IA Hunting Seasons & Public Land

Iowa Hunting

Iowa consistently produces record-class white-tailed deer and is widely considered one of the best trophy whitetail destinations in the country. Pheasant and waterfowl hunting are also excellent across its agricultural prairies.

63 Seasons2 Species

Seasons by Species

Deer

GMUWeaponSeasonHarvestPublic
Zone 1ArcheryOct 1Dec 5
Zone 1MuzzleloaderOct 11Oct 19
Zone 1ShotgunDec 6Dec 10
Zone 1ShotgunDec 13Dec 21
Zone 1MuzzleloaderDec 22Jan 10
Zone 2ArcheryOct 1Dec 5

+ 39 more Deer seasons

Turkey

GMUWeaponSeasonHarvestPublic
Zone 1ShotgunOct 13Dec 5
Zone 1ShotgunApr 13May 17
Zone 2ShotgunOct 13Dec 5
Zone 2ShotgunApr 13May 17
Zone 3ShotgunOct 13Dec 5
Zone 3ShotgunApr 13May 17

+ 12 more Turkey seasons

Always verify season dates and regulations with the official state wildlife agency:

Iowa Official Hunting Regulations →

View Iowa on the map

See GMU boundaries, public land, and walk-in access areas for Iowa on our interactive hunting map.

Hunting in Canada? Explore Crown Land Maps, Hunting Seasons, Licence Guide, and Regulations for Canadian provinces.