Statewide Iowa — Saturday marks the opening of the first shotgun deer season in Iowa.
The DNR’s Tyler Harms oversees the surveys and management of the deer herd. He says one change from last year is the dropping of the “buck only” status in some counties.
Harms says he’s had many questions about a survey that found COVID in deer — and he reassures hunters it is not a problem.
Harms says there shouldn’t be any concern about finding deer.
One key variable appears to be breaking the hunters’ way.
He says the deer take numbers haven’t fluctuated a lot recently.
Harms reminds hunters to read all the safety precautions before heading out.
The first shotgun deer hunting season runs through December 8th. The second shotgun season runs from December 11th through the 19th. There is more information about the shotgun season at www.iowadnr.gov.