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DNR News Releases

Archive by tag: seasonReturn

January antlerless deer season begins Friday in four counties

• 1/10/2019 8:24:00 AM
• View Count 8308

The special January antlerless deer season will open in Allamakee, Clayton, Wayne and Appanoose counties this Friday.  Of those four counties, only Allamakee County has licenses remaining – the other three have sold out.

Iowa’s rabbit season opens Sept. 1

• 8/21/2018 12:42:00 PM
• View Count 11502

The good news for Iowa’s cottontail rabbit hunters is that Iowa has a lot of rabbits with the southern third and the east central region of the state leading the way. The better news for hunters is Iowa’s cottontail rabbit season begins Sept. 1 statewide.

Iowa's teal season opens Sept. 1

• 8/21/2018 12:40:00 PM
• View Count 7293

Iowa’s first duck hunting season begins September 1 with the 16 day teal-only season. These fast flying early migrators use the first cool spell in late August as a sign to start heading south.

Dove season opens Sept. 1

• 8/21/2018 12:39:00 PM
• View Count 5817

In a few days, hunters will be tucking into the edge of sunflowers and wheat fields awaiting the arrival of the most popular game bird in the country. Iowa’s dove season begins September 1.

Walleye season opens May 5 on Iowa’s Great Lakes

• 4/24/2018 12:20:00 PM
• View Count 10320

The 142th walleye fishing season officially opens May 5 at Spirit Lake, East and West Okoboji lakes.

Muskrat trapping season extended to April 1 on Burrows Pond and the Black Hawk Marsh Complex

• 2/2/2018 10:45:00 AM
• View Count 4431

LAKE VIEW - The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is extending the muskrat trapping season on Burrows Pond and the Black Hawk Marsh Complex in Sac County from Feb. 1 to April 1 to offer additional trapping opportunities of a temporarily abundant resource.

Muskrat trapping season extended to April 1 on Trumbull Lake

• 2/2/2018 10:41:00 AM
• View Count 3993

RUTHVEN - The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is extending the muskrat trapping season on Trumbull Lake, Ventura Marsh, Burrows Pond and the Inlet Bay of Black Hawk Lake from Feb. 1 to April 1 to reduce the muskrat population and preserve the beneficial vegetation in the marsh.  This extension is only for muskrats on the identified areas.

​​Muskrat trapping season extended to April 1 on Ventura Marsh

• 2/2/2018 10:03:00 AM
• View Count 6491

CLEAR LAKE - The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is extending the muskrat trapping season on Ventura Marsh, Trumbull Lake, Burrows Pond and the Inlet Bay of Black Hawk Lake from Feb. 1 to April 1 to reduce the muskrat population and preserve the beneficial vegetation in the marsh.  This extension is only for muskrats on the identified areas.

Seasons Begin Closing January 10

• 1/2/2018 12:49:00 PM
• View Count 4570

Iowa’s 2017 hunting season begin closing in January.

Late muzzleloader deer season opens Dec. 18

• 12/5/2017 12:25:00 PM
• View Count 20440

Iowa’s late muzzleloader deer season begins Dec. 18, which is the final season that any-deer licenses are available.

Iowa’s 2017 shotgun deer season preview

• 11/21/2017 11:39:00 AM
• View Count 26393

The first of Iowa’s popular shotgun deer seasons is Dec. 2-6 when an expected 60,000 orange-clad hunters head to the timber. That group will be followed by another 60,000 hunters who prefer the Dec. 9-17 second shotgun season.

Iowa’s furbearer season begins Nov. 4

• 10/31/2017 11:38:00 AM
• View Count 9203

Iowa’s furbearer season opens Nov. 4, and the outlook for 2017 is good as populations are stable to increasing statewide.

Rule change allows bow hunters with permit to carry to have a handgun during archery season

• 10/17/2017 12:36:00 PM
• View Count 84104

A rule change approved by the administrative rules committee during 2017 Iowa legislative session allows hunters who have a valid permit to carry to carry a handgun while hunting deer under an archery tag. The change was included as part of a gun rules package approved by the committee.

Iowa’s youth enjoy special pheasant season Oct. 21-22

• 10/17/2017 12:35:00 PM
• View Count 8811

Iowa’s young hunters will get to experience the first cackle and flush of the year during the youth-only pheasant season Oct. 21-22.

Iowa’s archery deer hunting season opens October 1

• 9/26/2017 11:52:00 AM
• View Count 24015

The days are getting shorter, nights are getting cooler and treestands are being moved into place. For bow hunters, the long wait is nearly over. Iowa’s archery deer season begins Oct. 1.

Iowa’s youth deer season begins Sept. 16

• 9/12/2017 3:55:00 PM
• View Count 28756

The Iowa deer hunting tradition will be passed on to about 10,000 youths who will participate in the youth deer hunting season, which opens on Sept. 16. This season provides an opportunity to teach deer hunting, wildlife behavior, and safe hunting practices to resident youths while they are under the watchful eye of a licensed adult. 

Special September teal season begins Sept. 2

• 8/29/2017 1:13:00 PM
• View Count 3718

The experimental September teal hunting season begins Sept. 2, and based on a recently released population survey, hunters can expect to find about the same amount of teal as they have over the last five years.

Squirrel season begins September 2

• 8/22/2017 11:58:00 AM
• View Count 6391

Squirrel hunters should expect to find an average to above average squirrel population over most of the state, with higher squirrel numbers in areas with quality oak and hickory trees. Squirrel season opens Sept. 2.

Spring walleye netting season exceeds goal

• 5/2/2017 12:16:00 PM
• View Count 11011

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources’ spring fish spawning season is over and Iowa’s two walleye hatcheries are filled to capacity. Netting crews collected enough walleye to produce 1,116 quarts of walleye eggs at the Spirit Lake hatchery and 914 quarts at the Rathbun hatchery.

Walleye season opens May 6 on Iowa’s Great Lakes

• 4/25/2017 12:29:00 PM
• View Count 10390

The 141st walleye fishing season officially opens May 6 at Spirit Lake, East and West Okoboji lakes.

New law allows approved pistol cartridges for use in rifles to hunt deer

• 4/18/2017 12:14:00 PM
• View Count 65846

Iowa hunters will have a new option this fall while hunting deer during the youth season, disabled hunter season and both shotgun seasons – rifles that are capable of shooting straight walled cartridges.

Remember the Chickadee Check-off as tax season winds down

• 4/4/2017 12:37:00 PM
• View Count 3480

Last year, roughly 7,500 out of 1.6 million Iowa taxpayers helped boost wildlife conservation with donations to the Fish and Wildlife Fund on their state income tax form. Despite a steady increase in the total number of tax returns since 2009, the number of donations has stayed roughly the same since 2010.

2017 Spring turkey seasons

• 3/28/2017 12:03:00 PM
• View Count 26835

Iowa’s 2017 spring season begins April 8 with an Iowa youth only hunting season that covers two weekends and allows hunters younger than 16 when they buy the turkey license to participate.  The reason for the season is to concentrate on the development of future hunters.  They must hunt one on one with a mentor age 18 or older at all times and the mentor must have a valid turkey hunting license for one of the spring seasons. 

New commercial and recreational turtle harvest seasons and catch limits

• 3/21/2017 11:56:00 AM
• View Count 15387

New commercial and recreational turtle harvest seasons and daily catch limits start March 22.

Iowa spring turkey season is right around the corner

• 3/14/2017 11:41:00 AM
• View Count 9956

Hunters will be going through their equipment, patterning their guns and securing vacation days to pursue the elusive Eastern wild turkey as Iowa’s premier spring hunting season is almost here.

Five reasons to rent an Iowa State Parks cabin in the off-season

• 3/10/2017 1:13:00 PM
• View Count 23439

Have you ever considered staying in a cabin in Iowa state parks? We offer more than 90 cabins in 19 parks across the state. Here are five reasons why you might want to book now and stay in a cabin before Memorial Day:

Walleye season closes Feb. 14 on Iowa Great Lakes

• 2/1/2017 8:48:00 AM
• View Count 3833

SPIRIT LAKE – The walleye fishing season on Spirit, East and West Okoboji lakes is open through February 14, 2017. After that date it will be closed and reopens again on May 6, 2017. These are the only Iowa lakes that have a closed season for walleye.

Hunters turning attention to the wily coyote

• 1/10/2017 11:58:00 AM
• View Count 42414

An expected 15,000 Iowa hunters will turn their attention to pursuing the state’s top predator after January 10. That’s when most of Iowa’s hunting seasons close, and coyote hunting begins in earnest.

Hunting seasons starting to close

• 1/3/2017 12:18:00 PM
• View Count 4948

Iowa’s pheasant, late muzzleloader and archery deer, and archery fall turkey seasons close on Jan. 10.  Furbearer seasons, squirrel, quail, partridge and grouse remain open until Jan. 31.

Missouri River paddlefish licenses on sale now

• 12/22/2016 9:12:00 AM
• View Count 5522

Try a new fishing experience this spring – snagging paddlefish on the Missouri River. Paddlefish licenses are on sale now through Jan. 31, 2017.

Late muzzleloader deer season begins December 19

• 12/13/2016 2:19:00 PM
• View Count 7417

Iowa’s late muzzleloader deer season begins Dec. 19, which is the final season that any-deer licenses are available.

Deer Season Notes

• 12/7/2016 10:11:00 AM
• View Count 10661

Iowa hunters have reported harvesting nearly 54,000 deer through the first weekend of the first shotgun season. First shotgun deer season ends on Dec. 7.

Iowa’s 2016 shotgun deer season preview

• 11/29/2016 11:34:00 AM
• View Count 17129

The first of Iowa’s popular shotgun deer seasons is December 3-7 when an expected 75,000 orange clad hunters head to the timber. That group will be followed by 50,000 hunters who prefer the December 10-18 second gun season.

Don’t wait till the last minute to purchase shotgun deer season licenses

• 11/22/2016 1:53:00 PM
• View Count 15004

Hunters planning to participate in Iowa’s shotgun deer season are encouraged to purchase their licenses ahead of time to avoid long lines at the retailer. 

DNR looking for opinions on current migratory game bird seasons

• 11/16/2016 10:00:00 AM
• View Count 4617

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources is asking Iowa migratory game bird hunters what they liked and disliked about the 2016 migratory game bird seasons, as a first step in developing proposed 2017 migratory game bird season dates. 

Iowa furbearer season begins November 5

• 10/25/2016 12:28:00 PM
• View Count 12449

Iowa fur harvesters will find good numbers of raccoons, muskrats, beaver, coyotes, bobcats, river otters and mink when the furbearer trapping and hunting season opens on Nov. 5.

Think safety before opening day

• 10/18/2016 12:21:00 PM
• View Count 7169

Hunters heading to the field for the opening weekend of pheasant season are encouraged to review safe hunting practices before they head out.

State parks peak season winding down

• 9/27/2016 2:23:00 PM
• View Count 4478

Another busy year in Iowa’s state parks will be coming to an end and soon staff will be preparing for the first freezing temperatures of the fall.

Canada goose season closed during youth duck season

• 9/16/2016 9:45:00 AM
• View Count 4003

The first of Iowa’s two-day youth waterfowl seasons begin Saturday in the north zone and hunters planning to take a young person on this special hunt are reminded that only the youth may participate in the hunt and only ducks, mergansers and coots are legal species.

Iowa's Youth Deer Season Begins September 17

• 9/6/2016 1:27:00 PM
• View Count 14371

The Iowa deer hunting tradition will be passed on to about 10,000 youths who are participating in the youth deer hunting season, which opens on Sept. 17. This season provides an opportunity to teach deer hunting, wildlife behavior, and safe hunting practices to resident youths while they are under the watchful eye of a licensed adult. 

Let's Talk Teal: Season Opens Sept 3

• 8/26/2016 1:02:00 PM
• View Count 4116

Early teal hunting season looks promising for Iowa hunters since a wet summer has kept Iowa's wetland areas filled with water. Now, according to DNR waterfowl biologists, it's up to weather and migration.

Special Teal Season Begins September 3

• 8/23/2016 1:42:00 PM
• View Count 4833

The third year of Iowa’s experimental early teal season begins September 3 and according to state waterfowl experts, several factors are in place for hunters to be successful.

Dove Hunting in Iowa Opens September 1

• 8/22/2016 1:18:00 PM
• View Count 6068

Iowa's sunflower fields will be a little busier this fall as hunters take part in the dove hunting season starting Sept. 1. Dove hunting is a great way to introduce young or new hunters to the sport since weather is nice and hunting requires only simple equipment.

Squirrel Season Begins September 3

• 8/16/2016 1:49:00 PM
• View Count 7685

Squirrel hunters should expect to find an average to above average squirrel population over most of the state, with higher squirrel numbers in areas with higher acorn production. Squirrel season opens Sept. 3.

Iowa's Rabbit Season Opens September 3

• 8/16/2016 1:48:00 PM
• View Count 9538

Iowa’s cottontail rabbit season opens Sept. 3. Cottontails can be found in every county but higher populations are found in southeast and south central Iowa.

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