Statewide Iowa — A rule change approved by the administrative rules committee during the 2017 Iowa legislative session allows hunters who have a valid “permit to carry” to carry a handgun while hunting deer under an archery tag. The change was included as part of a gun rules package approved by the committee.
Iowa DNR Spokesman Mick Klemesrud says the decision to allow bowhunters who have carry permits to carry their handgun during deer season is a 2nd Amendment rights issue.
Hunters may not use a handgun to shoot a deer during the Oct. 1-Dec. 1 portion of the archery season. Hunters who do not have a permit to carry may not have a handgun in their possession while hunting under an archery tag.
Klemesrud says it is legal to use your handgun, if you have a carry permit, during any of the “gun seasons”, but admits the rules are a bit confusing.
He says the rules change applies ONLY to archery season.
A handgun is a legal method of take for the late muzzleloader season.
