The 2017-18 Iowa Hunting, Trapping and Migratory Game Bird Regulations will be arriving at license vendors across the state in the next few weeks.
Hunters should note that there is only one regulations book this year instead of the traditional two.
Changes with the season setting calendar by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service allowed the duck, goose, and other migratory game bird hunting regulations to be included in with the seasons and regulations for other species. The waterfowl seasons, zones and bag limits now have their own section.
Hunters will also notice the general hunting seasons and limits and waterfowl seasons and limits trifold cards are no longer being printed. The cards and regulations are currently available online to download or print at www.iowadnr.gov/hunting.
Notable hunting regulation changes include extending the Missouri River Zone for ducks and geese to include all the land and water west of Interstate 29; and allowing deer hunters participating in the youth, disabled hunter or either shotgun seasons the option of using straight walled ammunition allowed for pistol hunting in rifles.
However; not all straight walled cartridges are allowed.
The regulations book includes a list of allowable cartridges and a set of guides based on rimmed or rimless cartridges if the cartridge isn’t listed.
The Iowa Department of Natural Resources has included the .375 Winchester, .444 Marlin and .45-70 Govt that was an allowable pistol cartridge prior to the law change. Cartridges not on the previous list or that fall outside the guidelines will not be allowed.