Statewide Iowa — The state’s first archery deer season gets underway Saturday. DNR deer research specialist, Jace Elliott, says hunters have been preparing for weeks.
The majority of hunters participate in the shotgun deer season, but Elliott says archery hunters will take between 20 and 25 percent of the deer overall. Elliott says hunter numbers have not been increasing.
The annual bowhunter survey shows they go out an average of 13 trips per year and spend an average of three-and-a-half hours per trip. They tend to be more selective and harvest fewer does than in other regular deer seasons. Elliott says there is some crossover between the bow and firearm seasons.
The population trends he tracks show hunters shouldn’t lack targets.
He has this advice for hunters.
This archery season runs through December 2nd. The second archery season is from December 19th through January 10th. The first shotgun season is from December 3rd to the 7th.
