $61.50
Furharvester & Habitat Fee Combo $247.00 REPORTING
CONTACTS TURKEY TAGGING/

DEER & TURKEY LICENSES

*May not be used for deer or turkey hunting.
Paid Deer Licenses
General Deer $33.00 **Nonresidents under age 16, see p. 12.
Anterless-only, First License $28.50
Anterless-only Second & All Others $15.00 DISCLAIMER: Reference in this booklet to any
Paid Wild Turkey $28.50 specific commercial product, process, or service,
or the use of any trade, firm or corporation name is
Landowner­Tenant ­ Farm Unit Only
for the information and convenience of the public,
General Deer $2.00 and does not constitute endorsement, recom-
Antlerless-only $2.00 mendation, or favoring by the Iowa Department of
Reduced Fee Antlerless-only $15.00 Natural Resources.
Wild Turkey $1.00
5
 HIGHLIGHTS & CHANGES
Regulations changes that occur after publication of this document will be reflected in the digital version
at www.iowadnr.gov or on the Go Outdoors Iowa app.
MIGRATORY BIRD HUNTERS DEER (continued)
n HIP - All licensed hunters pursuing migratory n Population Management January Antlerless
game birds are required to register for HIP an- Season will be available in Allamakee, Win-
nually, either through the Go Outdoors Iowa neshiek, Decatur, Appanoose, Monroe, Lucas
app on their smartphone or through a link at and Wayne counties if the number of unsold
www.iowadnr.gov/waterfowl. Nonlicensed youth antlerless licenses on the third Monday in
hunters are not required. Migratory game birds December exceeds 100. See p. 41.
include doves, ducks, geese, coots, woodcock n Monona, Harrison, Shelby, Pottawattamie,
and snipe. See p. 20. Mills and Fremont counties were added to the
n FEDERAL E­STAMP - The federal E-Stamp buck-only counties for first shotgun season.
is now valid for the entire hunting season. The See p. 8.
physical stamp will be mailed to the address on FURHARVESTER
file. Hunters are responsible to make sure their n A person under age 16 is not required to have
address on file is current. See p. 12. a furharvester license to trap furbearing ani-
DEER mals if accompanied by a parent, guardian or
n Providing measurement of main beam length of other competent adult, who possess a valid
bucks was added to harvest report. See p. 43. furharvester license while trapping furbearing
n Antlerless quotas have changed in 12 counties, animals. There must be one licensed adult for
see p. 8 for current quotas. each person under 16 years of age.
See p. 32.

You need the resident or nonresident licenses and stamps listed below to hunt or trap in Iowa. All licenses,
fees and stamps must be carried on your person while hunting or trapping.
R = Resident NR = Nonresident a= License or fee required Blank = Not required
Type of Hunter Type of License Required
Hunting Furharvester3,5 Deer Turkey Habitat Fee6 Fed. Migratory Iowa Migratory11
R NR R NR R NR R NR R NR R NR R NR
Under 16 1 1 1 1
a a a a
Age 16 - 64 a a a a a a a a a a a a a a
65 and Older 2
a a 2 a a a a a a a a a a a
Disabled Veteran 2a a 2
a a a a a a 10 a a a a a
Apprentice a a a a a a a a a a
Landowner or Tenant 3 3,9 3 3 a a a a 9 4
a 4
a 4
a 4
a
Small Game a a a a 7 7

Waterfowl11 a a a a a a a a
Dove11 a a a a
Turkey a a a a a a
Furbearer a a a a
Deer a a a a a a
Military Stationed in Iowa a a a a a a a a a a a a a a
Military Personnel on Leave 8 a a a 8 a 8 a 8 a a a a a
1License not required for youth under 16 if accompanied by a licensed adult (18 years or older). See p. 12. 2Lifetime hunting or
furharvester license available to residents who qualify. Deer and Turkey licenses, Iowa Migratory Game Bird Fee and Federal
Waterfowl Stamp must be purchased annually. 3License not required for qualifying resident and nonresident landowners or
tenants or their juvenile children when hunting or trapping on their own land. See p. 13. 4Unless under 16 years old. 5Required
for hunting and trapping all furbearers, except coyote and groundhog, which may also be taken on a hunting license. 6Except
those under 16 or 65 and older. See wildlife habitat fee on p. 12. 7Needed to hunt ducks, geese, gallinule, rails, snipe and
woodcock. 8See p. 12 and 13. 9Hunting license and habitat fee required for all nonresidents hunting deer and turkey. 10Residents
issued a disabled veteran lifetime hunting license are exempt from the habitat fee. 11HIP registration required.
6
HUNTING SEASONS AND LIMITS

SEASONS/
QUOTAS
**HUNTERS -- Just a reminder, annual licenses, stamps and fees expire on January 10. As the
opportunity to hunt extends later into January, be sure to replace those that have expired.

SPECIES SEASON SHOOTING HOURS BAG LIMITS

DAILY POSSESSION
Rooster Pheasant (Youth)1 Oct. 19-20 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. 1 2
Rooster Pheasant Oct. 26 - Jan. 10, 2025 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. 3 12
Bobwhite Quail Oct. 26 - Jan. 31, 2025 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. 8 16
Gray Partridge Oct. 12 - Jan. 31, 2025 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. 8 16
Ruffed Grouse Oct. 5 - Jan. 31, 2025 Sunrise to Sunset 3 6
Rabbit (Cottontail) Aug. 31 - Feb. 28, 2025 Sunrise to Sunset 10 20
Rabbit (Jack) CLOSED 0 0
Squirrel (Fox and Gray) Aug. 31 - Jan. 31, 2025 No Restrictions 6 12
Groundhog2 Continuous Open Season No Restrictions No Limit No Limit
Crow Oct. 15 - Nov. 30 and No Restrictions No Limit No Limit
Jan. 14 - March 31, 2025
Pigeon Continuous Open Season No Restrictions No Limit No Limit
Coyote 2, 3
Continuous Open Season No Restrictions No Limit No Limit
1
Residents age 15 or younger. See p. 14 for complete requirements
2
May be hunted on either a hunting or furharvester license. 3See p. 32 for trapping information.

The pheasant population survey is available in early September at www.iowadnr.gov/pheasantsurvey

The NONRESIDENT spring turkey application period is Jan. 1 to the last Sunday in January.
The application is available in December at www.iowadnr.gov/Hunting/Nonresident-Hunting

2025 SPRING TURKEY HUNTING SEASON DATES

COMBINATION GUN/BOW LICENSES
Youth Season (Residents Only) April 11-13
Season 1 April 14-17
Season 2 April 18-22
Season 3 April 23-29
Season 4 April 30-May 18
RESIDENT ARCHERY­ONLY LICENSES: April 14-May 18
BAG LIMIT: Daily bag and season possession limit is one bearded or male wild turkey for
each valid license and transportation tag issued to the hunter.
SHOOTING HOURS: Half-hour before sunrise to sunset.
See p. 47 for Spring Turkey regulations.

RUFFED GROUSE HUNTING ZONE

The Ruffed Grouse hunting zone is that por-

tion of northeast Iowa bordered by U.S. High-
ways 63, 20 and 151, and Iowa Highways 13
and 64. Ruffed Grouse hunters are
required to wear blaze orange. See p. 14.

7
 2024 DEER HUNTING SEASONS & QUOTAS
SEASONS/
QUOTAS

NONRESIDENTS:
The nonresident deer application period is the first Saturday in May through the first Sunday in June. The
application is available in December at www.iowadnr.gov/Hunting/Nonresident-Hunting
Licenses are available from the sales date through the end of the season, or until quota fills. A
current hunting license and habitat fee is also required. See p. 40 for resident deer license options.
Shooting hours for all deer seasons are half-hour before sunrise to half-hour after sunset.
SEASONS SEASON DATES LICENSE ON­SALE DATES
Youth5 Sept. 21-Oct. 6 Aug. 15 - End of Season
Disabled Hunter1 Sept. 21-Oct. 6 Aug. 15 - End of Season
Archery6
Early Split Oct. 1-Dec. 6 Aug. 15 - End of Season
Late Split Dec. 23 - Jan. 10, 2025 Aug. 15 - End of Season
Early Muzzleloader2, 5 Oct. 12-20 Aug. 15 - End of Season
Late Muzzleloader Dec. 23 - Jan. 10, 2025 Aug. 15 - End of Season
Shotgun 1 Dec. 7-11 Aug. 15 - End of Season
Shotgun 2 Dec. 14-22 Aug. 15 - End of Season
Nonresident Holiday3,4 Dec. 24 - Jan. 2, 2025 Dec. 15 - End of Season
Population Mgmt January Antlerless7 Jan. 11 - 19, 2025 Dec. 15 - End of Season
Excess Tag January Antlerless7 Jan. 11 - 19, 2025 Jan. 11 - End of Season
1
Requires permit to acquire from DNR. See p. 41. 2 Purchase until quota (7,500) is reached.
3
Purchase until nonresident antlerless quota is reached. 4 Nonresident deer zone maps are available online at
www.iowadnr.gov/nonresidenthunting. 5 Residents only, see p. 41 for details. 6 Includes senior antlerless-only
licenses, see p. 41 for details. 7 In participating counties only, if antlerless licenses remain.
ANTLERLESS QUOTAS AND ANTLERED ONLY COUNTIES FOR RESIDENT HUNTERS
COUNTIES LYON OSCEOLA DICKINSON EMMET KOSSUTH WINNEBAGO WORTH MITCHELL HOWARD WINNESHIEK ALLAMAKEE

IN RED: 0 0 0 0 0 0 100 450 2700 3800

Antlered deer only
SIOUX O'BRIEN CLAY PALO ALTO
0 HANCOCK CERRO GORDO

0 0 0 0 100 100 250 375

FLOYD CHICKASAW

during first shotgun FAYETTE CLAYTON

season. PLYMOUTH CHEROKEE BUENA VISTA POCAHONTAS HUMBOLDT WRIGHT FRANKLIN BUTLER BREMER
2500 4000
The restriction 0 0 0 0 0 100 100 300 300
does not apply to WEBSTER BLACK HAWK BUCHANAN DELAWARE DUBUQUE

Landowner­ WOODBURY I DA SAC CALHOUN HAMILTON HARDIN GRUNDY

0 400 1100 1200

Tenant licenses. 0 0 0 0 200 100 200 0
TAMA BENTON LINN JONES JACKSON

MONONA CRAWFORD CARROLL GREENE

1100
BOONE STORY MARSHALL

0 0 0 325 850 1100

100 600 150 150 300
COUNTIES IN GRAY:
CLINTON

400 CEDAR

Each county is eligible 775

HARRISON SHELBY AUDUBON GUTHRIE DALLAS POLK JASPER POWESHIEK IOWA JOHNSON

0 0 2350 1900 1350 400 200 450 950

SCOTT

for Population 0 200

Management January
MUSCATINE

POTTAWATTAMIE CASS ADAIR

900
MADISON WARREN MARION MAHASKA KEOKUK WASHINGTON

antlerless season only 0 0 1200 3300 3000 2050 475 500 1200 LOUISA

if the number of unsold 775

county antlerless­deer­
MILLS MONTGOMERY ADAMS UNION CLARKE LUCAS MONROE WAPELLO JEFFERSON HENRY

0 150 750 1400 2400 2500 2500 1600 1500 1050 DES MOINES

only licenses exceeds

0 0

FREMONT PAGE TAYLOR RINGGOLD DECATUR WAYNE APPANOOSE DAVIS VAN BUREN
10

100 on the third Monday 0 0 1500 1600 2500 2700 2800 2000 2400 1800 LEE

in December. See p. 41.

DEER POPULATION MANAGEMENT ZONES

Population management zones are used to reduce or maintain deer numbers. Each zone has its own license
quota, season dates, license restrictions and proficiency requirements. Most licenses are Antlerless-only.
Management zone hunts are listed online at
www.iowadnr.gov/Hunting/DeerHunting/DeerManagementHunts.aspx. Licenses for these hunts will not
count in determining the number of licenses an individual may have, or against the county quota for Antlerless-
only Licenses.

8
2024-2025 MIGRATORY GAME BIRDS SEASONS & LIMITS
SHOOTING HOURS: 1/2 hour before sunrise to sunset for all species except woodcock and the
September teal season which is sunrise to sunset.

SEASON NORTH ZONE CENTRAL ZONE SOUTH ZONE

YOUTH WATERFOWL Sept. 21-22 Sept. 28-29 Oct. 5-6

DUCKS, MERGANSERS & COOTS Sept. 28-Oct. 4 & Oct. 5-11 & Oct. 12-18 &
Oct. 12-Dec. 3 Oct. 19-Dec. 10 Oct. 26-Dec. 17

BAG LIMITS:
DUCKS: Daily limit 6, including no more than 4 mallards (of which no more than 2 may be female),
3 wood ducks, 2 redheads, 1 pintail, 2 black ducks, and 2 canvasback. Scaup bag limit: 1 for first 15
days of the season, 2 for the remaining 45 days.
MERGANSERS: Daily limit 5, including no more than 2 hooded mergansers.
COOTS: Daily limit 15.
YOUTH WATERFOWL HUNTING DAYS: Shooting hours and daily bag limits will conform to those set
for the regular waterfowl seasons.

SEASON NORTH ZONE CENTRAL ZONE SOUTH ZONE

DARK GEESE & LIGHT GEESE Sept. 21-Oct 6 & Sept. 28-Oct. 13 & Oct. 5-20 &
BEGIN 3 CANADA GOOSE BAG LIMIT Oct. 12-Dec. 3 & Oct. 19-Dec. 10 & Oct. 26-Dec. 17 &

GAME BIRDS
Dec. 14-Jan. 11, 2025 Dec. 21-Jan. 18, 2025 Dec. 28-Jan. 25, 2025

MIGRATORY
BAG LIMITS:
DARK GEESE: The daily bag limit for Canada geese, white-fronted geese, brant and any other
geese that are not light geese is 5 and may include no more than 2 Canada geese during the first
segment of the statewide season and no more than 3 Canada geese beginning with second segment
of the statewide season until the end of the season.
LIGHT GEESE: The daily bag limit for white and blue-phase snow geese and Ross’ geese is 20.

STATEWIDE
SPECIAL SEPTEMBER TEAL Sept. 1-16 Daily limit is 6
(Blue-winged, Green-winged & Cinnamon only)
DOVES (Mourning & Eurasian Collared) Sept. 1-Nov. 29 Daily limit is 15
SNIPE Sept. 7-Nov. 30 Daily limit is 8
RAIL (Sora & Virginia) Sept. 7-Nov. 15 Daily limit is 12
WOODCOCK Oct. 5-Nov. 18 Daily limit is 3

METRO CANADA GOOSE SEASONS

Only in designated areas around Des Moines, Cedar Rapids/Iowa City and Cedar Falls/Waterloo.
Special regulations apply. See Special September Canada Goose Season maps at select license
agents in hunt zones and online at www.iowadnr.gov/Hunting/Migratory-Game-Birds
CANADA GEESE Sept. 14-22 Daily limit is 5

LIGHT GEESE CONSERVATION ORDER (additional regulations apply. See p. 21)

White & blue phase snow geese & Ross’ geese Jan. 26-May 1, 2025

POSSESSION LIMITS:
Possession limits are three times the daily bag limit for all migratory birds, except light geese for
which there is no possession limit.

MIGRATORY GAME BIRD HUNTERS:

Don’t forget to register with the Harvest Information Program (HIP). See p. 11 or p. 20.

9
 2024 FALL WILD TURKEY HUNTING INFORMATION
SEASONS/
QUOTAS

NONRESIDENTS are not eligible for fall FALL TURKEY ZONES

turkey hunting licenses.
9 69 8 63
FALL TURKEY HUNTING GUN/BOW Sioux City 6
Zone Quota Ft. Dodge
Hunters may purchase up 20 Waterloo
to two licenses beginning 4 1,500 20
Aug. 15. 5 650 59 7 63
6 1,400 Iowa City
See p. 46 for more informa- 80
tion. 7 250 5 80
8 200 Des Moines
9 200
59
4 4

LICENSE TYPE SEASON DATES SHOOTING HOURS

Gun/Bow1 Oct. 14-Dec. 6 Gun: Half-hour before sunrise to sunset
Archery Only2 Oct. 1 - Dec. 6 & Bow: Half-hour before sunrise to 1/2 hour after sunset
Dec. 23 - Jan. 10, 2025
1
Sold until quotas are filled.
2
Sold until last day of the season. No quota.
Bag Limit: Daily Bag & Season Possession Limit is one wild turkey of either sex for each valid license
and transportation tag issued to the hunter.
FURBEARER SEASONS AND LIMITS
FURBEARER HUNTING INFORMATION
SPECIES SEASONS SHOOTING HOURS DAILY POSSESSION
Opossum, Badger, Nov. 2 - Feb. 28, 2025 8 a.m. on First Day No Limit No Limit
Striped Skunk,
Fox (Red and Gray)
Bobcats1 Nov. 2 - Feb. 28, 2025 No Restrictions See p. 33 See p. 33
Coyote Continuous Open No Restrictions No Limit No Limit
Raccoon2 Continuous Open No Restrictions No Limit No Limit
1
A total of up to three bobcats are allowed per season per licensed furharvester, either hunted or trapped. The bag limit is
based on the zone where the bobcat was taken. Additional requirements & zone map on p. 33. 2On private land only.
FURBEARER TRAPPING INFORMATION
SPECIES SEASON TRAPPING HOURS DAILY POSSESSION
Coyote, Mink3, Muskrat3, Nov. 2 - Feb. 28, 2025 8 a.m. on First Day No Limit No Limit
Weasel, Striped Skunk,
Badger, Opossum, Fox
(Red and Gray),
Beaver3 Nov. 2 - April 15, 2025 8 a.m. on First Day No Limit No Limit
Otter1, 3 Nov. 2 - Feb. 28, 2025 8 a.m. on First Day 3 3
Bobcat2 Nov. 2 - Feb. 28, 2025 8 a.m. on First Day See p. 33 See p. 33
Raccoon4 Continuous Open No Restrictions No Limit No Limit
Civet Cat (Spotted Skunk) Continuous Closed
Gray Wolf Continuous Closed
1
Only three otters are allowed per licensed furharvester. See p. 34.
2
A total of up to three bobcats are allowed per season per licensed furharvester, either hunted or trapped. The bag limit
is based on the zone where the bobcat was taken. Additional requirements & zone map on p. 33. 3Taking by shotgun or
spear is prohibited. 4Outside the furharvester season, only cage traps or dog-proof traps are legal methods of take. Dur-
ing the furharvester season, trappers may use other lawful traps normally allowed during the trapping season.
A furharvester license is required to hunt or trap furbearers. Coyote or groundhog may be hunted on a
hunting or furharvester license.
10
 HUNTING LICENSE REQUIREMENTS
HUNTER EDUCATION SPECIAL LICENSES FOR RESIDENTS
Resident and nonresident hunters born after Jan. Iowa offers free annual hunting and fishing
1, 1972, must satisfactorily complete a hunter edu- licenses and veteran lifetime hunting and fishing
cation course in order to obtain a hunting license. licenses to qualifying residents. For qualifications
A person who is 11 years-old or older may enroll and special license applications, contact the DNR
in a course, but those who are 11 and successfully at 515-725-8200.

REGULATIONS
complete the course shall be issued a certificate of REQUIREMENTS FOR PURCHASING
completion, which becomes valid on that person’s RESIDENT LICENSES

GENERAL
12th birthday. Residents under the age of 12 can A NONRESIDENT is a person who is not a resi-
be issued deer and turkey licenses, but the youth dent of Iowa. NOTE: Iowa residents who have previ-
hunter must be accompanied by, and under the ously hunted, fished and/or trapped as nonresidents
immediate control of, or direct supervision of, a
are urged to plan ahead to obtain license privileges.
licensed adult hunter.
The electronic licensing system for hunting, fishing
For class dates and locations, call
and trapping automatically identifies people who
515­725­8200 or go to www.iowadnr.gov/hunt­
have previously obtained licenses as nonresidents.
ered
This law change was made to identify a growing
Alternative. A hunter education certificate is-
problem in Iowa of nonresidents falsifying records to
sued by another state or certain foreign nations will
illegally obtain (invalid) resident licenses. Hunters,
meet the above requirement. Proof of completion
anglers and trappers who previously held a nonresi-
is required when purchasing your first Iowa hunting
dent Iowa license but are now eligible for resident
license.
licenses need to fill out and return a form that can be
PURCHASING A LICENSE accessed at www.iowadnr.gov/license. Former non-
The Iowa Department of Natural Resources is residents are encouraged to do this as soon as pos-
required to collect social security numbers from all sible as changes may take up to two weeks. License
persons obtaining a hunting, fishing or other rec- vendors CANNOT make this change at the point of
reational license under section 252J.8 of the Code sale and it cannot be done over the phone. For ques-
of Iowa and 42 U.S. Code 666(a)(13). Your social tions, contact the local conservation officer.
security number will serve as your principal iden- RESIDENT means a person who meets one of
tification number to determine your eligibility for the following criteria.
licenses. It will be provided to enforcement agencies 1. Has physically resided in this state as the per-
to establish, modify and enforce child support and son’s principal and primary residence or domicile for
tax obligations. It WILL NOT appear on your hunting a period of not less than 90 consecutive days imme­
or fishing license. diately before applying for or purchasing a resident
license, and has an Iowa driver’s license or non-op-
erators ID. Factors to determine the domicile include,
HARVEST INFORMATION PROGRAM (HIP)
ALL licensed hunters pursuing migratory game bird but are not limited to: place of employment, mailing
are required to register for HIP annually either through (street) address, utility records, real estate records,
the Go Outdoors Iowa app on their smartphone or vehicle registrations.
through a link at www.iowadnr.gov/waterfowl. Once A person is not considered a resident under this
registered, hunters will need to write their confirmation paragraph if the person is residing in the state only
number on their license, print an updated copy of their for a special or temporary purpose including, but not
license or take a screenshot of their confirmation on limited to; engaging in hunting, fishing or trapping.
their phone to show proof. Conservation officers will 2. Is a full-time student at an accredited educa-
be enforcing this requirement. Youth hunters who are tional institution in Iowa and resides in Iowa while
not required to have a hunting license are not required attending the educational institution, or is a full-time
to register for HIP. student under 25 years of age at an accredited edu-
Migratory game birds mean more than ducks and cational institution outside the state as long as at least
geese. Migratory game birds in Iowa include mourn- one parent or legal guardian maintains a principal and
ing doves, ducks, geese, coots, woodcock, rails, and primary residence in Iowa.
snipe. See p. 20 for more information. 3. Is a nonresident under 18 years of age with a
parent who is a legal resident of Iowa.

11
 4. Is a member of the armed forces of the United and have paid the Habitat Fee if normally required
States who is serving on active duty and meets any to have them to hunt. All nonresidents must have a
of the following qualifications: valid nonresident Hunting License and have paid the
(1) Claims residency in this state and has filed Habitat Fee.
a state individual income tax return as a resident FURHARVESTERS ­ All residents and
pursuant to chapter 422, division II, for the preceding nonresidents age 16 and older must have a
tax year. Furharvester License to trap or hunt furbearing
(2) Is stationed at a federal military installation in animals. Residents and nonresidents age 16 to
this state, or at a federal military installation contigu- 64 must also have paid the Habitat Fee. A Hunting
ous to a county in this state, and is domiciled within License is not needed to hunt furbearers. A person
this state. under age 16 years is not required to have a
(3) Is stationed at and resides or is domiciled Furharvester License to trap fur-bearing animals
within a federal military installation located contigu- if accompanied by an adult who possess a valid
ous to a county in this state. Furharvester License while trapping furbearing
animals. There must be one licensed adult for each
Dual Residency Not Permitted: Unless you person under 16 years of age. Coyote and groundhog
qualify under 2, 3 or 4 in the previous paragraph, a may be hunted with either a Furharvester License or
person shall not purchase or apply for any resident a Hunting License. Nonresident furharvesters wanting
license or permit if that person has claimed residency to purchase an Iowa nonresident Furharvester
in any other state or country. License may do so only if their state of residence also
sells a nonresident Furharvester/Trapping License to
LICENSES, FEES & STAMPS REQUIRED Iowa residents.
All residents and nonresidents 16 years of age and APPRENTICE LICENSE ­ Allows the apprentice
older are required to have a valid Hunting License on age 16 and older to hunt under the direct supervision
their person, and have paid all applicable fees and of a mentor (age 18 or older) who has a current
possess all required stamps while hunting game or hunting license and habitat fee, without completing a
participating in the hunt. See p. 6. Participation in a hunter education course. Apprentice licenses may be
hunt includes, but is not limited to: handling firearms purchased twice in a lifetime. The hunter must then
or ammunition during the hunt; trying to attract game, satisfactorily complete a hunter education course to
driving, flushing, or locating game; and working dogs. obtain a Hunting License. Apprentices must have paid
WILDLIFE HABITAT FEE - Iowa residents age all applicable fees and possess all required stamps
16 to 64, and nonresidents age 16 and older, who while hunting game or participating in the hunt.
are required to have a hunting or furharvester license NONRESIDENT FALCONRY PERMIT ­ All
must pay the wildlife habitat fee to hunt or trap. nonresident falconers, regardless of age, who intend
IOWA MIGRATORY GAME BIRD FEE - All to hunt with a bird of prey must purchase and have
residents and nonresidents 16 years of age and in their possession a nonresident Falconry Permit,
older must pay the Iowa Migratory Game Bird Fee to a nonresident Hunting License, and have paid the
hunt wild geese, brant, ducks, snipe, rail, woodcock, Habitat Fee. These permits are available wherever
gallinule or coot. The fee must be paid even if a hunting licenses are sold or may be purchased online
Hunting License is not required. at www.iowadnr.gov. Call 515-725-8200 for details.
FEDERAL MIGRATORY BIRD HUNTING &
CONSERVATION STAMP - The law requires that THE FOLLOWING DO NOT NEED A HUNTING
each waterfowl hunter 16 years of age and older LICENSE AND/OR PAY CERTAIN FEES:
must carry on his person a Migratory Bird Hunting 1a) Residents and nonresidents under 16
and Conservation Stamp (Federal Duck Stamp) that years old who hunt under the direct supervision
is validated by the hunter signing the stamp in ink of their properly licensed parent, guardian, or other
across the face of the stamp. The Stamp is required competent adult with the consent of the parent or
even if a Hunting License is not required.
guardian do not need a Hunting License or pay the
E­Stamp: In 2024, the E-Stamp is now valid for
Habitat or Migratory Game Bird fee. One properly
the entire hunting season. The physical stamp will
be mailed to the address on file. Hunters are respon- licensed adult must accompany each unlicensed
sible to make sure their address on file is current. hunter under 16 years old.
DEER & TURKEY HUNTERS - Residents and 1b) Residents 12 to 15 years old may hunt
nonresidents who hunt deer or wild turkey must have without adult supervision, but must have a Hunting
a valid resident or nonresident Deer or Wild Turkey License and must have passed a hunter education
License on their person while hunting. Residents course (see p. 11 for hunter education training
must also have a valid resident Hunting License requirements).

12
Persons exempted under 1a) or 1b) must and nonresident owners and tenants that farm
have a Deer & Turkey Hunting License to agricultural land in Iowa and their juvenile children
hunt deer & turkey (see below) do not need licenses to hunt and trap
2) Military personnel that qualify as a on such lands and may shoot by lawful means
resident of Iowa, that are on active duty with ground squirrels, gophers, and woodchucks upon
the armed forces of the United States, and are adjacent roads. Deer and Wild Turkey Licenses are
on authorized leave from a duty station outside required to hunt deer and wild turkey. Nonresidents
of Iowa, do not need a Hunting License, Deer hunting deer or wild turkey must also have a Hunting
License, Wild Turkey License, or pay the Habitat License and pay the Habitat Fee. A valid Federal
Fee. They must possess a Federal Migratory Migratory Waterfowl Stamp and an Iowa Migratory
Waterfowl Stamp and pay the Iowa Migratory Game Bird Fee is required to hunt waterfowl and
Game Bird Fee to hunt migratory game birds. other migratory game birds if they are 16 years old
They must carry their leave papers on their or older.
person while hunting and a copy of their current 2) Deer and Wild Turkey. Iowa residents
earnings statement showing a tax deduction for who are owners of agricultural land or tenants that

TENANT
LANDOWNER
Iowa income taxes for the previous year. They farm agricultural land, or are a spouse or child of
may claim residency in lieu of their earnings the owner or tenant that reside with the owner or
statement by being registered to vote in Iowa. tenant, are eligible for Landowner-Tenant Deer and
If a deer or wild turkey is taken, a conservation Wild Turkey Hunting Licenses, commonly called
officer must be contacted immediately to obtain a landowner-tenant licenses. Owning land in Iowa
transportation tag for the animal. They are allowed does not confer residency. Nonresident landowners
only one turkey and one deer per calendar year. and tenants are not eligible for these licenses. See
Conservation officer cell phone numbers are listed p. 11 for residency requirements.
on p. 53. Landowner-Tenant deer and turkey licenses
3) Persons with a dog entered in a are valid for taking the appropriate species, but
licensed field trial may participate in the event only on the farm unit of the owner or tenant. Land
and train their dog on the same area where the registration is required. To register, or for more
field trial will be held during the 24-hour period information, go to www.iowadnr.gov/Hunting/
immediately preceding the trial. Landowner-Assistance/Landowner-Registration.
The qualifying landowner or tenant does not have
HUNTING LICENSES FOR to reside on the farm, but must qualify under the
LANDOWNERS & TENANTS THAT definitions below.
FARM AGRICULTURAL LAND
1) Small game and furbearers. Resident

LANDOWNER/TENANT QUALIFICATION OVERVIEW

Two or more contiguous acres operated as a farm unit for agricultural purposes.
LANDOWNER OPERATION QUALIFICATIONS QUALIFICATIONS FOR FAMILY MEMBERS
Must have legal ownership in qualifying land, be Spouse or child (under 18 years old or 18 or 19 and in
a resident of Iowa, and meet one or more of the fol- high school or a general equivalency degree program)
lowing: who resides with owner or tenant.
l Operator on the farm unit.
l Make annual decisions about the farm operation. DEER TAGS AVAILABLE PER FARM UNIT
l Raise specialty crops. l One General Deer Tag, valid until filled, using
l Land is enrolled in a conservation reserve method of take for the season
program. l One Antlerless Deer Tag, valid until filled, using
l Rent entire farm to an adult child who operates method of take for the season
the farm unit. l Two paid Antlerless Deer Tags

TENANT OPERATION QUALIFICATIONS TURKEY TAGS AVAILABLE PER FARM UNIT

Must be a resident of Iowa and rents and actively l One Spring Turkey Tag
farms agricultural land owned by another person. l One Fall Turkey Tag
Rental includes cash rent or share crop arrange-
ments.

13
 GENERAL HUNTING REGULATIONS
DEFINITIONS SMALL GAME HUNTING
Please read the definitions of these terms, Hunters - you will be asked three questions
commonly used in the hunting regulations when purchasing a hunting license to identify
summary, before referring to the rest of the those who pursue small game, which will im-
text. prove the quality of data used to estimate pheas-
REGULATIONS

“Hunting,” means any pursuing, hunting, ant, rabbit, squirrel, quail and ruffed grouse
killing, trapping, snaring, netting, searching harvest. There is no fee or requirement to write
GENERAL

for or shooting at, stalking or lying in wait for verification number on the license.
any game, animal, bird or fish protected by the
License Requirements and Fees
state laws or rules adopted by the commission
See p. 6 and 12.
whether or not such animal is captured, killed or
injured. HUNTER ORANGE REQUIRED
“Limits” Daily Bag Limit or Possession Limit To hunt pheasant, quail, gray partridge and
is the number of a species permitted to be taken ruffed grouse you must wear at least one of
or held in a specified time. the following articles of visible, external ap-
“Physically handicapped person,” when parel with at least 50 percent of its surface area
used in reference to crossbow permits for deer solid blaze orange in color: hat, cap, vest, coat,
and turkey hunting, means a person having a jacket, sweatshirt, shirt or coveralls.
physical impairment of the upper extremities
TRANSPORTING PHEASANTS
that makes a person physically incapable of A foot, fully feathered wing, or fully feathered
shooting a bow and arrow. This includes diffi- head must remain attached to any pheasant
culty in lifting and reaching with arms as well as transported within the state. The bird may be
difficulty in handling and fingering a bow. field dressed, but the carcass must remain
“Severely disabled person,” when used intact.
in reference to the Disabled Hunter deer sea-
son, means a person that qualifies as severely YOUTH PHEASANT SEASON
disabled under Iowa Code Chapter 321L.1.8, Resident hunters ages 15 or younger may
including those who have difficulty walking due hunt rooster (male) pheasants during the Youth
to lung or heart disease or an arthritic, neuro- Pheasant Season without having a Hunting
logical or orthopedic condition. License, paying the Habitat Fee, or passing a
hunter education course. The youth hunter must
“Trespass” means entering property without
be accompanied by an adult 18 years old or
the express permission of the owner, lessee or older who has a valid Hunting License and has
person in lawful possession, with the intent to paid the Habitat Fee if normally required to do
commit a public offense; to use, remove there- so to hunt. Only the youth may shoot pheas-
from, alter, damage, harass, or place anything ants. The adult may shoot other game if sea-
animate or inanimate, or to hunt, fish or trap on sons are open. All other regulations in effect for
the property, including the act of taking or at- the regular pheasant season apply during the
tempting to take a deer which is on or in the youth hunt.
property by a person who is outside the property.
The term trespass does not mean entering the HUNTING ACCIDENTS MUST BE REPORTED
right-of-way of a public road or highway. Railroad Anyone involved in a hunting accident involv-
right-of-ways are considered private property. ing a firearm, which results in a personal injury
This paragraph does not prohibit the or property damage exceeding $100, must report
individual unarmed shooter (not entire party) the accident within 12 hours to the sheriff’s office
from taking the most direct route in pursuit of in the county where the accident occurred, to the
game or furbearing animals lawfully injured or local conservation officer, or if neither are avail-
killed that come to rest on, or escape to, the able and it is between 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. M-F, to
property of another. the DNR in Des Moines at 515-725-8200.

14
USE OF EQUIPMENT ON PUBLIC LANDS TREE STANDS
You may not drive or in any other way place You may not construct a permanent tree stand
any nail, spike, pin, or any other metal object on game management areas. Tree stands used
into a tree on game management areas to con- for deer or turkey hunting may be left on a game
struct a blind or to provide hunting access to a management area from 7 days prior to the start of
location above the ground. deer or turkey hunting season until 7 days after the
BLINDS final day of that open season.
A blind can be a constructed place of conceal- Tree stands left on Federal Waterfowl Produc-

REGULATIONS
ment for hunting, observing or photographing tion Areas must be clearly marked with your Iowa
wildlife, either portable or stationary. You may hunting license number.

GENERAL
construct a blind using only the natural vegetation DECOYS
found in the area, except that no trees or parts of A decoy is a likeness of a bird or animal used
trees other than willows can be cut for that pur- to lure game within shooting range. Decoys are
pose. The use of all blinds on game management prohibited on all game management areas from
areas is on a first-come, first-served basis regard- one-half hour after sunset until midnight of each
less of type or construction. day. Decoys are considered removed from an area
Portable, or pop-up, blinds are prohibited on if they are in a boat or other container at an ap-
game management areas from one hour after proved access site. Decoys cannot be left unat-
sunset until midnight each day. Portable blinds tended for more than 30 minutes between midnight
left unattended during permissible hours do not and one-half hour after sunset.
guarantee the owner exclusive use of the blind, Motorized or mechanical decoys are legal for
or exclusive use of the site. waterfowl hunting.
Portable blinds which are built on, or are part DRONES
of, a boat, shall be considered removed from Drones are considered aircraft by the U.S. Fed-
an area when the boat and blind are tied up or eral Government. The use of drones while hunting
moored at an approved access site. No boat shall is not allowed.
be anchored away from shore and left unattended
unless it is attached to a legal buoy.
See p. 37 for deer blinds.

UNLAWFUL TRANSPORTATION SHOWING LICENSE TO OFFICER

You cannot ship, carry or transport, in any one Upon request, you must show your license, cer-
day, game, fish, birds or animals (except furbear- tificate or permit to any peace officer or the owner
ing animals) in excess of the number legally or person in lawful control of the land or water on
permitted to be possessed, unless authorized by a which you are hunting or trapping. You must have
special license such as a Taxidermy License. in your possession either in license form or elec-
tronically, your license, certificate or permit.
GAME BROUGHT INTO THE STATE
You may possess game that has been lawfully USE OF CB, MOBILE TRANSMITTER, CELL
taken outside the state and lawfully brought into PHONE
the state, but you must be able to prove it was You cannot use a one or two-way mobile radio
legally killed and legally transported into the state. transmitter, including cell phones and cellular
See p. 39 for big game exceptions. trail cameras capable of sending images or video
while actively hunting, to communicate the loca-
RETRIEVAL & WASTE OF GAME tion or direction of game or furbearing animals, or
While taking or attempting to take game or to coordinate the movement of other hunters.
furbearing animals, you cannot abandon the Exceptions: Coyote hunters may use two-
injured animal without making a reasonable effort way radios, except during the two shotgun deer
to retrieve it from the field. You cannot leave a seasons. A falconer may use a one-way mobile
usable portion of the game or furbearing animal in transmitter to recover a free-flying bird of prey
the field. “Usable portion” in this instance means that is properly banded and covered on a falconry
the following: 1) for game, that part of an animal permit. Hunters with dogs may use a one-way
that is customarily processed for consumption; mobile transmitter to track or aid in the recovery of
and 2) for furbearing animals, the fur or hide of the dog.
the animal.
15
 POSSESSION & STORAGE down or totally contained in a securely fastened
A person having lawful possession of game case, and its barrels and attached magazines are
or furbearing animals or pelts taken with a valid unloaded. Muzzleloaders must be cased but will
license by that person, may hold, possess or be considered unloaded if the cap is removed
store the game or furbearing animals or pelts in from the nipple or the priming charge is removed
an amount that does not exceed the possession from the pan.
limit until the day before the first day of the next
REGULATIONS

open season for that game or furbearing animal. PROHIBITED HUNTING NEAR BUILDINGS
Any person may possess up to 25 pounds of You cannot discharge a firearm, or shoot
GENERAL

deer venison if the deer was lawfully obtained. or attempt to shoot, a game or furbearing ani-
mal within 200 yards of a building inhabited by
OBSTRUCTION OF HUNTING OR TRAPPING people or domestic livestock or a feedlot unless
A person shall not interfere with the lawful the owner or tenant has given consent to do so.
hunting or trapping activities of another person Feedlot means a lot, yard or corral where live-
where hunting or trapping is authorized by a cus- stock is confined for the purpose of feeding and
todian of public property or an owner or lessee growth prior to slaughter. Pastures, hayfields or
of private property. Acts that could be considered cropfields where animals are allowed to graze
as interfering, obstructing or harassing include, are not considered feedlots.
but are not limited to:
l intentionally placing oneself in a location PROTECTION OF PUBLIC HUNTING AREAS
where human presence may affect the behavior If a public hunting area was in place prior to
of a furbearing animal, game bird or other game the construction of an adjacent feedlot or building
or the feasibility of killing or taking a furbearing inhabited by people or livestock and such con-
animal, game bird or other game; struction occurred on or after May 14, 2004, then
l intentionally creating a visual, audio, olfactory consent is not required to shoot on the public
or physical stimulus for the purpose of affecting hunting area or within 200 yards of the feedlot or
the behavior of a furbearing animal, game bird building. This act protects existing uses of public
or other game; hunting areas from infringements caused by new
l intentionally affecting the condition or altering construction and development.
the placement of personal property used for the As used in this subsection, “public hunting
purpose of taking furbearing animals, birds or area” means public lands or waters available for
other game. hunting by the public and identified as a public
This rule does not prohibit a landowner, ten- hunting area by the city, county, state or federal
ant or an employee of the landowner or tenant government.
from performing normal agricultural operations
or a law enforcement officer from performing of- ARTIFICIAL LIGHT & LASER SIGHTS
ficial duties. Sights that project a light beam, including laser
sights, are not legal for hunting. You cannot cast
SELLING GAME the rays of a spotlight, headlight or other artificial
You cannot buy or sell, dead or alive, a bird light on a highway or in a field, woodland or for-
or animal, including fish, or any part of one that est for the purpose of spotting, locating, taking
is protected. This does not apply to furbearing or attempting to take or hunt an animal, while
animals and the skins, plumage and antlers of having in possession or control, either singly or
legally taken game. You cannot purchase, sell, as one of a group of persons, any firearm, bow or
barter or offer to purchase, sell or barter migra­ other device capable of killing or taking a bird or
tory game birds; and for millinery or ornamental animal. This rule does not apply to hunting rac-
use, the same applies to the feathers of migra- coons or other furbearing animals when they are
tory game birds. treed with the aid of dogs.
A person may use an infrared light source to
TRANSPORTING FIREARMS hunt coyotes as long as the infrared light source
A person, except as permitted by law, shall not is mounted to the method of take or to a scope
have or carry a gun in or on a vehicle on a public mounted on the method of take. HOWEVER, no
highway, unless the gun is taken apart or broken person shall use an infrared light source to hunt
16
coyotes during any established muzzleloader, Mobility disabled persons. Any person who
bow, or shotgun deer hunting season. has a physical (or mental) impairment that sub-
stantially limits their ability to walk, stand, bend, or
SHOOTING RIFLE OVER WATER lift may access game management areas with a
OR HIGHWAY manually-operated or power-driven wheelchair or
You cannot shoot any rifle on or over any of scooter if the device is designed primarily for use
the public highways, regardless of surface type, by a individual with a mobility disability for either

REGULATIONS
or waters of the state or any railroad right-of-way. indoor or outdoor locomotion. Mobility disabled
You cannot discharge a shotgun shooting a slug, persons who wish to use some other power-driven

GENERAL
pistol or revolver on or over a public roadway device for mobility assistance, such as an ATV or
(see diagram below). golf cart, must contact the manager (p. 52) prior to
Additionally, no person shall discharge a rifle, accessing any game management area.
including a muzzleloading rifle or musket, or a
handgun from a highway; or discharge a shotgun
shooting slugs from a highway north of U.S. High- LIQUIDATED DAMAGES
way 30, while deer hunting. In addition to penalties assessed by the court, a
“Roadway” means the portion of the highway person convicted of unlawfully selling, taking, catching,
improved, designed or ordinarily used for vehicu- killing, injuring, destroying or having in their possession
lar travel, including the shoulder. any animal, shall reimburse the state for the value of the
“Highway” means the entire width between animal as follows:
property lines, from fenceline to fenceline (in-  Antlered deer 150 gross inches or less (Boone &
cludes the ditches). Crockett scoring system): $2,000-$5,000 plus 80
hours of community service; without community ser-

{
Private Property
Fence
vice, $4,000-$10,000, as deemed by the court

}
Ditch
 Antlered deer more than 150 gross inches (Boone
& Crockett): $5,000-$10,000 plus 80 hours of com-
Highway or Roadway
(includes
munity service; without community service, $10,000-
Right-of-Way
shoulder) $20,000 as deemed by the court
• For each antlerless deer: $750
Ditch
• For each bobcat, wild turkey, beaver, mink,
Fence
otter, red fox, gray fox or raccoon: $200
Private Property
• For each animal or bird or the raw pelt or plumage of
HUNTING FROM AIRCRAFT OR such animal or bird for which
damages are not otherwise prescribed: $50
SNOWMOBILES PROHIBITED
• For each reptile, mussel or amphibian: $15
A person shall not intentionally kill or wound, • For each animal classified by the Natural Resource
attempt to kill or wound, or pursue any animal, Commission as an endangered or threatened species:
fowl, or fish from or with an aircraft or drone in $1,000
flight, or from or with any vehicles commonly • For each wild elk, antelope, buffalo or
known as snowmobiles. Drones are considered moose: $2,500
aircraft by the U.S. Federal Government. • For each swan or crane: $1,500
• For each conviction of unlawfully harvesting ginseng,
MOTOR VEHICLE RESTRICTIONS the state will be reimbursed 150 percent of the market
The use of motor vehicles on all game value as determined by the department.
management areas is restricted.
Motor vehicle means any self-propelled
vehicle, including ATVs, snowmobiles and E-
bikes 750 watts or more.
Roads and parking lots. Motor vehicles are
prohibited on a game management areas except
on constructed and designated roads and park-
ing lots unless specifically permitted.

17
 IOWA REFUGES
The DNR has designated portions of some wildlife management areas as “wildlife
refuges” or “waterfowl refuges.”
WILDLIFE REFUGES
Restrictions: It shall be unlawful to hunt, pursue, kill, trap, or take any wild animal,
bird, or game on Wildlife Refuges at any time, and no one shall carry firearms thereon,
REGULATIONS

except where and when specifically authorized by the DNR. It shall also be unlawful to
trespass in any manner on the following areas, where posted, during the dates posted,
GENERAL

both dates inclusive, except that DNR personnel and law enforcement officials may
enter the area at any time in performance of their duties, and hunters, under the super-
vision of department staff, may enter when specifically authorized by the DNR.
AREA .................................. COUNTY AREA .................................. COUNTY
South Twin Lake .................... Calhoun Colyn Area .................................Lucas
Ventura Marsh ................ Cerro Gordo Gladys Black Eagle Refuge..... Marion
Allen Green Refuge ......... Des Moines Five Island Lake ................... Palo Alto
Henderson ...........................Dickinson Polk City Refuge.......................... Polk
Ingham Lake............................ Emmet Smith Area ....................Pottawattamie
Crystal Hills........................... Hancock Green Valley Lake ..................... Union

WATERFOWL REFUGES
Restrictions. It shall be unlawful to hunt ducks and geese on the following areas,
where posted, at any time during the year. After the final day of the duck season, entry From September 1 Through the

into the Waterfowl Refuge is allowed to hunt non-waterfowl species for which there is an Final Day of the Duck Season

open season (i.e. pheasant, rabbit, deer, squirrel, etc.) and trapping is allowed. Hunt- WATERFOWL
ers must be aware that some Waterfowl Refuges are also located within zones closed REFUGE

to Canada Goose hunting. DNR personnel and law enforcement officials may enter the
area at any time in performance of their duties, and hunters, under the supervision of CLOSED TO DUCK
AND GOOSE HUNTING

department staff, may enter when specifically authorized by the DNR.

AT ALL TIMES

Iowa Dept. Of Natural Resources

AREA ...................................................COUNTY AREA ................................................... COUNTY

Lake Icaria ................................................Adams Eagle Flats............................................. Hancock
Pool Slough Wildlife Area ................... Allamakee Eagle Lake............................................. Hancock
Rathbun Area........................ Appanoose, Lucas, Green Island Area...................................Jackson
Wayne Hawkeye Wildlife Area........................... Johnson
Sedan Bottoms ..................................Appanoose Muskrat Slough.......................................... Jones
Sweet Marsh............................................ Bremer Red Rock Area .................. Marion, Polk, Warren
Big Marsh ...................................................Butler Chichaqua Area ............................................ Polk
Union Hills ....................................... Cerro Gordo McCausland.................................................Scott
Round Lake ..................................................Clay Princeton Area .............................................Scott
Jemmerson Slough Complex .............. Dickinson Otter Creek Marsh ...................................... Tama
Forney Lake............................................Fremont Rice Lake Area ..................................Winnebago
Riverton Area..........................................Fremont Snyder Bend Lake ...............................Woodbury
Dunbar Slough......................................... Greene Elk Creek Marsh .........................................Worth
Bays Branch ............................................ Guthrie

RESTRICTED AREA
In addition, portions of some wildlife areas may be posted as “restricted areas.” It is
unlawful to trespass in any manner within the posted boundaries of restricted areas,
except department personnel and law enforcement officials may enter these areas
at any time in performance of their duties.

18
NONTOXIC SHOT ON STATE AND FEDERAL AREAS
 LEAD BULLETS are allowed for deer hunting on all areas
 NONTOXIC SHOT is required for hunting (including WILD
TURKEY) on Federal Waterfowl Production Areas (WPA)
 NONTOXIC SHOT requirements for hunting on state and
federal areas are listed in the table below

REGULATIONS
GENERAL
UP=Upland Game T=Wild Turkey

AREAS UP T AREAS UP T AREAS UP T

BENTON CO. GREENE CO. POCAHONTAS CO.
Iowa River Corridor X All IHAP land X All State land4 X
All State land3 X All Federal WPAs X X
BOONE CO. All Federal WPAs X X
Harrier Marsh X POLK CO.
All Federal WPAs X X HAMILTON CO. Chichaqua Bottoms X
Little Wall Lake X Paul Errington Marsh X X
BUENA VISTA CO. Gordon Marsh X
All IHAP land X Bayer Slough X SAC CO.
All State land X All State lands5 X
All Federal WPAs X X HANCOCK CO. All Federal WPAs X X
All IHAP land X
CALHOUN CO. All State land X STORY CO.
South Twin Lake X All Federal WPAs X X Colo Bog X
Hendrickson Marsh X
CERRO GORDO CO. HUMBOLDT CO.
All IHAP land X All State land X TAMA CO.
All State land X All IHAP land X
All Federal WPAs X X IOWA CO. Iowa River Corridor X
Iowa River Corridor X
CLAY CO. WINNEBAGO CO.
All IHAP land X JASPER CO. All IHAP land X
All State land X Chichaqua X All State land X
All Federal WPAs X X All Federal WPAs X X
KOSSUTH CO.
DICKINSON CO. All IHAP land X WORTH CO.
All IHAP land X All State land X All State land X
All State land X All Federal WPAs X X All Federal WPAs X X
All Federal WPAs X X O’BRIEN CO. WRIGHT CO.
Northern Tallgrass X X All IHAP land X
EMMET CO. Prairie - Thompson All State land X
All State land X All Federal WPAs X X All Federal land X X
All Federal WPAs X X
OSCEOLA CO. 1
Except Ocheyedan target shooting area
FRANKLIN CO. All State land X
All State land X
2
Except Spring Run target shooting area
PALO ALTO CO. 3
Except Rippey Access & North Raccoon
All IHAP land X 4
Except Kalsow Prairie
All State land X 5
Except White Horse Access & Sac City
All Federal WPAs X X Access

19
 MIGRATORY GAME BIRD REGULATIONS
MIGRATORY GAME BIRD SEASONS & LIMITS SPECIAL HUNTING REGULATIONS
See p. 9. THAT APPLY TO MIGRATORY GAME BIRD
HUNTING
LICENSE REQUIREMENTS & FEES
See p. 6 and 12. General Hunting Regulations may also apply to
Migratory Game Bird hunters. See p. 14.
SHOOTING HOURS
See p. 9.

DUCK & GOOSE HUNTING ZONES

£
¤
20

For the fall 2021 through

spring 2026 seasons, the
North Zone is that part of
Iowa north of a line beginning
§
¦
¨
29
North Zone
on the South Dakota-Iowa
border at Interstate 29, south-
east along Interstate 29 to
State Highway 20 to the Iowa-
Central Zone Illinois border.
The South Zone is that part
GAME BIRDS

of Iowa west of Interstate 29

MIGRATORY

and south of State Highway

South Zone
§
¦
¨
29 92 east to the Iowa-Illinois
border.
The Central Zone is the re-
mainder of the state.
South Zone includes all
South Zone
areas west of I-29 and
includes all areas
south of Highway 92.
west of I-29 and
south of Hwy. 92 (
!
92

The Harvest Information Program (HIP)

is a partnership between the U.S. Fish and

DON’T
Wildlife Service and state wildlife agencies to
collect information on the nation’s migratory
game bird hunters and their harvest of migra-

SKIP
tory game birds. All licensed migratory game
bird hunters are required to register with HIP
prior to hunting. Registration consists of a brief

HIP
questionnaire. Hunters can register with HIP
through the Go Outdoors Iowa
app OR the Go Outdoors Iowa
website (gooutdoorsiowa.com).
Instructions and links are avail-
able by scanning the QR code.
Youth hunters who are not re-
quired to have a hunting license are not required
to register for HIP.

20
SPECIAL HUNTS required to do so to hunt waterfowl. Only the
METRO CANADA GOOSE SEASONS youth may hunt ducks, geese, mergansers and
Metro Canada goose seasons are open for coots. The accompanying adult may hunt any
a nine day period in September (see p. 9) in game that is in season, including other migratory
the Des Moines, Cedar Rapids-Iowa City, and game birds that may be in season, provided he/
Waterloo-Cedar Falls zones. The daily bag limit she possesses a federal duck stamp. The daily
in these zones is 5 Canada geese. The zone bag and possession limit for ducks, geese,
boundary maps are available on the DNR’s web mergansers and coots for the youth season are
site at the same as for the regular season. All other
www.iowadnr.gov/Hunting/Migratory­Game­ regulations in effect for the regular waterfowl
Birds. seasons apply during the youth hunt.

SPECIAL SEPTEMBER TEAL SEASON LIGHT GOOSE CONSERVATION ORDER

The Special September teal season allows Only light geese (white- and blue-phase snow
hunters additional days to pursue teal. Hunt- geese and Ross’ geese) can legally be taken
ers must be aware that only teal are legal and during the Light Goose Conservation Order.
the shooting hours are sunrise to sunset. All Hunters must have a valid resident or nonresi-
general migratory game bird hunting regulations dent hunting license and have paid the current
apply. More information is available at Iowa wildlife habitat and migratory game bird
www.iowadnr.gov/teal fees and registered with HIP, if required. A fed-
eral duck stamp is not required.

GAME BIRDS
MIGRATORY
YOUTH WATERFOWL HUNTING DAYS Shooting hours are 1/2-hour before sunrise
Resident hunters ages 15 or younger may until 1/2-hour after sunset each day. There is
hunt waterfowl on Youth Waterfowl Hunting no daily bag or possession limit during the Light
Days without purchasing a hunting license, or Goose Conservation Order. Hunters may use
federal duck stamp, or paying the Iowa habi- electronic callers and unplugged shotguns
tat or migratory game bird fees. Each youth during the Light Goose Conservation Order.
hunter must be accompanied by an adult
18 years old or older. The adult must have a
hunting license and have paid the Iowa wildlife
habitat and migratory game bird fees, if normally

NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGES

Some parts of the National Wildlife Refuges under the management of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service in Iowa are closed to hunting. In addition, there may be other regulations that limit the species
that can be hunted on these national wildlife refuge properties, as well as when and how they can be
hunted.
For more details on hunting on U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service National Wild-
life Refuge lands scan the QR code then click on the refuge for which you want
information. Or, write to: Regional Director, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 5600
American Boulevard West, Suite 990, Bloomington, MN 55437-1458.
For questions about interpretations of Federal regulations call 515-442-6370
or send questions to 1306 North 14th Street, Indianola, IA 50125 or by FAX
515-961-5429.

RESTRICTED AREAS
Some parts of wildlife management areas may be posted as “restricted areas.” It is unlawful to
trespass in any manner on areas posted as restricted areas, except that DNR personnel, law
enforcement officials and anyone specifically authorized by the DNR may enter the area at any time
in performance of their duties.

21
 NEW - Available Online - Waterfowl Hunting Map Book - includes maps of waterfowl hunting zones
Metropolitan goose hunting zones, areas closed to Canada goose hunting, and areas closed to
waterfowl hunting at www.iowadnr.gov/waterfowl

AREAS CLOSED TO CANADA GOOSE HUNTING

Canada goose hunting is closed in posted portions of 12 counties. Maps of the closed areas are online at
www.iowadnr.gov/Hunting/Migratory­Game­Birds, and available from local conservation officers or DNR
facilities near the Canada goose closed areas.
LYON OSCEOLA DICKINSON
1. Emmet County; Regional Office in Spirit Lake
EMMET KOSSUTH WINNEBAGO WORTH MITCHELL HOWARD WINNESHIEK ALLAMAKEE

SIOUX O'BRIEN CLAY

1
and Prairie Lakes Wildlife Unit near Wallingford.
PALO ALTO HANCOCK
4
CERRO GORDO

2 2. Clay/Palo Alto counties; Regional Office in

FLOYD CHICKASAW

FAYETTE CLAYTON

Spirit Lake and Prairie Lakes Wildlife Unit near

PLYMOUTH CHEROKEE BUENA VISTA POCAHONTAS HUMBOLDT WRIGHT FRANKLIN BUTLER BREMER

14
WOODBURY IDA SAC
Ruthven.
CALHOUN
WEBSTER

HAMILTON HARDIN GRUNDY

BLACK HAWK BUCHANAN DELAWARE DUBUQUE

4. Worth/Winnebago counties; Regional Office in

9 MONONA CRAWFORD 11 Spirit Lake and Clear Lake Wildlife Unit in Ven-
CARROLL GREENE BOONE STORY MARSHALL
TAMA BENTON LINN JONES JACKSON

tura.
CLINTON

CEDAR

HARRISON SHELBY AUDUBON GUTHRIE DALLAS POLK JASPER POWESHIEK IOWA JOHNSON

7 7. Guthrie County; Regional Office in Lewis and SCOTT

Saylorville Wildlife Unit near Panora.

MUSCATINE

POTTAWATTAMIE CASS ADAIR MADISON WARREN MARION MAHASKA KEOKUK WASHINGTON

8. Adams County; Regional Office in Lewis and

LOUISA

MILLS MONTGOMERY ADAMS UNION CLARKE LUCAS MONROE WAPELLO JEFFERSON HENRY

8 16 FREMONT PAGE
Grand River Wildlife Unit near Mt. Ayr.
TAYLOR RINGGOLD DECATUR WAYNE APPANOOSE DAVIS VAN BUREN
DES MOINES

9. Monona/Woodbury counties; Regional Office LEE

GAME BIRDS

in Lewis and Missouri River Wildlife Unit near

MIGRATORY

Onawa.
11. Jackson County; Regional Office in Manchester and Maquoketa Wildlife Unit near
Green Island.
14. Bremer County; Regional Office in Manchester and Cedar-Wapsi Wildlife Unit near Tripoli.
16. Union County; Regional Office in Lewis and Grand River Wildlife Unit near Mt. Ayr.

AREAS CLOSED TO TRUMPETER SWAN ID

WATERFOWL HUNTING
The entire state is open to waterfowl hunting
except for the following areas and the refuges Trumpeter Swan
identified on p. 18:
l Allamakee County: within 150 feet of the Army Tundra Swan
Road from New Albin to the boat ramp;
l Fremont County: the east-road adjacent to Canada Goose
Forney Lake;
l Harrison County: three miles of U.S. Highway Snow Goose
30 adjacent to Desoto National Wildlife Refuge;
l Kossuth County: road rights of way adjacent to White-fronted Goose
Union Slough National Wildlife Refuge; Be Sure of Your Target BEFORE You Shoot
l Louisa County: on marked county roads near Trumpeter and tundra swans are protected by
Port Louisa National Wildlife Refuge; state law and cannot be shot in Iowa. Shooting
l Tama County: posted dikes at Otter Creek a swan will result in a fine and a liquidated dam-
Wildlife Management Area; age fee of $1,500.
l Union County: portions of Summit Lake Trumpeter swans differ from snow geese
and Canada geese. Trumpeter swans weigh up
to 35 pounds, have 8-foot wingspans and are
completely white, including their wing feathers
(gray if they are immature swans). Snow geese
weigh only 6 pounds, have 4-foot wingspans
and the tips of their wing feathers are black.

22
GENERAL MIGRATORY GAME BIRD HUNTING REGULATIONS
FEDERAL REGULATIONS SUMMARY
A more detailed synopsis of the federal regulations governing the hunting of migratory game
birds can be found at: www.iowadnr.gov/huntingregs
A complete version of all the federal regulations governing the hunting of migratory game birds
can be accessed at www.ecfr.gov/current/title­50/chapter­I/subchapter­B/part­20

NO PERSONS SHALL TAKE MIGRATORY ing, or stirring up any migratory bird.

GAME BIRDS: l By the aid of baiting, or on or over any baited
l With a trap, snare, net, crossbow, rifle, pistol, area, where a person knows or reasonably
swivel gun, shotgun larger than 10 gauge, punt should know that the area is or has been baited.
gun, battery gun, machine gun, fish hook, poi- A baited area is any area on which salt, grain, or
son, drug, explosive, or stupefying substance. other feed has been placed, exposed, deposited,
l With a shotgun capable of holding more than distributed, or scattered, if that salt, grain, or
three shells, unless it is plugged with a one- other feed could serve as a lure or attraction for
piece filler that is incapable of being removed migratory game birds to areas where hunters
without disassembling the gun. are attempting to take them. Any such area will
l From a sinkbox or any other type of low float- remain a baited area for ten days following the
ing device having a depression affording the complete removal of all such salt, grain, or other
hunter a means of concealment beneath the feed.

GAME BIRDS
MIGRATORY
surface of the water.
l From or with the aid or use of any motor It is legal to take migratory game birds,
vehicle or other motor-driven land conveyance including waterfowl and coots, on or over the
or aircraft of any kind, except that paraplegics following areas that are not otherwise baited:
and persons missing one or both legs may take l Standing crops or flooded standing crops
from any stationary motor-driven land convey- (including aquatics).
ance. l Standing, flooded, or manipulated natural
l From or by means of any motorboat or other vegetation; flooded harvested croplands; or
craft having a motor attached, or any sailboat, lands or areas where seeds or grains have been
unless the motor has been completely shut off scattered solely as the result of a normal agricul-
and/or the sails furled, and its progress there tural planting, harvesting, post-harvest manipula-
from has ceased. tion or normal soil stabilization practices.
l By the use or aid of live birds as decoys. It l From a blind or other place of concealment
shall be unlawful to take migratory waterfowl camouflaged with natural vegetation.
on an area where tame or captive live ducks or l From a blind or other place of concealment
geese are present unless such birds have been camouflaged with vegetation from agricultural
confined within an enclosure that substantially crops, as long as such camouflaging does not
reduces the audibility of their calls and totally result in the exposing, depositing, distributing or
conceals such birds from the sight of migratory scattering of grain or other feed; or
waterfowl for a period of 10 consecutive days l Standing or flooded standing agricultural
prior to such taking. crops where grain is inadvertently scattered
l By the use or aid of recorded or electrically solely as a result of a hunter entering or exit-
amplified bird calls or sounds, or recorded or ing a hunting area, placing decoys, or retrieving
electrically amplified imitations of bird calls or downed birds.
sounds. This restriction does not apply dur- For more information on
ing the Conservation Order for light geese (i.e. federal baiting regulations,
greater and lesser snow and Ross’s geese). scan the QR code
l By means or aid of any motor-driven land,
water, or air conveyance, or any sailboat used
for the purpose of concentrating, driving, rally-

23
 BAITING RULES FOR MOURNING DOVES WANTON WASTE OF MIGRATORY GAME
Federal regulations governing baiting for BIRDS
doves are different in some respects than those No person shall kill or cripple any migratory
governing baiting for waterfowl. You may hunt game bird without making a reasonable effort to re-
doves on, over or from: trieve the bird, and retain it in his/her actual custo-
l Lands or areas where seeds or grains have dy, at the place where taken or between that place
been scattered solely as the result of normal and either (a) his/her vehicle or principal means of
agricultural operations, which include normal land transportation; or (b) his/her personal abode
agricultural harvestings, normal agricultural post- or temporary or transient place of lodging; or (c) a
harvest manipulations, or normal agricultural migratory bird preservation facility; or (d) a post of-
practices. fice; or (e) a common carrier facility.
l Lands planted by means of top-sowing or
aerial seeding where seeds have been scat- NONTOXIC SHOT
tered solely as the result of a normal agricultural No person may take ducks,
planting, a planting for agricultural soil erosion geese (including brant), rails,
control, or a planting for post-mining land recla- snipe, or coots while possess-
mation. ing shot (either in shotshells or
l Lands or areas where grain or feed has been as loose shot for muzzleload-
distributed or scattered solely as the result of the ing) other than approved non-
manipulation of an agricultural crop or other feed toxic shot. For a list of approved
on the land where grown. nontoxic shot, scan the QR code
GAME BIRDS

l Standing crops.
MIGRATORY

l Lands planted as wildlife food plots, provided DOVES

the seed is planted in a manner consistent with Dove hunters are required to have a plug in their
Cooperative State Research, Education, and gun limiting them to three shells. They must also
Extension Service recommendations for the register with HIP either through the Go Outdoors
planting of wildlife food plots. In states without Iowa app on their smartphone or through a link at
Cooperative Extension Service recommenda- www.iowadnr.gov/waterfowl. Once registered, hunt-
ers will need to write their confirmation number on
tions for the planting of food plots, the seed must
their license, print an updated copy of their license or
be planted in accordance with Extension Service
take a screenshot of their confirmation on their phone
guidelines for producing a crop. to show proof. Conservation officers will be enforcing
l Lands planted as pasture improvements or this requirement.
for the purpose of grazing livestock. (The Fish Hunters may use lead shot to hunt doves, except
and Wildlife Service will not make a distinc- on the wildlife areas listed on p. 19.
tion between agricultural fields planted with the
intent to gather a crop and those planted without DEFINITIONS:
such intent provided the planting is carried out in DAILY BAG LIMIT: The maximum number of
a manner consistent with the recommendations migratory game birds of a single species or combi-
of State Extension Specialists). nation (aggregate) of species permitted to be taken
l Standing or manipulated natural vegetation. by one person in any one day during the open sea-
l A blind or other place of concealment camou- son in any one specified geographic area for which
flaged with natural vegetation. a daily bag limit is prescribed.
l A blind or other place of concealment camou-
flaged with vegetation from agricultural crops, AGGREGATE DAILY BAG LIMIT:The maxi-
provided your use of such vegetation does not mum number of migratory game birds permitted
expose, deposit, distribute or scatter grain or to be taken by one person in any one day during
other feed. You should be aware that seeds the open season when such person hunts in more
or grains from such vegetation could create a than one specified geographic area and/or for more
baited area. than one species for which a combined daily bag
For more information on the federal regulations limit is prescribed. The aggregate daily bag limit is
that govern baiting for doves, go to: equal to, but shall not exceed, the largest daily bag
www.fws.gov/story/2021-12/information-dove- limit prescribed for any one species or for any one
specified geographic area in which taking occurs.
hunters
24
FIELD POSSESSION LIMIT TRANSPORTATION OF BIRDS
No person shall possess, have in custody, or OF ANOTHER
transport more than the daily bag limit or No person shall transport migratory game
aggregate daily bag limit, whichever applies, of birds belonging to another person unless such
migratory game birds, tagged or not tagged, at birds are properly tagged.
or between the place where taken and either (a)
his vehicle or principal means of land transporta- TAGGING REQUIREMENT
tion; or (b) his personal abode or temporary or No person shall put or leave any migratory
transient place of lodging; or (c) a migratory bird game birds at any place (other than at his per-
preservation facility; or (d) a post office; or (e) a sonal abode), or in the custody of another per-
common carrier facility. son for picking, cleaning, processing, shipping,
transportation, or storage (including temporary
POSSESSION LIMIT storage), or for the purpose of having taxidermy
The maximum number of migratory game services performed, unless such birds have a
birds of a single species or a combination of tag attached, signed by the hunter, stating his
species permitted to be possessed by any one address, the total number and species of birds,
person when lawfully taken in the United States and the date such birds were killed. Migratory
in any one specified geographic area for which a game birds being transported in any vehicle as
possession limit is prescribed. the personal baggage of the possessor shall not
be considered as being in storage or temporary
AGGREGATE POSSESSION LIMIT storage.
The maximum number of migratory game

GAME BIRDS
MIGRATORY
birds of a single species or combination of spe- CUSTODY OF BIRDS OF ANOTHER
cies taken in the United States permitted to be No person shall receive or have in custody
possessed by any one person when taking and any migratory game birds belonging to another
possession occurs in more than one specified person unless such birds are properly tagged.
geographic area for which a possession limit
is prescribed. The aggregate possession limit
GIFT OF MIGRATORY GAME BIRDS
is equal to, but shall not exceed, the largest
No person may receive, possess, or give to
possession limit prescribed for any one of the
another, any freshly killed migratory game birds
species or specified geographic areas in which
as a gift, except at the personal abodes of the
taking and possession occurs.
donor or donee, unless such birds have a tag
PERSONAL ABODE attached, signed by the hunter who took the
One’s principal or ordinary home or dwelling birds, stating such hunter’s address, the total
place, as distinguished from one’s temporary number and species of birds and the date such
or transient place of abode or dwelling such as birds were taken.
a hunting club, or any club house, cabin, tent
or trailer house used as a hunting club, or any
hotel, motel or rooming house used during a
hunting, pleasure or business trip.
REPORT BANDED BIRDS
www.reportband.gov
SPECIES IDENTIFICATION
Reporting the harvest of banded waterfowl
REQUIREMENT FOR TRANSPORTATION provides valuable information which helps
No person shall transport within the United
sustain waterfowl populations and hunting for
States any migratory game birds, except doves the future.
and band-tailed pigeons, unless the head or one Questions should be directed to
fully feathered wing remains attached to each bandreports@usgs.gov or to Orrin Jones at
such bird at all times while being transported Orrin.Jones@dnr.iowa.gov.
from the place where taken until they have ar- Thank you for helping manage migratory
rived at the personal abode of the possessor or birds!
a migratory bird preservation facility.

25
 IOWA REGULATIONS SUMMARY
BLINDS ter their blind site with the Department of Natural
A blind is a constructed place of concealment Resources by completing a registration card and
for hunting, observing or photographing wildlife. designating the blind’s location on a map. Reg-
You may construct a blind on a game manage- istration is held in August at a site publicly an-
ment area using only the natural vegetation nounced by the Department. Registration is for a
found on the area, except that no trees or parts five-year period and requires a fee of $100. The
of trees other than willows can be cut for that blind registration number must be visibly posted at
purpose. The use of such blinds is on a first- the blind’s entrance. Blinds must be at least four
come, first-served basis whether or not you con- feet by eight feet in size, but cannot have a floor
structed the blind. You cannot drive or otherwise space larger than 500-square feet, not includ-
place any nail, spike, pin or any other object, ing a boat hide. Blinds must be constructed of
metal or otherwise, into any tree on a game biodegradable materials. Treated lumber, treated
management area to construct a blind or to plywood, woven wire, chicken wire, cattle panels,
make access to a blind or to a hunting location tin and sheet metal, vinyl and plastic, and other
above the ground. Portable blinds are prohib- non-biodegradable
ited on game management areas from one hour materials are not allowed unless they are
after sunset until midnight of each day. Portable removed within three days after the close of the
blinds which are built on, or are part of, a boat waterfowl season. The use of metal and
shall be considered as removed from an area nylon fasteners including but not limited to nails,
when the boat and blind are tied up or moored screws, lag bolts, staples and ties is allowed. No
GAME BIRDS
MIGRATORY

at an approved access site. No boat may be brush or trees, other than willows, may be re-
anchored away from shore and left unattended moved around the blind. Blind registrants must
unless it is attached to a legal buoy. Special occupy their blind by the opening of shooting time
regulations regarding the use and construction each day to claim the blind for that day.
of blinds on parts of the Mississippi River are After this time, unoccupied blinds will be available
described below. to any other hunters. No person will claim or at-
tempt to claim a blind that is legally
DECOYS occupied and no person will harass, in any man-
A “decoy” is a likeness of a bird or animal ner, the occupants of a blind that has been legally
used to lure game within shooting range. De- occupied. Blinds may not be locked. Decoys may
coys are prohibited on all game management ar- be left out for the entire waterfowl season but must
eas from one hour after sunset until midnight of be picked up and removed from the area within
each day. Decoys are considered removed from three days after the close of the waterfowl season.
an area if they are in a boat or other container at All jugs and other floating devices used to attract
an approved access site. Decoys cannot be left waterfowl are considered decoys.
unattended for more than 30 minutes between
midnight and one-half hour after sunset. Special POSSESSION OF LIVE BIRDS
regulations regarding the use of decoys on parts Wounded birds reduced to possession must be
of the Mississippi River are described below. immediately killed and included in the daily bag
limit.
STATIONARY BLINDS & USE OF DE­
COYS ON MISSISSIPPI RIVER POOLS SHOOTING OR HAWKING HOURS
14­18 You cannot take migratory game birds except
Hunters wishing to build a stationary blind on during the hours open to shooting and hawking.
Pool 14 downstream of Upper Mississippi River For complete falconry information, visit the Iowa
National Wildlife and Fish Refuge River Mile DNR’s web site at
502, near Princeton, Iowa, and Pools 15, 16, www.iowadnr.gov/huntingregs.
17 and 18 of the Mississippi River must regis-

26
WILDLIFE VIOLATOR COMPACT is an agree- POACHING IS A CRIME!
ment between participating states that prohibits
a person whose hunting or fishing privileges are If you observe or know of
suspended in one state from participating in those a fish or wildlife violation,
activities in another state (see Iowa Courts On- report it to TIP as soon
line). as possible by calling
Massachusetts and Hawaii are in the process of 1­800­532­2020. Provide
becoming members. All other states are members as much information as
of the compact. possible when you call,
such as a description of the individual, vehicle
and time and location of the violation.
A conservation officer will be dispatched to
MULTIPLE OFFENDER PROGRAM FOR investigate. Since the TIP program began in
1985, about $290,000 has been approved in
FISH AND WILDLIFE VIOLATORS
Convictions are assigned point values as deter- reward payments.
mined by the Iowa Administrative Code. Licenses
TURN IN POACHERS
will be suspended or revoked for a specific period
as determined by the number of points accumu-
1­800­532­2020
lated. or online at www.iowadnr.gov
You can remain anonymous!

HUNTERS AND TRAPPERS : MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD

ATTENTION HUNTERS AND TRAPPERS - Give us your thoughts & feedback on your hunting and trapping expe-
riences at the annual public meetings in late winter. Go to www.iowadnr.gov/hunting for dates, time & locations.

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 HUNTING GUIDE & SERVICE DIRECTORY
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LET'S GO HUNTING
One hunt can be all it takes
to create a new hunter for
life. With your help, we can
recruit the next genera!on
of hunters and grow Iowa's
hun!ng heritage like never
before. Next !me you go
out, invite someone new to
share your passion with!v

IOWADNR.GOV/LETSGOHUNTING

LEARN TO HUNT

If you already
enjoy hun!ng and
want to introduce
someone, or if
YOU are new
to hun!ng and
looking to get
started, check out
our Learn to Hunt
Resources!

IOWADNR.GOV/LEARNTOHUNT
30
ATTENTION COYOTE HUNTERS: KNOW YOUR TARGET

25-40 70-110

Gray Wolves are Protected - The

gray wolf population in the Great
Lakes Region of Minnesota, Wiscon-
sin and Michigan, is stable to increas-
ing. These wolves are capable of
traveling hundreds of miles, so the
odds of a wolf dispersing from that
region to Iowa have increased slightly
over the past few years. DNA tests
from gray wolves found in Iowa over
the past 10 years have consistently
matched with those found in the
Great Lake Region.

When hunting coyotes, day or night, Photo courtesy of the Wisconsin DNR.
be sure to identify your target before
pulling the trigger - it is up to you to
know the difference. Gray wolves are twice the size of coyotes. An adult coyote in Iowa
typically weighs between 25 - 40 pounds, whereas gray wolves from the Great Lakes Re-
gion typically weigh between 70 - 110 pounds.
There is not a breeding population of gray wolves in Iowa; however, it is important to know
a wolf will occasionally disperse to Iowa from an established population elsewhere.

While coyotes are legal to hunt and trap in Iowa, gray wolves are protected.

31
 HUNTING AND TRAPPING
FURBEARERS
FURHARVESTER LICENSE SNARES
Hunters and trappers must have a furharvester For the purpose of law enforcement, snares
license and have paid the habitat fee (see p. 6) are considered to be traps.
to hunt all furbearers, except coyote and ground- No person shall set or maintain any snare
hog, and to trap any furbearing animal. A person in any public road right-of-way so the snare,
under age 16 years is not required to have a when fully extended, can touch any fence. A
Furharvester License to trap fur-bearing animals snare set on private land other than roadsides
if accompanied by an adult who possess a valid within 30 yards of a pond, lake, creek, drainage
Furharvester License while trapping furbearing ditch, stream or river must have a loop size of
animals. There must be one licensed adult for 11 inches or less in horizontal measurement. All
each person under 16 years of age. A hunting other snares must have a loop size of 8 inches
license is not needed when hunting furbearers. or less in horizontal measurement, except for
Landowners and their minor children hunting on snares with at least one-half of the loop under
their own property do not need a furharvester li- water. Snares cannot be attached to a drag. All
cense or habitat fee. Coyote and groundhog may snares must have a functional deer lock which
be hunted with a hunting or furharvester license. will not allow the snare loop to close smaller than
Shotgun and spear are not legal methods of take 2 1/2 inches.
for otter or beaver.
MECHANICAL SNARES
LICENSED FUR DEALERS It is illegal to set any mechanically-powered
A current list of licensed fur dealers is snare designed to capture an animal by the neck
available at or body unless the snare is placed completely
www.iowadnr.gov/Hunting/Trapping-Fur-Harvesting under water.

PERMIT TO HOLD HIDES (see p. 16). BODY­GRIPPING TRAPS

You cannot set or maintain any body-gripping
DISTURBING DENS trap on any public road right-of-way within 5 feet
FURBEARERS

You cannot molest or disturb, in any manner, of any fence.

any den, lodge or house of a furbearing animal or Humane traps,
beaver dam except by written permission of an or traps designed
officer appointed by the director of the DNR. You to kill instantly,
cannot use any chemical, explosive, smoking with a jaw spread
device, mechanical ferret, wire, tool, instrument as originally
or water to remove furbearing animals from their manufactured
dens. with an outside
measurement that exceeds 8 inches, are unlawful
BOX TRAPS to use except when placed entirely under water.
A person shall not use or attempt to use colony
traps in taking, capturing, trapping or killing any DOG­PROOF TRAPS
game or furbearing animals except muskrats. A Foot-encapsulating
valid hunting license is required for box trapping devices generally have a
cottontail rabbits and squirrels. reach-in pull-trigger that re-
leases a small rod or plate
REMOVAL OF ANIMALS FROM TRAPS & that secures the animal’s
SNARES foot against and inside a
All animals or animal carcasses caught in plastic or metal trap housing designed to protect
any type of trap or snare, except those that are the captured limb from torsion or self-directed
placed entirely under water and designed to biting. A few models have triggers that activate
drown the animal immediately, must be removed using either a push or pull trigger design. Foot-
from the trap or snare by the trap or snare user encapsulating traps were designed by trappers
immediately upon discovery and within 24 hours to selectively capture raccoons with minimal
of the time the animal is caught. injury.
32
PUBLIC ROADSIDE LIMITATIONS “Exposed bait” means meat or viscera of any
You cannot set or maintain any snare or body- animal, bird, fish, amphibian or reptile with or
gripping-type trap within any public road right- without skin, hide or feathers that is visible to
of-way within 200 yards of the entry to a private soaring birds.
drive serving a residence or buildings inhabited
by humans unless a resident of the dwelling TRAPPING ON GAME MANAGEMENT
adjacent to the public road right-of-way has AREAS MARKING TRAP SITES
given permission, or unless the body-gripping You cannot place on any game management
or conibear-type trap is completely under water area any trap, stake, flag, marker or any other
or at least one-half of the loop of the snare is item or device to trap furbearers, or to mark
under water. This does not limit the use of foot- or otherwise claim any site to trap furbearers,
hold traps, box-type live traps or dog proof traps except during the open season for trapping
in public road right-of-ways. A person may not furbearers.
place a trap, stake or non-indigenous set mak-
ing material upon any public road right-of-way
except during a period of time that begins two BOBCAT SEASON IN SHADED COUNTIES ONLY
weeks before the trapping season opens and LYON OSCEOLA DICKINSON EMMET KOSSUTH WINNEBAGO WORTH MITCHELL HOWARD WINNESHIEK ALLAMAKEE

ends on the last day of the season. SIOUX O'BRIEN CLAY PALO ALTO HANCOCK CERRO GORDO

Closed
FLOYD CHICKASAW

FAYETTE CLAYTON

FOOTHOLD & LEGHOLD TRAPS PLYMOUTH CHEROKEE BUENA VISTA POCAHONTAS HUMBOLDT WRIGHT FRANKLIN BUTLER BREMER

You cannot set or maintain, on land, any WEBSTER BLACK HAWK BUCHANAN DELAWARE DUBUQUE

foothold or leghold trap with metal serrated

WOODBURY IDA SAC CALHOUN HAMILTON HARDIN GRUNDY

jaws, metal-toothed jaws or a spread inside MONONA CRAWFORD CARROLL GREENE BOONE STORY MARSHALL
TAMA BENTON LINN JONES JACKSON

the set jaws greater than 7 inches as mea- CEDAR

CLINTON

sured to the outside edge. HARRISON SHELBY AUDUBON GUTHRIE DALLAS POLK JASPER POWESHIEK IOWA JOHNSON

SCOTT

MUSCATINE

POTTAWATTAMIE CASS ADAIR MADISON WARREN MARION MAHASKA KEOKUK WASHINGTON

TRAP TAG REQUIREMENTS LOUISA

All traps and snares, whether set or not, MILLS MONTGOMERY ADAMS UNION CLARKE LUCAS MONROE WAPELLO JEFFERSON HENRY
DES MOINES

possessed by a person who can reasonably FREMONT PAGE TAYLOR RINGGOLD DECATUR WAYNE APPANOOSE DAVIS VAN BUREN

LEE

be presumed to be trapping must have a metal

BEARERS
tag attached, plainly labeled with the user’s
name and address. Officers appointed by the

FUR-
DNR can confiscate such traps and snares BOBCAT HUNTING & TRAPPING
when not properly labeled or checked. Hunters and trappers must have a furhar-
vester license and pay the habitat fee to har-
EXPOSED BAIT vest bobcats, if normally required to have them
You cannot set or maintain any foothold or to trap. A regular Hunting License will not be
body-gripping trap or snare within 20 feet of adequate.
exposed bait on land anywhere in the state, or
over water in the following areas: SEASON LIMIT: No more than 3 bobcats total
a) MISSISSIPPI RIVER CORRIDOR - Allama- can be legally harvested by a furharvester in
kee, Clayton, Dubuque, Jackson, Clinton, Scott, a season.
Muscatine, Louisa, Des Moines and Lee coun- The season bag limit for bobcats either hunted
ties. or trapped in Audubon, Boone, Cedar, Chero-
b) MISSOURI RIVER CORRIDOR - Portions kee, Clinton, Crawford, Dallas, Delaware, Guth-
of Woodbury, Monona, Harrison, Pottawattamie, rie, Harrison, Iowa, Jackson, Jasper, Johnson,
Mills and Fremont counties west of Interstate 29. Jones, Lyon, Monona, Muscatine, Plymouth,
c) DES MOINES RIVER CORRIDOR - Polk, Poweshiek, Scott, Shelby, Sioux, Webster
Boone, Dallas, Polk, Marion, Mahaska, Wapello and Woodbury County (counties in gray) is 1
and Van Buren counties. bobcat per person, per county.
The season bag limit for bobcats, either
hunted or trapped, in Adair, Adams, Appanoose,

33
 Cass, Clarke, Davis, Decatur, Des Moines, Otters and bobcats accidentally captured after
Fremont, Henry, Jefferson, Keokuk, Lee, Louisa, the season has closed and bobcats accidentally
Lucas, Madison, Mahaska, Marion, Mills, Mon- captured in an area of the state closed to bob-
roe, Montgomery, Page, Pottawattamie, Ring- cat harvesting, should be immediately released
gold, Taylor, Union, Van Buren, Wapello, Warren, alive, if possible, or must be turned over to the
Washington and Wayne County (counties in red) DNR, without penalty, if dead.
is up to 3 bobcats per person, per county.

RIVER OTTER TRAPPING

Trappers must have a furharvester license
and pay the habitat fee to trap otter, if normally
required to have them to trap.
WALK­IN
Season Limit: 3 otters per licensed furhar-
vester.
HUNTING AREAS
TAGGING REQUIREMENTS 33,000 ACRES
Furharvesters must contact a Conservation
Officer within seven days of taking an otter or
THANK YOU to Iowa
bobcat to receive a CITES tag. The CITES landowners for opening private
tag must remain with the animal until it is sold. land for public hunting
Animals kept for taxidermy or other display or
educational purposes must have the CITES tag For maps and details:
retained at all times. www.iowadnr.gov/ihap
Iowa Habitat and Access Program (IHAP)
Walk-in hunting only, all other activies are prohibited
FURBEARERS
DEER

34
HUNTERS: Help Fight Chronic Wasting Disease
The Iowa DNR is committed to fighting the spread of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD). A harvested infected
deer can no longer make direct contact with other deer, helping slow the disease. CWD is 100 percent fatal to
infected deer. Infected deer may not display symptoms, and testing is the only way to know if a deer is infected.

Three ways you can fight CWD:

1. GET YOUR DEER TESTED. The DNR, in partnership with Iowa State University, has created a
pathway for hunters to submit their own tissue samples for testing as part of the effort to track the disease.
Log on to www.iowadnr.gov/cwd and click on the CWD Interactive Dashboard link in the middle of the page.
Once there, click on the hunter submission system pathway button and follow the instructions. Submitting a
sample through the hunter submission system comes with a fee of $25.
2. STOP THE SPREAD. Do not use feed or salt­mineral licks to attract deer. High concentrations of
deer can lead to the spread of the disease.
3. PROPERLY TRANSPORT AND DISPOSE. Disposal with residential waste is permissible. Contact
your local waste hauler for requirements. If that’s not possible, then leave the deer carcass on the property
where it was harvested. Make absolutely sure not to transport and dump carcasses outside of the area where
the deer was shot, as this will spread the disease to new areas.

Information on individual management zones, license options, tissue sample require-

ments, carcass disposal, and more is available in a new Chronic Wasting Disease
guide available at www.iowadnr.gov/cwd, through the Go Outdoors Iowa app, and at
select license sales vendors within the CWD zones.

35
 2024 DEER HUNTING INFORMATION
Paid Antlerless­only Licenses are valid for
DEER SEASONS, LICENSE PURCHASE taking only antlerless deer. An antlerless deer
DATES, ANTLERLESS QUOTAS & ANTLERED is a deer with no forked antler. These licenses
RESTRICTIONS are valid only in the county and season or deer
See p. 8. population management zone and season selected
by the hunter at the time the license is purchased.
LICENSE REQUIREMENTS & FEES Quotas for Antlerless-only Licenses are set for
See p. 6 and 12. each county to direct the additional harvest of does
to areas with the greatest number of deer. The quota
SPECIAL HUNTING REGULATIONS is the maximum number of Antlerless-only Licenses
THAT APPLY TO DEER HUNTING that will be sold for each county for all deer seasons.
General Hunting Regulations may also apply to Licenses are sold first-come first-served until the
deer hunters. See p. 14. quota is reached. See p. 8.

SHOOTING HOURS ALLOWABLE COMBINATIONS

Shooting hours for all deer seasons are half- OF PAID DEER LICENSES
hour before sunrise to half-hour after sunset. See table on p. 40.

TAGGING REQUIREMENTS BAG & POSSESSION LIMIT

The head and antlers (if any) must remain at- For Shotgun Season 1 and Shotgun Season 2
tached to the carcass until it is processed for con- seasons, the daily bag and possession limit is one
sumption. Hunters in the Youth, Disabled Hunter, deer for each unfilled transportation tag issued to a
Bow, Early Muzzleloader, and Late Muzzleloader hunter who is present in the party.
seasons and all Nonresidents, must shoot their For all other deer seasons, the daily bag and
own deer and tag only the deer they shoot. possession limit is one deer for each license and
Party Hunting: During the first and second transportation tag issued to the hunter for that
regular gun seasons, and the January antlerless season.
deer-only seasons, any Iowa resident present in the The annual possession limit is one deer for
hunting party may tag a deer with a tag issued in each license and transportation tag obtained by
that person’s name. the hunter for all seasons.
No person shall tag a deer with a tag that was pur-
chased after the deer was taken. HELPING OTHER HUNTERS
A hunter may not carry a deer license or trans­ Resident and nonresident deer hunters with a
portation tag issued to another hunter while deer valid deer hunting license may hunt with and assist
hunting. See p. 43. other deer hunters only in the season specified on
their license. Party hunting by residents is allowed
in the Shotgun 1 and Shotgun 2 seasons. Hunters
DEER

PAID DEER LICENSES see p. 40.

Resident hunters may obtain the following types of must have a valid tag for the county in which they
deer licenses: are hunting. See tagging requirements on p. 43.
General Deer Licenses are valid statewide in the
season selected by the hunter at the time the license is BLOOD TRACKING WOUNDED DEER WITH A
purchased. General deer licenses are valid for taking DOG
deer of either sex for all counties except those listed A dog may not be used to hunt deer. However,
on the map on p. 8. A hunter may have one General a person having a valid hunting license and a valid
deer license for the Bow Season and one General deer hunting license who has wounded a deer while
deer license for one of the following seasons: Early hunting may use a dog to track and retrieve the
Muzzleloader, Late Muzzleloader, Shotgun Season 1, wounded deer. The person must maintain physical
or Shotgun Season 2. Exceptions: control of the dog at all times during the search by
l Youth, Disabled Season hunters see p. 41. means of a maximum 50-foot lead attached to the
l There is a quota of 7,500 Early Muzzleloader dog’s collar or harness. The person may dispatch
Season General deer licenses. These are sold first- the deer using a legal method of take authorized by
come first-served until the quota is filled or until the the person’s deer hunting license. A person shall not
last day of the Early Muzzleloader Season. use that method of take to hunt, wound, or kill any
36
animal other than the deer that the hunter is tracking, any other physical affliction which makes it impossible
except in self-defense. Using a dog to track a wound- to walk from place to place successfully.
ed deer on private property is permissible at any hour “Bait” means grain, fruit, vegetables, nuts, hay,
with consent of the property owner. A person using salt, mineral blocks, or any other natural food materi-
a dog to track a wounded deer outside of legal deer als, commercial products containing natural food ma-
hunting hours shall not be in possession of a long terials, or by-products of such materials transported
gun, bow or crossbow. An unarmed dog handler as- to or placed in an area for the purpose of attracting
sisting in the recovery of a wounded deer is exempt wildlife. Bait does not include livestock feed placed
from licensing requirements as long as the handler is during normal agricultural activities.
accompanied by the licensed hunter who wounded
the deer. SHOOTING FIREARMS OVER WATER OR
HIGHWAY
BLAZE ORANGE REQUIRED You cannot shoot any rifle on or over any of the
To hunt deer with a firearm in any season you must public highways or waters of the state or any rail-
wear one of the following articles of external, vis- road right-of-way. You cannot discharge a shotgun
ible, solid blaze orange clothing: vest, jacket, coat, shooting a slug, pistol or revolver on or over a
sweatshirt, sweater, shirt or coveralls. An orange hat public roadway (see diagram).
alone is not sufficient. No person shall use a blind for Additionally, no person shall discharge a rifle,
hunting deer during the regular shotgun deer seasons including a muzzleloading rifle or musket, or a hand-
unless such blind exhibits a solid blaze orange mark- gun from a highway; or discharge a shotgun shooting
ing with a minimum of 144 square inches visible in all slugs from a highway north of U.S. Highway 30, while
directions. deer hunting.
A blind is defined as a place of concealment

{
Private Property

constructed, either wholly or partially from man-made Fence

}
materials, which is used for the purpose of hiding a Ditch

person who is hunting from sight. A blind is not a nat- Highway or Roadway

urally occurring landscape feature or an arrangement Right-of-Way (includes

shoulder)

of natural or agricultural plant material that a hunter Ditch

uses for concealment. In addition to the requirements Fence

above, hunters using blinds must also satisfy the Private Property

requirements of wearing blaze orange.

LEGAL METHOD OF TAKE
TREE STANDS ARCHERY: Longbows, recurve bows, and
You may not construct a permanent tree stand on compound bows shooting broadhead arrows are
state public hunting areas. You may not drive or in permitted. No explosive or chemical devices may
any other way place any nail, spike, pin, or any other be attached to the arrow or broadhead. There are
metal object into a tree on state public hunting areas no minimum draw weights for bows or minimum

DEER
to construct a blind or to provide hunting access to a diameter for broadheads. Arrows must be at least 18
location above the ground. inches long.
Tree stands may be left on a state public hunting Crossbows are not legal during the archery season
area from 7 days prior to the start of deer hunting except that a physically handicapped person, as
season until 7 days after the final day of that open defined on p. 14, may obtain a permit from the DNR
season. to use a crossbow. Applications are available at
www.iowadnr.gov/hunting - click on “Licenses
PROHIBITED DEVICES & ACTIVITIES and Laws” and then on “License Applications,”
You may not use domestic animals, bait, radios, or by visiting the DNR central office or any of the
automobiles, aircraft, drones, electronic calls or district offices (p. 52), or by calling the DNR at 515-
any mechanical conveyance or device to hunt deer. 725-8200. Residents 65 and older may obtain one
Persons who meet one or more of the following Antlerless-only statewide crossbow deer license. See
conditions would be considered eligible for a non- p. 41 for details.
ambulatory deer license and able to hunt from a SHOTGUNS: 10-, 12-, 16-, and 20-gauge shot-
stationary motor driven conveyance: paralyzed from guns shooting single slugs only.
the waist down; the loss or partial loss of both legs; or
37
 MUZZLELOADERS: Only muzzleloading rifles, CROSSBOW: A legal weapon for residents
muzzleloading muskets, muzzleloading pistols, and during the Late Muzzleloader season. A cross-
muzzleloading revolvers between .44 and .775 of bow consists of a bow mounted transversely on a
an inch shooting a single projectile. Muzzleloaders stock or frame and designed to fire a bolt, arrow
equipped with electronic ignition are not allowed. In- or quarrel by the release of the bow string, which
line and disk-type muzzleloaders are allowed. Rifle- is controlled by a mechanical trigger and work-
scopes may also be used. ing safety. Crossbows equipped with pistol grips
HANDGUNS: Any pistol or revolver with a barrel and designed to be fired with one hand are illegal
length of at least four inches and firing straight wall for taking or attempting to take deer or turkey. All
or other centerfire ammunition propelling an ex- projectiles used in conjunction with a crossbow for
panding-type bullet with a maximum diameter of no deer hunting must be equipped with a broadhead.
less than .350 of an inch and no larger than .500 of
an inch and with a published or calculated muzzle
energy of 500 foot pounds or higher is legal for
hunting deer during the pistol or revolver seasons. CARING FOR DEER AFTER HARVEST
A person who is 20 years of age or less shall l Know how the locker wants to receive the meat.
not hunt deer with a pistol or revolver unless that l Properly field-dress within 30 minutes of harvest
person is accompanied and under direct supervi- with special attention to removing the intestines,
sion throughout the hunt by a responsible person especially important above 45 degrees.
with a valid hunting license who is at least 21 years l Wear disposable gloves and use clean tools – keep
of age, with the consent of a parent, guardian, or the meat clean.
spouse who is at least 21 years of age. The re- l ONLY use bags and containers designed for food
sponsible person with a valid hunting license who is – NOT garbage bags.
at least 21 years of age shall be responsible for the
l A link to a guide on proper field-dressing is
conveyance of the pistol or revolver while the pistol
or revolver is not actively being used for hunting. available at www.iowadnr.gov/hunting.
RIFLES: Rifles firing straight wall or other cen-
terfire ammunition propelling an expanding-type
bullet with a maximum diameter of no less than
.350 of an inch and no larger than .500 of an inch TO QUARTER/ BONE OUT/ PACK OUT
and with a published or calculated muzzle energy DEER LEGALLY IN IOWA:
of 500 foot pounds or higher is legal for hunting 1) Deer must first be tagged with hunter’s unfilled
deer during the youth and disabled hunting season transportation tag
and first and second shotgun seasons. 2) Deer must be then harvest reported & harvest
The following is a partial list of allowable cartridg- report tag placed on animal
es that has generated the most questions on legal- 3) Deer may then be processed for consumption.
ity. Cartridges meeting the criteria defined above No usable portion of that deer may be left in the
are legal whether listed here or not. field. Useable portion is defined as “that part of an
animal which is customarily processed for human
DEER

.35 Whelen .44 Magnum .450 Marlin consumption.......i.e. the meat.

.350 Legend .444 Marlin .45-70 Govt
.358 Winchester .45 Long Colt .460 S&W
.375 Winchester .45 Raptor .500 S&W
.40 S&W .450 Bushmaster
DONATE DEER HIDES
The Iowa Elks Association collects deer
hides for use in the Iowa Veterans Leather
Program. Veterans learn valuable skills while
making leather products from the hides.
Contact your local Elks Lodge for informa-
tion on the deer hides donation program and
collection location.
THANK YOU deer hunters for supporting
Iowa Veterans.

38
LEGAL METHOD OF TAKE BY SEASON

SEASON Archery Muzzleloader Handgun Shotgun Crossbow Rifle6

Youth/Disabled X X X 1
X X6
Bow 3,4
X
Early Muzzleloader X X2
Late Muzzleloader X X X X5
Shotgun 1 X X X X6
Shotgun 2 X X X X6
Nonresident Holiday X X X
Pop Mgmt January Antlerless7 X X X X X X
Excess Tag January Anterless7 X
1
Youth hunters may only hunt with a handgun while under direct supervision of licensed adult who is at least 21
years old. 2 Muzzleloading pistols only. 3Antlerless Senior (65 years old and older) Statewide Crossbow License
during the bow season only. 4Cannot carry a handgun while hunting with a bow tag, unless hunter has an unfilled
transportation tag for a season that allows handguns or a valid permit to carry.
5
Resident hunters only. 6See p. 38. 7If licenses are available.

GOING OUT OF STATE TO HUNT?

DNR regulations prohibit bringing back whole carcasses of deer, elk, moose or caribou into the state from
areas where CWD has been identified, whether they were taken from wild, free-ranging animals or shot on a
hunting preserve.
Currently, CWD has been detected in free-ranging or captive populations in Alabama, Arkansas, California,
Colorado, Florida, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minne-
sota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio,
Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyo-
ming, and in Alberta, Manitoba, British Colum-
bia, Saskatchewan and Quebec, Canada.
If you take a deer, elk, moose or caribou in a
CWD endemic area, you may bring back only
the boned out meat, skin (cape) and antlers.
Antlers may be attached only to a clean skull
plate from which all brain and connective tis-
sue has been removed. Animals taken outside
of identified CWD areas may be transported in
any manner that is otherwise legal.
The CDC recommends against consuming
meat from known CWD positive deer. Howev-
er, for concerned hunters, the best preventive

DEER
measures are:
l Wear latex or rubber gloves while field
dressing to reduce the chance of contracting
any disease.
l Bone out the meat from your animal.
l Minimize handling and avoid eating the
brain, spinal cord, eyes, spleen, tonsils and
lymph nodes of harvested animals.
l Soak instruments for at least five min-
utes in 40 percent bleach solution after field
dressing and/or butchering is complete.
Any dead deer that is obviously emaci-
ated or with unnatural lesions or growths on
the internal organs or chest cavity should be
reported to a DNR wildlife biologist or conser-
vation officer.

39
 DEER

IOWA RESIDENT DEER LICENSE OPTIONS 2024-2025 SEASON

DIRECTIONS: The chart below will help determine which licenses resident Iowa deer hunters may purchase. To use, 1] select the preferred General deer license
from the left column. 2] Follow to the right, staying within the same horizontal line, to determine what additional licenses may be purchased. Bonus licenses, if
eligible, [Youth, Disabled, Nonambulatory, Senior Antlerless Crossbow] may be purchased in addition to statewide licenses. [See p. 41.]
ANTLERLESS­ONLY LICENSES: Before Sept. 15: Maximum 1. Beginning Sept. 15: No limit until quotas fill. Select from the same horizontal row as your
General Deer License selection. Valid in one county; county quotas apply.
FIRST GENERAL DEER LICENSE SECOND GENERAL DEER LICENSE ANTLERLESS­ONLY LICENSES
Valid statewide: Maximum One Valid statewide: Maximum One *A General Deer License for Early Muzzleloader season must be purchased
per hunter. No quota except per hunter. No quota except Early before the Early Muzzleloader Antlerless-only License may be purchased.
Early Muzzleloader. Select one Muzzleloader. Select one license
license from any box below. from the same row as the first
General Deer License section.

Shotgun Season 1 Late Muzzleloader Disabled [if eligible]

SHOTGUN SEASON 1 Bow Season
Bow Youth [if eligible] January Antlerless [if eligible]

Shotgun Season 2 Late Muzzleloader Disabled [if eligible]

SHOTGUN SEASON 2 Bow Season
Bow Youth [if eligible] January Antlerless [if eligible]

40
Shotgun Season 1 Late Muzzleloader Disabled [if eligible]
Shotgun Season 1
Bow Youth [if eligible] January Antlerless [if eligible]

Shotgun Season 2 Late Muzzleloader Disabled [if eligible]

Shotgun Season 2
Bow Youth [if eligible] January Antlerless [if eligible]
BOW
*Early Muzzleloader Late Muzzleloader Disabled [if eligible]
Early Muzzleloader [7,500 Quota] Bow Youth [if eligible] January Antlerless [if eligible]

Shotgun Season 1 OR Late Muzzleloader Disabled [if eligible]

Late Muzzleloader Shotgun Season 2 (not both) Youth [if eligible] January Antlerless [if eligible]
Bow

EARLY MUZZLELOADER *Early Muzzleloader Late Muzzleloader Disabled [if eligible]

Bow Season
[7,500 Quota] Bow Youth [if eligible] January Antlerless [if eligible]

Shotgun Season 1 OR
LATE MUZZLELOADER Late Muzzleloader Disabled [if eligible]
Bow Season Shotgun Season 2 (not both)
Youth [if eligible] January Antlerless [if eligible]
Bow

NONE PURCHASED None Purchased Shotgun Season 1 OR

Late Muzzleloader Disabled [if eligible]
Shotgun Season 2 (not both)
Youth [if eligible] January Antlerless [if eligible]
Bow
BONUS DEER HUNTS rifle or any handgun or rifle described on p. 38 until
YOUTH DEER SEASON the license is filled. A person obtaining this license
Iowa residents who are younger than 16 years may obtain any other deer hunting licenses for which
old on the day they obtain a license are eligible for they are eligible. Applications for a non-ambulatory
the Youth Season subject to the following restric- license permit are available online at www.iowadnr.
tions: gov/hunting then clicking on Licenses and Laws, or
l While hunting, youth hunters must be under the any of the regional or district offices listed on p. 52, or
direct supervision of an adult mentor who has a by calling the DNR at 515-725-8200. After approval
valid Hunting License and has paid the Habitat and filing of the permit application with the DNR, non-
Fee, if the adult is normally required to have them ambulatory hunters may purchase this special license
to hunt. Only one youth hunter may accompany at any license sales agent.
each adult mentor.
l Clothing requirements, method of take and all CROSSBOW LICENSE FOR SENIORS
other deer hunting regulations in effect during Resident hunters 65 years old and older may pur-
the regular deer seasons are in effect during the chase one statewide Antlerless-only License to hunt
youth season, if hunting deer with a firearm. deer with a crossbow. This license is valid during the
l If a youth hunter turns 16 while utilizing a youth bow season and may be obtained in addition to any
license, they must purchase a hunting license other deer license.
and habitat fee, if normally required.
POPULATION MANAGEMENT JANUARY
Youth hunters may hunt with a bow, shotgun, rifle ANTLERLESS­ONLY SEASON
or muzzleloader as defined on p. 37-38. The Population Management January antlerless-
deer-only season has been conditionally reinstated
UNFILLED YOUTH TAG in Allamakee, Appanoose, Decatur, Lucas, Monroe,
Youth hunters with a Youth Deer License who do Wayne and Winneshiek counties. The season will
not take a deer during the youth deer hunting sea- be reinstated in each county ONLY if the number
son may use the Youth Deer License and unused of unsold county antlerless-deer-only licenses
tag during any following deer season. The youth exceeds 100 on the third Monday in December.
must follow all other rules specified for each sea- Licenses will be available the same day the
son. Party hunting is not allowed while hunting season is reinstated. Only antlerless deer may be
with a youth tag, regardless of the season. The taken during the Population Management January
deer must be harvested by the youth whose name Antlerless-only season. Hunting is allowed on
is on the tag. Youth hunters may also obtain deer public land, and private land with permission.
licenses for other seasons like any other hunter. Shotguns, handguns, muzzleloaders, bows,
crossbows and center-fire rifles .223 caliber to .500
SEVERELY DISABLED DEER LICENSE caliber with a published or calculated muzzle energy
A severely disabled (see p. 14) Iowa resident of 500 foot pounds or higher.
may be issued one General Deer License to hunt
deer during the Youth/Disabled Season with a bow, EXCESS TAG JANUARY
shotgun, rifle or muzzleloader as defined on p. 38. A

DEER
person obtaining this license may obtain any other
ANTLERLESS­ONLY SEASON
The Excess Tag January antlerless-deer-only
deer hunting licenses for which they are eligible.
season is available in all counties with unsold
Applications for a severely disabled deer license
county antlerless tags on Jan. 10. County specific
permit are available online at www.iowadnr.gov/
antlerless license quota information is available
hunting then clicking on Licenses and Laws, or any
in real time online at www.gooutdoorsiowa.com/
of the regional or district offices listed on p. 52, or
RealTimeQuotas.aspx. Licenses will be available
by calling the DNR at 515-725-8200. After approval
beginning Jan. 11, until quotas are filled. Due to
and filing of the permit application with the DNR,
the compressed timeline, these licenses will not
severely disabled hunters may purchase this special
be available online. Only antlerless deer may be
license at any license sales agent.
taken during the Excess Tag January Antlerless-only
season.
NON­AMBULATORY DEER LICENSE
Only centerfire rifles .223 caliber to .500 caliber
A non-ambulatory Iowa resident may be
with a published or calculated muzzle energy of 500
issued one General deer license which may be
used to hunt deer during any established deer foot pounds or higher are allowed in the Excess Tag
hunting season using a shotgun, muzzleloading January Antlerless season.

41
 LANDOWNERS TENANT DEER LICENSES
DEER DEPREDATION PROGRAM
Landowners, tenants and their eligible family
Iowa’s deer population is primarily managed
members must register with the DNR before
at the county scale, but high deer densities lo-
obtaining Landowner-Tenant Licenses (LOT). See p.
cally can result in property damage. The Wildlife
13 to determine who is eligible.
Depredation Program is designed to provide
If there is more than one owner, there is still a
guidance and assistance to effectively deal with
maximum of four licenses for the farm unit. Licenses
deer damage at this scale. Following a damage
may be divided among qualifying family members.
assessment, depredation staff may provide ad-
It is illegal to use a LOT deer license to hunt on land
ditional harvest opportunities with antlerless-only
owned or controlled by another individual.
depredation licenses or shooting permits for a
LOT GENERAL DEER LICENSES - One
specific property. These licenses may be used
General Deer license, valid until filled, using method
by the landowner or individual hunters who have
of take for the season. There is one General Deer
permission to hunt on the property. See p. 52 to
license available for purchase per farm unit for
learn more or to contact depredation staff.
qualifying landowners or their qualifying tenants or
Working together, landowners and the DNR
eligible family members, even if there are multiple
can manage a deer herd that balances the needs
landowners or tenants registered on the same farm
of all Iowans. Hunters interested in harvesting ad-
unit.
ditional antlerless deer are encouraged to register
LOT DEER LICENSES FOR A JUVENILE
online for the Deer Hunter Registry (Hunters for
CHILD ­ A child under 18 years of age, or 18 or 19
Farmers) at
and in high school or a general equivalency degree
programs.iowadnr.gov/deerdepredation
program, who resides with and is a member of
the family of a landowner or tenant, is eligible for
Landowner-Tenant Deer Licenses. If the child is
under 16 they may select the youth deer season.
LOT ANTLERLESS­ONLY LICENSES - Up to
three LOT Antlerless-only licenses are available for
purchase per farm unit for qualifying landowners or
their qualifying tenants or eligible family members,
even if there are multiple landowners or tenants
registered on the same farm unit. One Antlerless-
only license, valid until filled, using method of take
for the season. A season must be selected for the
two paid Antlerless-only licenses. One of the three
LOT antlerless-only licenses is $2 and the other two
are $15 each.
How many LOT licenses can I buy? The
DEER

landowner, and their eligible family members, and/

or co-owners of a farm unit must be registered on
the same land parcel. Landowners registered on the
same parcel share a maximum of four Landowner-
Tenant licenses: one General deer and three
Antlerless-only licenses. These licenses may be
divided among the registered landowners in any way
the family or co-owners choose. If there is no tenant
on the property, the maximum number of licenses
available is still four for the farm unit.

42
MANDATORY HARVEST REPORTING FOR is moved to be transported by any
DEER AND WILD TURKEY means, whichever occurs first, in a
Hunters who harvest a deer or wild turkey manner that the tag cannot be re-
must report the harvest to the DNR by midnight moved without mutilating or destroy-
on the day after it is tagged, or before taking it ing it. However, the carcass may
to a locker or taxidermist, or before processing it be moved away from an obstacle,
for consumption, or before transporting it out-of- entanglement, waterway, roadway or
state, whichever occurs first. other area if that location would be
Hunters who harvest an antlered deer are a safety hazard, but only so far as
required to report the length of the main necessary to avoid the hazard, then tagged imme-
beam of each antler (see diagram). A 7­inch diately before being moved to
ruler is printed on the back of your deer tag be transported.
to measure the beam. For antlerless deer, attach
The hunter whose name is on the the Transportation Tag to the
transportation tag is responsible for making leg as shown.
the report. If no animal is harvested, no report For antlered deer, attach
is necessary. Failure to report or reporting the Transportation Tag on
falsely may result in a misdemeanor citation the main beam between two
and possible loss of hunting privileges. points as shown. Beam Measurement
No person shall tag a deer with
There are five options to report the harvest: a Transportation Tag issued to
1) Through the Go Outdoors Iowa app. another person.
2) By texting your registration number to During the youth season, dis-
1-800-771-4692 and follow the prompts. abled hunter season, bow sea-
3) Online at www.iowadnr.gov, available 24 son, early muzzleloader season
hours a day, 7 days a week. and late muzzleloader season,
4) By phone at the toll-free phone number the hunter who killed the deer Antlerless
printed on the harvest report tag, available 24 must tag the deer by using the
hours a day, 7 days a week. Transportation Tag issued in
5) Through a license vendor during regular that person’s name.
business hours. During the first and second
The Harvest Reporting System will issue a regular gun seasons, Iowa
confirmation number to the hunter that must be residents present in the hunting
written on the Harvest Report Tag and attached party may tag a deer with a tag
to the leg of the animal. Failure to do so may issued in that person’s name.
Antlered
result in a misdemeanor citation. Youth hunting with a youth
tag must shoot and tag their own deer regard­
TAGGING REQUIREMENTS less of the season. Nonresidents must shoot and
REPORTING
TAGGING/
Iowa Deer and Turkey tags consist of two por- tag their own deer.
tions. The lower portion of the tag is the Trans- This tag shall be proof of possession and remain
portation Tag and the upper portion is the Harvest affixed to the carcass until the animal is processed
Report Tag (see p. 44). Each performs different for consumption. The head, and antlers if any, shall
functions. remain attached to the deer while being transported
from the place where taken to the processor or
TRANSPORTATION TAG commercial preservation facility or until the deer has
A Transportation Tag with the date of kill properly been processed for consumption.
shown shall be visibly attached to the turkey im-
mediately or the deer within 15 minutes of the time
it is located after being taken or before the carcass

43
 HARVEST REPORT TAG otherwise attach to deer or turkey leg. Press
The Harvest Report Tag (pictured below), with halves of the tag together to bond. The hunter’s
the confirmation number properly recorded, must be name, registration number and date of harvest
attached to the leg of the animal after reporting and must be readable.
before the reporting deadline. The Harvest Report 2) Follow instructions on the Harvest Report Tag
Tag must be attached so that it is easily visible and to report the animal. When reporting, you will
cannot be removed without being mutilated or de- need the harvest registration number from your
stroyed and remain attached to the carcass until the tag and the Iowa county where the animal was
animal is processed for consumption. harvested. For deer, report whether it was a doe,
button buck, antlered buck, or shed-antler buck.
TIPS ON TAGGING/REPORTING DEER For turkeys, report the length of the beard (fall) or
AND TURKEYS length of the longest spur (spring).
1) Remove the Transportation Tag from backing 3) Keep both the Transportation Tag and the
and attach to antlers if it is an antlered deer, Harvest Report Tag attached to the animal until it
is processed for consumption.
NOTE: The actual tag may differ slightly in appearance.
Harvest Registration Write confirmation
Number listed here number here

2024 IOWA DNR HARVEST REPORT TAG REPORT ALL DEER AND TURKEYS:
(Attach AFTER reporting. Report by midnight on day after tagging G1 1: Report via www.gooutdoorsiowa.com, call or text 9 digit
animal, or sooner if special conditions apply. See regs booklet.) registration number to 1-800-771-4692, or a license agent.
2: When prompted, provide the following Registration Number:
200 - Deer Reg Gun 1
862-177-836
TEST HUNTER DNR #: 1000646479
Des Moines, IA 50321-1270 DOB: 01/01/1950 3: Record your confirmation number in box:
4: Attach your harvest report tag to leg.

2024 IOWA DNR TRANSPORTATION TAG 200 - Deer Reg Gun 1 ( Statewide Tag )
(Attach within 15 minutes of harvest and before moving the animal.
Attach to antlers if antlered deer, otherwise attach to deer or turkey leg.)
Season: 12/07/2024 ­ 12/11/2024

Fee: $33.00 ($1.00 HUSH fee)

Transaction #: 22027976 G1
Agent ID: 79902
Date/Time Issued: 05/08/2024 13:10:33 TEST HUNTER DNR #: 1000646479
6200 Park Ave DOB: 01/01/1950
Des Moines, IA 50321-1270

REGISTRATION #: 862-177-836
NOTCH MONTH AND DATE OF HARVEST WITH KNIFE
J F M A M J J A S O N D ||| 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31
Harvest Registration
Number also listed here
RULER ON BACK OF DEER TAG to assist with reporting the main beam antler mea­
surement, added as a requirement in 2023.
REPORTING
TAGGING

44
 IOWA DEER EXCHANGE
The Iowa Deer Exchange is a free online
database at www.iowadnr.gov/deerhunting
where deer hunters willing to provide venison can
connect with Iowans who want venison. Hunters ®

enter their information into the database, includ-

ing their location. Recipients choose the condition
Big Names....Low Prices!
they want the meat when they register – boned
out, whole (field dressed), quartered, frozen, jerky
/sausage or any, and in what amount. They also
set the length of time their offer is open and may
opt out at any time by contacting the Iowa DNR.
The parties work out the details of the transfer.
Donors are responsible for reporting the harvest
and encouraged to properly care for the deer from
the field to the recipient. It is illegal to sell venison
in Iowa.
The Iowa Deer Exchange does not replace the
HUSH program but offers another way for Iowans
to get high quality lean protein.

H USH
Help Us Stop Hunger
Any hunter may donate any legally taken,
15% OFF
$avings Coupon

Regular Price Of Any One Item In

*

field-dressed, wild Iowa deer of any sex from Stock With Coupon
any season to the HUSH program. A list of lock- *Excludes Firearms, Ammunition, Nike & Under Armour. Additional exclusions
ers participating in HUSH is available online at may apply, see www.dunhamssports.com/coupon-exclusions.html for details. Not
valid for online purchases or Gift Cards. Cannot be used with another offer,
www.iowahush.com. Last year, around 3,250 coupon, current sale, or clearance item. Only one coupon per customer. Not valid
deer were donated to the HUSH program pro- on previous purchases. Void if copied. Not for resale. Dunham’s Sports reserves
the right to terminate this coupon/offer/discount at any time, without prior notice.
viding about 530,000 meals to Iowans in need.
Lockers may be added before deer season so
check the webpage for updates.

DEER
PROPERLY CARING FOR DEER
Coupon Expires July 31, 2025
Take care of your harvest especially if donat- ®

ing to HUSH or the Deer Exchange - It’s your job

to keep the meat from spoiling. Every Harvest - Sportsmen Club
Are you a member of a Sportsmen’s Club
remove the entrails, reproductive organs, clean out with 25 or more members?
the chest cavity, split the pelvis and remove anal www.dunhamssports.com/sportsmen
cavity then rinse the cavity well with water as soon
as possible and before taking it to the locker or
recipient. If air temperature is above 45 degrees, Dunham’s Rewards
place bags or blocks of ice, or frozen milk jugs of Receive money saving coupons
water in the cavity to cool; replace every 24 hours. and more.

Place deer on garage floor to pull heat from the www.dunhamsrewards.com

animal. Make arrangements with the locker or 24-P-217

recipient before dropping off the deer.

45
 FALL WILD TURKEY HUNTING NONRESIDENTS are not eligible
LICENSE TYPES, PURCHASE DATES,
for fall turkey hunting licenses
HUNTING ZONES, QUOTAS, SEASON
DATES, BAG LIMITS & SEX FALL TURKEY LICENSES
See p. 10. Paid Combination Gun/Bow Licenses are
valid only in the zone selected by the hunter
SPECIAL REGULATIONS THAT MAY APPLY when the license is purchased. Paid Gun/Bow
TO FALL TURKEY HUNTING Licenses are sold first-come first-served until the
General Hunting Regulations may also zone quotas are filled or the end of the season,
apply to turkey hunters. See p. 14. whichever comes first.
Paid Archery­only Licenses are valid
LICENSE REQUIREMENTS & FEES statewide. There are no quotas and licenses are
See p. 6 and 12. sold until the end of the season.
TAGGING REQUIREMENTS
Landowner­Tenant Gun/Bow & Landowner­
The leg that bears the tag must be attached to
Tenant Archery­only Licenses for eligible
the carcass of any wild turkey being transported
landowners and tenants or their family members
within the state during any wild turkey hunting
are issued until the end of the respective
season and the tag must remain attached to the
season. Only one Landowner-Tenant Turkey
carcass until it is processed for consumption.
License may be obtained per landowner family
See p. 43. and one per tenant family. Landowner-Tenant
Licenses are valid only on the farm unit of the
HARVEST REPORTING
landowner or tenant. See p. 13 to determine
All hunters who shoot a turkey must report the
who is eligible for Landowner-Tenant fall Turkey
harvest through the DNR’s Harvest
Licenses, and how to register as a landowner or
Reporting System. Hunters who do not shoot
tenant.
a turkey do not need to report. See p. 43 for
details.
HOW MANY TURKEY LICENSES MAY I
HAVE?
QUAIL
TURKEY
PACKET PACKET A resident hunter may obtain a maximum of
two fall turkey hunting licenses: two Combination
Gun/Bow Licenses, or two Archery-only
Licenses, or one Combination Gun/Bow License
PHEASANT and one Archery-only License. One of these
PACKET
CREATE- licenses may be a Landowner-Tenant License if
A-PACKET the hunter is eligible.

SHOOTING HOURS
Create Habitat Gun: Half-hour before sunrise to sunset.
for Wildlife ts designed
Bow: Half-hour before sunrise to half-hour
The State Forest Nursery has packe after sunset.
songbirds.
just for turkey, pheasant, quail, and

LEGAL METHOD OF TAKE

See p. 47-48.
TURKEY

ORDER YOUR
TREES & SHRUBS TODAY! USE OF DOGS FALL SEASON ONLY
Dogs may be used to locate, flush and retrieve
R ER BY H E: wild turkeys as long as the hunter has a valid
R L E: wild turkey license with an unfilled transportation
iowadnr gov Conservation orestry tag in his or her possession.
46
RESIDENT SPRING TURKEY HUNTING
LICENSE TYPES, SEX, BAG LIMITS & or their family members are sold until the end
SEASON DATES of the season selected at the time the license
See p. 7. was purchased. See p. 13 to determine
who is eligible for Landowner-Tenant Spring
SPECIAL REGULATIONS THAT APPLY Turkey Licenses and how to register as a
TO SPRING TURKEY HUNTING landowner or tenant.
General Hunting Regulations may also The following restrictions apply: Landowner-
apply to turkey hunters. See p. 14. Tenant Gun/Bow Licenses are valid in the
season selected by the hunter at the time
SHOOTING HOURS of purchase. Landowner-Tenant Archery-
Gun/Bow: Half-hour before sunrise to
only Licenses are valid in all four seasons.
Landowner-Tenant Licenses are valid only
sunset.
on the farm unit of the landowner or tenant
(see p. 13). One Landowner-Tenant Turkey
LICENSE REQUIREMENTS & FEES License may be obtained per landowner farm
Licenses go on sale Dec. 15. unit and one per tenant farm unit.
See p. 6 and 12.
HOW MANY TURKEY LICENSES MAY I
ALL PAID LICENSES ARE VALID STATEWIDE HAVE?
A resident hunter may obtain a maximum
TAGGING REQUIREMENTS of two spring turkey hunting licenses. One of
The leg that bears the tag must be attached these may be a Landowner-Tenant License, if
to the carcass of any wild turkey being trans- the hunter is eligible.
ported within the state during any wild turkey License choices: two Archery-only (or) one
hunting season and the tag must remain at- Archery-only and one Combination Gun/Bow
tached to the carcass until it is processed for Season 4 (or) two Combination Gun/Bow of
consumption. See p. 43. which at least one must be Season 4.
HARVEST REPORTING LEGAL METHOD OF TAKE SPRING & FALL
All hunters who shoot a turkey must report RESIDENT ARCHERY­ONLY LICENSE
the harvest through the DNR’s Harvest Longbows, recurve bows, and compound
Reporting System. Hunters who do not shoot bows are permitted. No explosive or chemi-
a turkey do not report. See p. 43 for details. cal devices may be attached to the arrow or
broadhead. Blunthead arrows with a minimum
RESIDENT SPRING TURKEY LICENSES
diameter of 9/16-inch may also be used. Ar-
Paid Combination Gun/Bow Licenses are
valid statewide in the season selected by the rows must be at least 18 inches long.
hunter at the time of purchase. Paid Gun/Bow Crossbows are not legal, except that a
Licenses are sold until the end of the season physically handicapped person incapable of
selected at the time of purchase. shooting a bow may obtain a permit from the
Paid Archery­only Licenses are valid DNR to use a crossbow (see p. 14).
statewide for all four seasons. There are no Applications are available at
TURKEY

quotas and licenses are sold until the end of www.iowadnr.gov/hunting - click on
the fourth season. “Licenses and Laws” or call the DNR at
Landowner­Tenant Gun/Bow licenses 515-725-8200.
and Landowner­Tenant Archery­only
Licenses for eligible landowners and tenants

47
 RESIDENT GUN/BOW LICENSE Archery-only License. Hunters that are eligible
Archery equipment as defined on p. 47, and for the Youth Season, but choose not to
.410, and 28-gauge shotguns shooting shot participate, may obtain two licenses for the
sizes no smaller than 10 shot. 20-, 16-, 12- and regular spring turkey seasons like any other
10-gauge or muzzleloading shotguns shooting hunter.
shot size 10 through 4, lead or nontoxic. Muz­ PROHIBITED DEVICES & ACTIVITIES
zleloading rifles may not be used to hunt You may not use live decoys, dogs (except
turkeys. in the fall), horses, phones, radios, motorized
vehicles, aircraft, drones, bait, recorded or
YOUTH TURKEY HUNTING SEASON electronically amplified turkey calls or elec-
(RESIDENTS ONLY) tronically amplified imitations of turkey calls or
Hunters younger than 16 years old on the sounds when hunting turkeys. Persons who
day they purchase a license may participate meet one or more of the following conditions
in the Youth Turkey Season. The Youth Wild would be considered eligible for a non-ambula-
Turkey License will be a Combination Gun/ tory license and able to hunt from a stationary
Bow License valid statewide. If the youth turns motor driven conveyance: paralyzed from the
16 before the season, the youth will need waist down; the loss or partial loss of both legs;
to have a Hunting License and Habitat Fee, or any other physical affliction which makes
otherwise, the youth does not have to have a it impossible to walk from place to place suc-
Hunting License or have completed a hunter cessfully.
education course in order to participate. A “Bait” means grain, fruit, vegetables, nuts,
Youth Season License is valid for the hay, salt, mineral blocks, or any other natural
Youth Season or if unfilled may be used in food materials, commercial products containing
any other spring season. natural food materials, or by-products of such
Youth hunters must be under the direct materials transported to or placed in an area
supervision of an adult mentor while hunting for the purpose of attracting wildlife. Bait does
during the Youth Season. The mentor must not include food placed during normal agricul-
have a valid Wild Turkey License for one of tural activities.
the spring seasons, a valid Hunting License,
and have paid the Habitat Fee if the adult is HELPING OTHER HUNTERS
normally required to have them to hunt. The A resident hunter with a valid spring turkey
mentor must not carry a long gun, bow or
hunting license for any season may assist
crossbow and must be in the direct company
other hunters in any season. A nonresident
of the youth at all times. There may be no
may assist other hunters only in the zone and
more than one youth with each properly
licensed adult mentor. The youth and mentor season indicated on his or her license. The
must comply with all spring turkey hunting hunter doing the assisting may not carry a
regulations. shotgun or bow or shoot a turkey unless he or
A youth who resides with and is a member she has a valid license and an unfilled
of a family of a landowner or tenant who is transportation tag for that zone and season.
eligible for a Landowner-Tenant Wild Turkey
Hunting License may obtain a Landowner-
Tenant License for the Youth Season. The
Landowner­Tenant Youth License will
count as the one Landowner­Tenant Wild
TURKEY

Turkey Hunting License the landowner or

tenant family is entitled to for the spring
turkey seasons.
Youth hunters may obtain one additional
Gun/Bow License for Season 4, or one

48
OTHER INFORMATION
HUNTING SHED ANTLERS FALCONRY
It is permissible for people to hunt for shed Game may be taken by licensed falcon­
antlers. Shed antlers are antlers that have ers. All falconers who pursue game must carry
naturally fallen from a whitetail deer. Shed ant- a copy of their Iowa Falconry License and

REGULATIONS
lers can be collected on public land including have a valid resident or nonresident Hunting
state parks. Permission must be granted from License and pay the Habitat Fee.

GENERAL
the landowner on private land. (See trespass Falconry regulations for hunting, including
law on p. 14.) Antlers that are still attached to bag and possession limits and the listing of
the skull or any other parts of a deer can only permitted game species, can be found at
be possessed with approval and tag from an www.iowadnr.gov/hunting then click on
Iowa DNR conservation officer. Licensing and Laws and scroll to the bottom
of the page, or by calling 515-725-8200 from
CROWS 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. M-F. The minimum age of
A migratory bird stamp is not required to hunt falconers is 14.
crows.
FALCONRY SEASON
TAXIDERMY SMALL GAME OPEN CLOSE
A taxidermist is a person engaged in the Pheasant, Quail,
business of preserving or mounting game, fish Partridge & Grouse Oct. 1 March 31
or furbearing animals. A license is required for Rabbit Sept. 1 March 31
anyone to practice taxidermy and the taxider- WATERFOWL
mist must contact a DNR conservation officer Ducks: All Zones Jan. 4 Feb. 1
prior to operating. Geese Same as conventional seasons
A federal permit is required for activities
involving migratory birds. Obtain the permit by OHV USE AND HUNTING
contacting the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service at The following regulations apply when using Off-
612-713-5449. Highway Vehicles (OHV) for hunting purposes:
l It is illegal to operate an OHV on DNR Wild-
PROTECTED NONGAME
life Management Areas. Physically handicapped
Protected nongame species include wild
persons may be eligible for a permit to operate an
birds, fish, bats, reptiles and amphibians or
OHV on DNR lands. Permission for access is still
their eggs or nests, their dead body or dead required. See p. 17.
body parts or a product made from their parts. l Any firearm being transported on an OHV must
Any bat, with the exception of the Indiana bat, be unloaded and enclosed in a carrying case,
that is found within a building occupied by except as otherwise provided. A person shall not
humans is not protected. discharge a firearm while on an OHV, except that
UNPROTECTED NONGAME a nonambulatory person may discharge a firearm
The European starling, the house sparrow, from an OHV while lawfully hunting if the person
and the common garter snake are not protect- is not operating or riding a moving OHV. Refer
to a current copy of Iowa’s OHV regulations for
ed species. Timber rattlesnakes are protected
more details.
in Allamakee, Clayton, Delaware, Des Moines,
Iowa’s OHV Regulations are available from lo-
Dubuque, Fayette, Henry, Jackson, Jones,
cal conservation officers, county recorders, DNR
Lee, Madison, Van Buren and Winneshiek offices or online at www.iowadnr.gov.
counties but not including an area of 50 yards
around houses actively occupied by humans in
those counties.
49
 OTHER INFORMATION
FERAL HOGS
A feral hog is any hog, including Russian and Eu-
ropean wild boar, that is not identified by ear tags or
other identification and is roaming freely on public
or private land.
REGULATIONS

Feral hogs are not native to Iowa and releasing

pigs intentionally to hunt is illegal.
GENERAL

Hunters are encouraged to report feral hog

sightings while in the field to the Iowa DNR’s forest
wildlife biologist at 641-774-2958 or the USDA. The
DNR would like to collect a blood sample if pos-
sible, for disease testing. Photo courtesy of Kenton Lohraff, wildlife biologist,
Feral hogs can spread diseases to humans, pets Directorate of Public Works Natural Resources Branch,
and all domestic livestock, especially pigs. These Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri.
animals damage crops and forest lands and com-
pete with native wildlife for food. They eat anything
they can catch, including reptiles, amphibians, deer
fawns, bird eggs and newly born livestock.

DOG RESTRICTIONS
RABIES VACCINATION. Hunters bringing dogs six months of age or older into Iowa must have in
their possession a health certificate verifying the rabies and other vaccinations of the dog(s).
WHERE RESTRICTED. All dogs are prohibited on all state-owned game management areas be-
tween March 15 and July 15 of each year, except that dog training is permitted on designated training
areas. Field and retriever meets are restricted to designated sites.
A permit must be obtained from the DNR for field and retriever meets. The permit shall show the exact
designated site of the meet and all dogs shall be confined to that site.
TRAINING DOGS. Hunters need a valid Hunting License and have paid the Habitat Fee to train a
bird dog on game birds. An Iowa Migratory Bird Fee and Federal Waterfowl Stamp are required if using
waterfowl taken from the wild. A valid Furharvester License and Habitat Fee is required to train a coon
hound, fox hound or trailing dog on any furbearing animals at any time of the year, including during the
closed season on such birds or animals. The animals, when pursued to a tree or den, shall not be fur-
ther chased or removed in any manner from the tree or den. Hunters must have a Hunting License or a
Furharvester License and Habitat Fee to train a dog on coyote or groundhog.
Only a pistol, revolver or other gun shooting blank cartridges shall be used while training dogs during
closed hunting seasons.
If a dog is entered in a licensed field trial the hunter does not need any type of Hunting
License to participate in the event or to exercise the dog on the area on which the field trial is to be held
during the 24-hour period preceding the trial.
Pen-raised game birds of either sex may be used and shot in the training of bird dogs. Before any bird
is released or used in the training of dogs, the bird must be banded with a band from the DNR. Contact
the DNR at 515-725-8200.

50
OTHER INFORMATION

SUNRISE/SUNSET
Sunrise / Sunset time is available from the Go Outdoors Iowa app, from most weather apps,
the local television weather and online at
https://www.esrl.noaa.gov/gmd/grad/solcalc/sunrise.html

PRECAUTIONS ABOUT LEAD IN VENISON

Deer shot with bullets containing lead can
have particles of lead remaining in the meat,
some too small to see or feel. Although lead can
be harmful to humans, even in low amounts,
LET'S GO
there is no known evidence that links human
consumption of venison to lead poisoning. Chil-
dren under 6 years and pregnant women are
SHOOTING
at the greatest risk from lead exposure. Since
1992, about 500,000 Iowans under 6 years and
25,000 adults have been tested for lead poison-
ing, and no elevated blood lead levels have
been attributed to venison or any other wild
game.
To minimize potential exposure to lead in
venison:
l Remind your meat processor to, or if you
process your own venison, trim a generous
distance away from the wound channel and Share your passion and invite a friend
discard any meat that is bruised, discolored, or on your next trip to the range.
contains hair, dirt or bone fragments.
l Avoid consuming internal organs.
l Practice marksmanship and outdoor skills to
get closer, cleaner, lethal shots away from major
FIND A RANGE
Check out Iowa's interac!ve
muscle areas. (Don’t shoot at running deer.)
l Consider non-lead alternative such as copper
range map to discover a public or
or others that have high-weight retention. private shoo!ng range near you.
Call the Iowa Department of Public Health at There’s no limit to the fun you
1-800-972-2026 for information Lead Poisoning can have on the range.
Prevention.

IOWADNR.GOV/RANGES
GAME CARCASS DISPOSAL
Iowa law allows lawfully taken game carcasses and waste from home meat processing to be
disposed with other residential waste, although your solid waste hauler may have some restrictions
regarding the maximum size or weight of an individual bag. The waste should be sealed in plastic
bags in lots that are similar in size and weight to a typical bag of residential waste. Contact your
local waste hauler or landfill for the specific waste disposal requirements in your area.
INFORMATION

Dumping a game carcass in a road ditch or on other public property creates a nuisance and is
subject to enforcement under Iowa littering laws.
OTHER

51
 PHONE NUMBERS
WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT BIOLOGISTS DISTRICT OFFICES
1) BLACK HAWK UNIT _________ 712-661-9726 (DNR Fish, Wildlife and Law Enforcement)
2) CEDAR-WAPSI UNIT ________ 319-213-2815 HEADQUARTERS:
Big Marsh SubUnit __________ 641-330-2087 6200 Park Ave., Suite 200
3) CLEAR LAKE UNIT__________ 641-425-2814 Des Moines 50321
4) GRAND RIVER UNIT ________ 515-238-5708 515-725-8200
5) GREAT LAKES UNIT ________ 712-330-4543 NORTHWEST: Spirit Lake Fish Hatchery
6) IOWA RIVER UNIT __________ 319-330-7013 122 252nd Ave., Spirit Lake 51360
Otter Creek SubUnit _________ 641-751-9767 712-336-1840
7) MAQUOKETA UNIT _________ 563-357-2035 NORTHEAST: Manchester Fish Hatchery
8) MISSOURI RIVER UNIT ______ 712-420-2437 22693 205th Ave., Manchester 52057
9) NISHNABOTNA UNIT ________ 712-350-0147 563-927-3276
10) ODESSA UNIT ____________ 319-551-8459 SOUTHWEST: Cold Springs State Park
11) PRAIRIE LAKES UNIT ______ 712-330-2563 57744 Lewis Rd., Lewis 51544
12) RATHBUN UNIT ___________ 641-535-6765 712-769-2587
13) RED ROCK UNIT __________ 515-238-6936 SOUTHEAST: Lake Darling State Park
14) SAYLORVILLE UNIT________ 712-330-6685 110 Lake Darling Rd., Brighton 52540
Bays Branch SubUnit ________ 712-330-5682 319-694-2430
15) SUGEMA UNIT ____________ 641-799-0793
16) UPPER IOWA UNIT ________ 563-379-5725 BLACK HAWK OFFICE
116 South State Road, Lake View 51450
712-657-2638

RATHBUN FISH HATCHERY

15053 Hatchery Place, Moravia 52571
641-647-2406
For information on the following species,
contact:
NONGAME WILDLIFE, DEER, PHEASANTS,
QUAIL & RABBITS
Boone Research Station
1436 255th Street, Boone 50036
DEER: 515-249-7056
UPLAND: 515-979-0828
NONGAME: 712-330-8461

WILD TURKEY, SQUIRREL

& RUFFED GROUSE
Chariton Research Station
24570 US Hwy. 34, Chariton 50049
WILDLIFE DEPREDATION STAFF 641-774-2958
The Iowa DNR is responsible for managing
Iowa’s wildlife for all of Iowa’s citizens. One of the WATERFOWL & FURBEARERS
DNR’s responsibilities is to provide private land- Clear Lake Fish & Wildlife Station
owners with guidance to reduce wildlife damage.
1203 N. Shore Drive, Clear Lake 50428
641-357-3517
To get started, scan the QR
code and contact the local
Wildlife Depredation Program
CONTACTS

staff who will work with you to

evaluate the wildlife damage
and find a solution.
52
LAW ENFORCEMENT LAW ENFORCEMENT BUREAU CHIEF
CRAIG CUTTS 515­971­8136

CONSERVATION OFFICERS
COUNTY OFFICER CELL PHONE COUNTY OFFICER CELL PHONE
ADAIR Adam Gacke ............................712­250­0303 JEFFERSON Chris Flynn .......................... 641­919­9115
ADAMS Andrea Bevington...................712­520­0508 Dan Henderson ...................319­653­1636
ALLAMAKEE Burt Walters ............................563­880­0108 JOHNSON Erika Billerbeck...................319­330­9710
APPANOOSE Adam Arnold ...........................641­777­2164 Brad Baker...........................319­430­1630
Dallas Davis.............................641­777­2163 JONES Lucas Dever ........................319­480­0397
AUDUBON Jeremy King ............................712­250­0061 KEOKUK Wesley Gould ......................641­660­3441
BENTON Brett Reece (west 1/2) .............641­751­0931 KOSSUTH Mitch Anderson...................712­260­1003
Ron Lane (east 1/2) .................319­350­2871 LEE Vacant ..................................319­470­0788
BLACK HAWK Lynn Koch ...............................319­240­5034 LINN Travis Graves ......................319­350­2863
BOONE Jeffrey Barnes.........................515­290­4907 Ron Lane .............................319­350­2871
Brandon Bergquist .................515­290­0177 LOUISA Joe Fourdyce ......................563­260­1225
BREMER Lynn Koch ...............................319­240­5034 LUCAS Kyle Jensen.........................641­414­2175
Chris Jones .............................319­939­4448 LYON Tait Anderson ......................712­260­1006
BUCHANAN Dakota Drish............................563­920­0566 MADISON Craig Lonneman .................515­238­5005
BUENA VISTA Brent Koppie ...........................712­260­1010 MAHASKA John Steinbach ...................641­660­0741
BUTLER Jordon Hansen........................319­240­8033 MARION Eric Hoffman .......................641­891­2004
CALHOUN Nathan Haupert .......................712­330­8462 Ken Kenyon.........................641­891­1246
CARROLL Aron Arthur,.............................515­370­0422 MARSHALL Vacant .................................641­751­5246
CASS Adam Gacke ............................712­250­0303 MILLS Richard Price.......................712­520­0121
CEDAR Eric Wright...............................319­530­6121 MITCHELL Jacob Fulk ...........................319­240­9174
CERRO GORDO Matt Washburn ........................641­425­0822 MONONA Vacant ..................................712­420­1486
Ben Schlader...........................641­425­0828 MONROE Dallas Davis.........................641­777­2163
CHEROKEE Brent Koppie (east 1/2) ..........712­260­1010 Adam Arnold .......................641­777­2164
Chad Morrow (west 1/2) ..........712­260­1023 MONTGOMERY Vacant ..................................712­520­0507
CHICKASAW Marc Waterlander....................319­240­6662 MUSCATINE Derrick Slutts ......................563­260­1223
CLARKE Hunter McAninch ....................641­414­2174 O’BRIEN Joe Yarkosky (east 1/2).......712­260­1004
CLAY Joe Yarkosky...........................712­260­1004 John Sells (west 1/2) ..........712­260­1019
CLAYTON Jerry Farmer............................563­880­0422 OSCEOLA Tait Anderson ......................712­260­1006
CLINTON Lucas Webinger ......................563­357­1078 PAGE Vacant ..................................712­520­0507
Terry Nims ...............................563­357­1812 PALO ALTO Chris Subbert ......................712­260­1009
CRAWFORD Vacant ......................................712­420­1486 PLYMOUTH Chad Morrow.......................712­260­1023
DALLAS Dustin Eighmy.........................515­883­0228 POCAHONTAS Nathan Haupert ...................712­330­8462
DAVIS Bob Stuchel.............................641­777­2169 POLK Nate Anderson ....................515­238­4849
Chad Horn ...............................641­777­7805 Austin Durnan .....................515­238­5006
DECATUR Hunter McAninch ....................641­414­2174 POTTAWATTAMIE Logan Christofferson .........712­249­2797
DELAWARE Dakota Drish............................563­920­0566 Richard Price (west 1/3)......712­520­0121
DES MOINES Paul Kay...................................319­759­0751 POWESHIEK John Steinbach ...................641­660­0741
DICKINSON Blake Mills ...............................712­260­1017 RINGGOLD Corey Carlton ......................641­414­2173
Dan Dirks .................................712­260­1018 SAC Michael Miller ......................712­661­9237
DUBUQUE Andrew Keil .............................563­590­1945 SCOTT Nick Rocca ..........................563­349­9418
Nate Johnson ..........................563­590­1944 Brooks VanDerBeek ...........563­349­8953
EMMET Chris Subbert ..........................712­260­1009 SHELBY Aaron Johnson ...................712­249­2015
FAYETTE Chris Jones .............................319­939­4448 SIOUX John Sells............................712­260­1019
FLOYD Jacob Fulk ...............................319­240­9174 STORY Brandon Bergquist .............515­290­0177
FRANKLIN Jordon Hansen........................319­240­8033 Jeffrey Barnes.....................515­290­4907
FREMONT Marlowe Wilson.......................712­520­0506 TAMA Brett Reece..........................641­751­0931
GREENE Aron Arthur .............................515­370­0422 TAYLOR Andrea Bevington...............712­520­0508
GRUNDY Vacant .....................................641­751­5246 UNION Corey Carlton ......................641­414­2173
GUTHRIE Jeremy King ............................712­250­0061 VAN BUREN Chris Flynn .......................... 641­919­9115
HAMILTON Nathan Carr .............................515­238­2047 WAPELLO Chad Horn ...........................641­777­7805
HANCOCK Ben Bergman ..........................641­425­0823 Bob Stuchel.........................641­777­2169
HARDIN Nathan Carr .............................515­238­2047 WARREN Allen Crouse........................515­238­4847
HARRISON Aaron Johnson .......................712­249­2015 WASHINGTON Wesley Gould ......................641­660­3441
HENRY Dan Henderson .......................319­653­1636 WAYNE Kyle Jensen.........................641­414­2175
HOWARD Marc Waterlander....................319­240­6662 WEBSTER Bill Spece.............................515­571­0127
HUMBOLDT Bill Spece.................................515­571­0127 WINNEBAGO Vacant ..................................641­425­0821
IDA Michael Miller ..........................712­661­9237 WINNESHIEK Brian Roffman .....................563­380­0496
IOWA Brad Baker...............................319­430­1630 WOODBURY Steven Griebel.....................712­301­4009
JACKSON Lucas Dever ............................319­480­0397 Kirby Bragg .........................712­870­2791
Andrew Keil .............................563­590­1945 Stacey Bragg.......................712­301­6735
JASPER Will Brickel ..............................641­521­2003 WORTH Vacant ..................................641­425­0821
WRIGHT Ben Bergman ......................641­425­0823
CONTACTS

53
PUBLIC NONDISCRIMINATION & EQUAL OPPORTUNITY
Federal and State law prohibits discrimination on the basis of age, color, creed, mental and/or physical
disability, gender identity, national origin, pregnancy, race, religion, sex, or sexual orientation in employ-
ment and public accommodation. If you believe you have been discriminated against in any program, ac-
tivity or facility as described above, or if you desire further information, please contact the Iowa Civil Rights
Commission at 1-800-457-4416 or DNR’s Civil Rights Coordinators at civilrights@dnr.iowa.gov.
This agency receives Federal financial assistance from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which prohibits
discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, sex, or disability. If you believe you have
been discriminated against in any program, activity or facility on these bases, or if you desire further infor-
mation, please contact DNR’s Civil Rights Coordinators at civilrights@dnr.iowa.gov or write to:
Office of Diversity, Inclusion, and Civil Rights
U.S. Department of the Interior
1849 C Street, NW
Washington, D.C. 20240

REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS & ALTERNATIVE FORMATS

If you need accommodations to access the DNR’s programs or services because of a disability, re-
quests may be made by contacting your local field office or the department’s ADA coordinator at 515-
725-8200.
This information is available in alternative formats upon request by contacting the DNR at 515-725-
8200. TTY users - Contact Relay Iowa at 800-735-2942.
Iowa Dept of Natural Resources
6200 Park Avenue, Suite 200 Through purchase of licenses, stamps
Des Moines, Iowa 50321 and manufacturers’ taxes on firearms,
515-725-8200 ammunition and other outdoor equip-
www.iowadnr.gov ment, hunters and trappers continue
to support the acquisition, develop-
ment and management of Iowa’s
wildlife areas.
54
Habitat is key
•Wildlife needs quality habitat to survive
•The Habitat Fee provides important funding
to acquire and develop public wild places
•These places support local and
migrating wildlife
•Anyone can buy a Habitat Fee

Download the
go outdoors iowa app
and buy yours today

Download from Scan to

the App Store download
the app
or Google Play Store

IOWA DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES

55
 330 S. Main St. | Lidderdale, IA
712-822-5780 | shopsommerfeld.com

WESTERN IOWA'S

LARGEST
SELECTION OF
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56