Deer season update

Iowa hunters have reported harvesting nearly 54,000 deer through the first weekend of the first shotgun season. First shotgun deer season ends on Dec. 7.

Second season shotgun deer season is Dec. 10-18, offering hunters two weekends in the field. The second shotgun season typically has about 50,000 hunters but could see an increase in hunter participation by hunters who normally go during the first season, but opted for second season due to the warmer weather.

Report your harvest

The deer is down, tagged and on its way to the truck. But the harvest is not complete until the deer is registered; either online, over the phone or at a license vendor.

Online, it takes just a couple minutes. Go to www.iowadnr.gov/deerhunting and click (left margin) on ‘Report Your Harvest.’ From there, scroll down and follow instructions. Be ready to enter your tag’s nine-digit harvest report number. By phone? Call 800-771-4692.

The deer should be reported by the hunter whose name is on the tag…and it must come before midnight, the day after the deer is tagged.

Safety reminder

Hunters are encouraged to use safe hunting practices and to discuss the hunting plan so each member of the hunting group knows where the others will be at all times during the hunt.

Tips

·         Treat every gun as if it is loaded

·         Wear plenty of blaze orange

·         Be sure of the target and what’s behind it

·         Don’t shoot at running deer

Turn in poachers

See something in the field that doesn’t look right? Report hunting violations to Turn in Poachers as soon as possible by calling 1-800-532-2020. Provide as much information as possible like a description of the individual(s), vehicle and time and location of the violation.

You can remain anonymous.

Deer tissue samples

The Iowa DNR’s wildlife staff will continue collecting tissue samples to test for the presence of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) in Iowa’s wild deer herd.

Many hunters voluntarily contribute samples of their harvested deer for these testing efforts.  Most samples are obtained by wildlife staff, checking with hunters in the field or at home processing points.

Iowa DNR’s website provides information about CWD and other information on infectious disease at:  http://www.iowadnr.gov/Hunting/DeerHunting/CWDEHDInformation.aspx

Extend the hunt

Hunters looking to spend more time in the timber this fall can purchase antlerless only deer tags that are still available in 27 counties. Iowa’s late muzzleloader season is Dec. 19-Jan. 10, 2017 and archery season reopens Dec. 19-Jan. 10, 2017.

Antlerless tags available

County                      Number Available

ADAIR                     420

ADAMS                   989

ALLAMAKEE           824

APPANOOSE         1028

CLARKE                  896

DALLAS                  508

DAVIS                    1940

DECATUR              1309

DES MOINES         185

FREMONT             179

GUTHRIE               398

HENRY                  213

JEFFERSON          892

LEE                       428

LUCAS                   391

MILLS                    284

MONROE               839

MONTGOMERY      332

PAGE                     358

POLK                     119

RINGGOLD            1528

TAYLOR                 1511

UNION                    820

VAN BUREN           2480

WAPELLO              1061

WAYNE                  1137

WINNESHIEK          465