blake
Life Member
The first of Iowa's two shotgun deer seasons gets underway on December 6th and lasts for 5 days. The second shotgun season opens on December 13th and runs through December 21st. Hunters with paid licenses can only hunt during one of the two seasons.
Typically, the shotgun seasons represent a high proportion of the annual deer harvest and is a significant contributor to the state's antlerless harvest.
Deer drives are an Iowan tradition during the shotgun seasons and is one of the factors that allow a large number of deer to be harvested efficiently. However, drivers and blockers need to always remain aware of the location of all hunters and make sure their field of fire is safe. Know where you firearm is shooting to avoid wounding deer or worse yet a fellow hunter.
I encourage all deer hunters to harvest an antlerless deer or two during their season of choice. If you have more venison than you need you can utilize the HUSH program to donate deer to the Iowa Food Bank which provides needed meat for Iowans. Last year Iowa deer hunters donated more than 8,300 deer to the HUSH program making it one of the largest such programs in the nation. Hopefully deer hunters will harvest and donate more deer to the HUSH program this year.
A tagging requirement that is new for 2008 requires a hunter who kills an antlered buck to place the transportation tag on the animal's antler. It is recommended that the tag be placed on the antler beam either at the base or between two points.
Hunters using blinds during the shotgun seasons are reminded that they are required to display at least a 12-inch by 12-inch piece of blaze orange that is visible from all directions.
Hunting hours are from one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset. All deer taken must be reported using the harvest reporting system by midnight the day after the deer is recovered.
Hunters can report their deer on the DNR website (www.iowadnr.gov), by calling the toll free reporting number (1-800-771-4692. For hunters with Internet access, the online reporting of the harvest is a quick and easy way to register your deer.
The staff at iowawhitetail.com hope that all of you participating in the shotgun seasons have a successful hunt. Please hunt safe, and take some photo's to share with all of us.
Typically, the shotgun seasons represent a high proportion of the annual deer harvest and is a significant contributor to the state's antlerless harvest.
Deer drives are an Iowan tradition during the shotgun seasons and is one of the factors that allow a large number of deer to be harvested efficiently. However, drivers and blockers need to always remain aware of the location of all hunters and make sure their field of fire is safe. Know where you firearm is shooting to avoid wounding deer or worse yet a fellow hunter.
I encourage all deer hunters to harvest an antlerless deer or two during their season of choice. If you have more venison than you need you can utilize the HUSH program to donate deer to the Iowa Food Bank which provides needed meat for Iowans. Last year Iowa deer hunters donated more than 8,300 deer to the HUSH program making it one of the largest such programs in the nation. Hopefully deer hunters will harvest and donate more deer to the HUSH program this year.
A tagging requirement that is new for 2008 requires a hunter who kills an antlered buck to place the transportation tag on the animal's antler. It is recommended that the tag be placed on the antler beam either at the base or between two points.
Hunters using blinds during the shotgun seasons are reminded that they are required to display at least a 12-inch by 12-inch piece of blaze orange that is visible from all directions.
Hunting hours are from one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset. All deer taken must be reported using the harvest reporting system by midnight the day after the deer is recovered.
Hunters can report their deer on the DNR website (www.iowadnr.gov), by calling the toll free reporting number (1-800-771-4692. For hunters with Internet access, the online reporting of the harvest is a quick and easy way to register your deer.
The staff at iowawhitetail.com hope that all of you participating in the shotgun seasons have a successful hunt. Please hunt safe, and take some photo's to share with all of us.
