Overview
Known For
Iowa is known for being a top, if not the top, destination for whitetail hunting. With over 700,000 acres of agricultural crops and three million acres of forestland, no other states compare with the pound-for-pound availability of natural and crop food sources for whitetail deer.
Terrain
Iowa’s terrain is a mix of rolling hills and flat plains. Its tallest spot, Hawkeye Point, is 1,673 feet above sea level. Its fertile soil makes it one of the most agriculturally-abundant states in the country.
Iowa Hunting Seasons
| Season | Start Date | End Date | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
Bobcat
Bag limit 1. Requires special reporting and tagging.
|
Nov 4, 2023 | Feb 28, 2024 |
|
|
Coyote
No limit. No closed season.
|
Jan 1, 2023 | Dec 31, 2024 |
|
|
Deer – Youth
|
Sep 16, 2023 | Oct 1, 2023 |
|
|
Deer – Early Archery
Non-residents need to apply for special permit.
|
Oct 1, 2023 | Dec 1, 2023 |
|
|
Deer – Early Muzzleloader
Residents only.
|
Oct 14, 2023 | Oct 22, 2023 |
|
|
Deer – First Shotgun
Non-residents need to apply for special permit.
|
Dec 2, 2023 | Dec 6, 2023 |
|
|
Deer – Second Shotgun
Non-residents need to apply for special permit.
|
Dec 9, 2023 | Dec 17, 2023 |
|
|
Deer – Late Muzzleloader
Non-residents need to apply for special permit.
|
Dec 18, 2023 | Jan 10, 2024 |
|
|
Deer – Late Archery
Non-residents need to apply for special permit.
|
Dec 18, 2023 | Jan 10, 2024 |
|
|
Deer – Nonresident Holiday
Non-residents need to apply for special permit.
|
Dec 24, 2023 | Jan 2, 2024 |
|
|
Dove
Bag limit 15 per day.
|
Sep 1, 2023 | Nov 29, 2023 |
|
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Duck – Teal
Statewide. Bag limit 6 per day.
|
Sep 1, 2023 | Sep 16, 2023 |
|
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Duck – North Youth
Bag limit 6 per day.
|
Sep 23, 2023 | Sep 24, 2023 |
|
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Duck – Central Youth
Bag limit 6 per day.
|
Sep 30, 2023 | Oct 1, 2023 |
|
|
Duck – Early North
Bag limit 6 per day.
|
Sep 30, 2023 | Oct 6, 2023 |
|
|
Duck – South Youth
Bag limit 6 per day.
|
Oct 7, 2023 | Oct 8, 2023 |
|
|
Duck – Early Central
Bag limit 6 per day.
|
Oct 7, 2023 | Oct 13, 2023 |
|
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Duck – Early South
Bag limit 6 per day.
|
Oct 7, 2023 | Oct 22, 2023 |
|
|
Duck – Late North
Bag limit 6 per day.
|
Oct 12, 2023 | Dec 5, 2023 |
|
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Duck – Late Central
Bag limit 6 per day.
|
Oct 21, 2023 | Dec 12, 2023 |
|
|
Duck – Late South
Bag limit 6 per day.
|
Oct 28, 2023 | Dec 19, 2023 |
|
|
Fox – Red and Gray
No limit.
|
Nov 4, 2023 | Feb 28, 2024 |
|
|
Goose – First North
Dark geese bag limit 5 per day. Light geese bag limit 20 per day.
|
Sep 23, 2023 | Oct 8, 2023 |
|
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Goose – First Central
Dark geese bag limit 5 per day. Light geese bag limit 20 per day.
|
Sep 30, 2023 | Oct 15, 2023 |
|
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Goose – First South
Dark geese bag limit 5 per day. Light geese bag limit 20 per day.
|
Oct 7, 2023 | Oct 22, 2023 |
|
|
Goose – Second North
Dark geese bag limit 5 per day. Light geese bag limit 20 per day.
|
Oct 14, 2023 | Dec 5, 2023 |
|
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Goose – Second Central
Dark geese bag limit 5 per day. Light geese bag limit 20 per day.
|
Oct 21, 2023 | Dec 12, 2023 |
|
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Goose – Second South
Dark geese bag limit 5 per day. Light geese bag limit 20 per day.
|
Oct 28, 2023 | Dec 19, 2023 |
|
|
Goose – Third North
Dark geese bag limit 5 per day. Light geese bag limit 20 per day.
|
Dec 16, 2023 | Jan 13, 2024 |
|
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Goose – Third Central
Dark geese bag limit 5 per day. Light geese bag limit 20 per day.
|
Dec 23, 2023 | Jan 20, 2024 |
|
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Goose – Third South
Dark geese bag limit 5 per day. Light geese bag limit 20 per day.
|
Dec 30, 2023 | Jan 27, 2024 |
|
|
Ruffed Grouse
Bag limit 3 per day.
|
Oct 7, 2023 | Jan 31, 2024 |
|
|
Pheasant – Youth
Bag limit 1 per day.
|
Oct 21, 2023 | Oct 22, 2023 |
|
|
Pheasant – Regular
Bag limit 3 per day.
|
Oct 28, 2023 | Jan 10, 2024 |
|
|
Bobwhite Quail
Bag limit 8 per day.
|
Oct 28, 2023 | Jan 31, 2024 |
|
|
Rabbit – Cottontail
Bag limit 10 per day.
|
Sep 2, 2023 | Feb 28, 2024 |
|
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Turkey – Fall Archery 1
Daily bag and season possession limit is one bearded or male wild turkey for each valid license and transportation tag issued to the hunter.
|
Oct 1, 2023 | Dec 1, 2023 |
|
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Turkey – Fall Gun/Bow
Daily bag and season possession limit is one bearded or male wild turkey for each valid license and transportation tag issued to the hunter.
|
Oct 10, 2023 | Dec 1, 2023 |
|
|
Turkey – Fall Archery 2
Daily bag and season possession limit is one bearded or male wild turkey for each valid license and transportation tag issued to the hunter.
|
Dec 18, 2023 | Jan 10, 2024 |
|
|
Turkey – Spring Youth
Daily bag and season possession limit is one bearded or male wild turkey for each valid license and transportation tag issued to the hunter.
|
Apr 5, 2024 | Apr 7, 2024 |
|
|
Turkey – Spring Archery
Resident hunters only.
|
Apr 8, 2024 | May 12, 2024 |
|
|
Turkey – Spring Season 1
Non-residents need special permit.
|
Apr 8, 2024 | Apr 11, 2024 |
|
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Turkey – Spring Season 2
Non-residents need special permit.
|
Apr 12, 2024 | Apr 16, 2024 |
|
|
Turkey – Spring Season 3
Non-residents need special permit.
|
Apr 17, 2024 | Apr 23, 2024 |
|
|
Turkey – Spring Season 4
Non-residents need special permit.
|
Apr 24, 2024 | May 12, 2024 |
|
|
Woodcock
Bag limit 3 per day.
|
Oct 7, 2023 | Nov 20, 2023 |
|
|
Gray Partridge
Bag limit 8 per day.
|
Oct 14, 2023 | Jan 31, 2024 |
Iowa Licenses, Permits, and Regulations
Iowa hunting licenses, permits, and regulations for resident and non-resident hunters can be purchased on the official website of the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. Click below to view the website.
Hunting GPS Maps
Every Iowa hunter should have hunting GPS maps on hand. Iowa hunting maps are available from onX Hunt. With a paid membership you can access Satellite, Topo, or Hybrid Basemaps, over which you can view maps of non-resident deer zones, along with State, Forest Service, and other public and private property boundaries. You can view trails and roads, and even download maps to the Hunt App for use offline. Click below to get onX Hunt for Iowa.
Non-Resident Deer Zones
Iowa has 10 unique non-resident deer zones. Each of the 10 zones has different quotas for how many deer can be taken in a season. Those quotas generally range from 180 to 1,600 deer (including both sexes). Non-residents must apply for these tags each year. Click below to view Iowa’s non-resident deer zones in more detail through an interactive map.
Hunting Layers
IA Private Lands
Over 1,500,000 parcels mapped by the onX team, this layer helps you know who the property owners are in Iowa. Tap any parcel to learn more info about the owner and acreage.
IA Gov Lands
onX has the most accurate public lands maps with over 1,000,000 acres in Iowa to help you plan your next adventure. Tap any public land parcel to learn more.
IA Possible Access
onX has mapped 13,000 acres of possible access lands in Iowa including timber companies and land conservation groups. Research rules on these private lands before recreating.
IA Game Mgmt Units
Iowa Game Management Units
Includes 4 Sublayers
- IA Non-Resident Deer Zones
- Ruffed Grouse Hunting Zones
- Fall Turkey Hunt Zones
- Duck Hunt Zones
IA Habitat & Access Program (IHAP)
The Iowa Department of Natural Resources Habitat & Access Program. All hunters are expected to know the rules of the program. Please hunt responsibly and have a safe legal hunt.
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