(Radio Iowa) – The two gun seasons for deer are now over and the D-N-R’s Conservation Division Administrator Pete Hildreth says the numbers are still on pace to match last year, which was 104-thousand deer. “To date, hunters have reported 87-thousand deer. And during the 2024 combined firearm season, approximately 52-thousand deer were harvested,” he says. There are still chances for hunters yet this year.

“With the two regular gun seasons now in the books, Iowa’s deer hunting shifts to a more solitary endeavor with the opening of the late muzzleloader season,” he says. The archery season also reopened and will close on Friday (January 10). There are a couple of other seasons remaining that are used to keep deer populations in check. “The final deer seasons are the two January antlerless deer only seasons,” he says. “The population management January antlerless season and the excess tag January antlerless season. Both of these seasons run from January 11 through the 19th.”

The population management January antlerless season is available only in Allamakee, Appanoose, Decatur, Lucas, Monroe, Wayne and Winneshiek counties. Hunters may use bows, muzzle loaders, handguns, shotguns, crossbows or rifles in that .223 caliber. The excess tag. January antlerless season is available in all counties with unsold county antlerless tags on January 11th, but license sales will only be available over the counter and not online until the quota is filled.

Hunters participating in the excess tag January antlerless season can only use .223 caliber to .500 caliber rifles. Hildreth made his comments during the Iowa Natural Resources Commission meeting.