blake
Life Member
NEWS!
From the Iowa DNR:
Deer Tag Scramble
By Joe Wilkinson
Posted: August 11, 2009
It may not feel like fall. However, step one of Iowa's deer tag scramble opens August 15. That's the first day on which hunters can select a tag and which season to hunt. Those options have been widely expanded in the last decade or so; with county specific antlerless tags and increased seasons, urban zones and more landowner tags.
The early scramble comes as early season muzzleloader hunters vie for 7,500 statewide tags available. "That quota keeps it an uncrowded hunt. People can get out in less crowded conditions; maybe kill a nice buck before the peak of the rut," notes Tom Litchfield, Department of Natural Resources deer biologist.
September 15 is the next date on the calendar for deer hunters. They can pick up a variety of antlerless tags for the seasons and zones they prefer. A couple of the later antlerless seasons have tags come available closer to their dates.
Those antlerless tags, of course, are designed to increase the harvest of does, to steady or steer deer populations downward. That grab bag of whitetail hunting opportunities, though, is not an endless prospect. By 2012, wildlife officials want to see deer populations at mid to late 1990s levels. Their data indicates it is there in northwest, north central and much of east central Iowa. It's getting closer elsewhere.
It is already reflected in tag offerings this year. "We removed 17 counties (in east central and into northeast Iowa) from the November and late January antlerless seasons. Our data show if we discontinue the seasons, the tags would still be sold." Litchfield reminds hunters their in nearly every county, the overall tag quota remains intact, for use in the 'regular' seasons. Statewide, the number of antlerless tags has increased; with 131,600 available across 77 counties. There are more available in central and southern Iowa, where extra pressure is needed. "What drives everything is the harvest and the makeup of that harvest," stresses Litchfield, noting that of the 142,000 reported deer killed last season, more than half were does.
In addition, eligible landowners or tenants can qualify for no cost (other than $2 in fees) or low cost tags. Though they account for about 25 percent of the tags issued in Iowa, their guidelines differ somewhat from paid hunters and fill an entire page in the hunting regulations booklet.
Details, including 65 urban, park and special zone hunts are available in Iowa's 2009-10 hunting regulations booklet, as well as online at www.iowadnr.gov (click on Hunting & Wildlife, then on Regulations).
Deer tag sale dates, seasons:
Each hunter may purchase first tags August 15. A second round of antlerless tag sales starts September 15. Seasons include:
From the Iowa DNR:
Deer Tag Scramble
By Joe Wilkinson
Posted: August 11, 2009
It may not feel like fall. However, step one of Iowa's deer tag scramble opens August 15. That's the first day on which hunters can select a tag and which season to hunt. Those options have been widely expanded in the last decade or so; with county specific antlerless tags and increased seasons, urban zones and more landowner tags.
The early scramble comes as early season muzzleloader hunters vie for 7,500 statewide tags available. "That quota keeps it an uncrowded hunt. People can get out in less crowded conditions; maybe kill a nice buck before the peak of the rut," notes Tom Litchfield, Department of Natural Resources deer biologist.
September 15 is the next date on the calendar for deer hunters. They can pick up a variety of antlerless tags for the seasons and zones they prefer. A couple of the later antlerless seasons have tags come available closer to their dates.
Those antlerless tags, of course, are designed to increase the harvest of does, to steady or steer deer populations downward. That grab bag of whitetail hunting opportunities, though, is not an endless prospect. By 2012, wildlife officials want to see deer populations at mid to late 1990s levels. Their data indicates it is there in northwest, north central and much of east central Iowa. It's getting closer elsewhere.
It is already reflected in tag offerings this year. "We removed 17 counties (in east central and into northeast Iowa) from the November and late January antlerless seasons. Our data show if we discontinue the seasons, the tags would still be sold." Litchfield reminds hunters their in nearly every county, the overall tag quota remains intact, for use in the 'regular' seasons. Statewide, the number of antlerless tags has increased; with 131,600 available across 77 counties. There are more available in central and southern Iowa, where extra pressure is needed. "What drives everything is the harvest and the makeup of that harvest," stresses Litchfield, noting that of the 142,000 reported deer killed last season, more than half were does.
In addition, eligible landowners or tenants can qualify for no cost (other than $2 in fees) or low cost tags. Though they account for about 25 percent of the tags issued in Iowa, their guidelines differ somewhat from paid hunters and fill an entire page in the hunting regulations booklet.
Details, including 65 urban, park and special zone hunts are available in Iowa's 2009-10 hunting regulations booklet, as well as online at www.iowadnr.gov (click on Hunting & Wildlife, then on Regulations).
Deer tag sale dates, seasons:
Each hunter may purchase first tags August 15. A second round of antlerless tag sales starts September 15. Seasons include:
- Youth: Sept 19-Oct 4
- Disabled Hunter: Sept 19-Oct 4
- Bow: Oct 1-Dec 4, Dec 21-Jan 10
- Early Muzzleloader: Oct 17-25
- Late Muzzleloader: Dec 21-Jan 10
- First Shotgun: Dec 5-9
- Second Shotgun: Dec 12-20
- November Antlerless: Nov 27-29 (available Nov 14, if any remain)
- January Antlerless: Jan 11-31 (available Dec 15, if any remain)
- Nonresident January Antlerless: (available Jan 11-31, if any remain)
- Holiday (Nonresident): Dec 24-Jan 2 (available Dec 15-Jan 2)