Iowa Department of Natural Resources

Conservation and Recreation Division

For Immediate Release                                                                        December 13, 2007

EXTENSION OF DEER SEASONS PROMPTS MANY QUESTIONS FROM HUNTERS

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

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

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

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

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

The important regulations applying to these season extensions include: 

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

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