Hunting Season Dates

Iowa's Hunting Regulations

This is not a complete set of hunting and trapping laws but contains the information you are most likely to need to safely participate in these outdoor activities.

2024/25 Iowa Hunting, Trapping, and Migratory Game Bird Regulations [PDF] 2023/24 Hunting Seasons and Limits, Card [PDF] 2023/24 Migratory Game Bird Seasons and Limits, Card [PDF] Waterfowl Hunting Map Book [PDF]
Proposed 2024-25 County Antlerless Quota Changes [PDF] Waterfowl Hunting Zones - South Zone Callout Map [PDF] Chronic Wasting Disease, Hunter Guide [PDF]

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Deer Hunting Season Dates

deer

We work hard to keep our calendar current, but always refer to the hunting regulation booklet for official, legal season dates.

2024 Seasons	Season Dates	License On-Sale Dates
Youth Season	Sept 21 - Oct 6, 2024	Aug 15 - End of Season
Disabled Hunter (Requires a permit)	Sept 21 - Oct 6, 2024	Aug 15 - End of Season
Archery Season, Early Split	Oct 1 - Dec 6, 2024	Aug 15 - End of Season
Archery Season, Late Split	Dec 23 - Jan 10, 2025	Aug 15 - End of Season
Early Muzzleloader (residents only)	Oct 12 - 20, 2024	Aug 15 - End of Season (until quota is reached)
Late Muzzleloader	Dec 23 - Jan 10, 2025	Aug 15 - End of Season
Shotgun, Season 1	Dec 7 - 11, 2024	Aug 15 - End of Season
Shotgun, Season 2	Dec 14 - 22, 2024	Aug 15 - End of Season
Nonresident Holiday Season	Dec 24 - Jan 2, 2025	Aug 15 - End of Season (until quota is reached)

Shooting hours for all deer seasons are half-hour before sunrise to half-hour after sunset.

Find out more regarding Deer Disease Monitoring and the CWD Reporting System.

Nonresidents: The nonresident deer application period is the first Saturday in May through the first Sunday in June. The application is available in December.

Migratory Game Bird Season Dates

We work hard to keep our calendar current, but always refer to the hunting regulation booklet for official, legal season dates.

2024-2025	North Zone	Central Zone	South Zone
Youth Waterfowl	Sept. 21-22	Sept. 28-29	Oct. 5-6
Ducks, Mergansers & Coots	Sep. 28 - Oct. 4 Oct. 12 - Dec. 3	Oct. 5 - 11 Oct. 19 - Dec. 10	Oct. 12 - 18 Oct. 26 - Dec. 17
Dark Geese & Light Geese	Sep. 21 - Oct. 6 Oct. 12 - Dec. 3 Dec. 14 - Jan. 11, 2025	Sep. 28 - Oct. 13 Oct. 19 - Dec. 10 Dec. 21 - Jan. 18	Oct. 5 - 20 Oct. 26 - Dec. 17 Dec. 28 - Jan. 25, 2025

2024-2025	Statewide	Limit
Special September Teal	Sept. 1 - 16	Daily limit is 6
Doves	Sept. 1 - Nov. 29	Daily limit is 15
Snipe	Sept. 7 - Nov. 30	Daily limit is 8
Rail	Sept. 7 - Nov. 15	Daily limit is 12
Woodcock	Oct. 5 - Nov. 18	Daily limit is 3

Metropolitan Goose Hunting Season (in specified areas): Only in designated zones around Des Moines, Cedar Rapids/Iowa City and Cedar Falls/Waterloo. Special regulations apply. Maps: Cedar Rapids/Iowa City Zone, Des Moines Zone, and Waterloo/Cedar Falls Zone
Light Geese Conservation Order (additional regulations apply. Jan. 26 - May 1, 2025

Small Game and Upland Hunting Season Dates

We work hard to keep our calendar current, but always refer to the hunting regulation booklet for official, legal season dates.

2024-2025	Season Dates	Hours	Daily/Possession
Rooster Pheasant (Youth)	Oct 19 - 20, 2024	8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.	1/ 2
Rooster Pheasant	Oct 26 - Jan 10, 2025	8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.	3/ 12
Bobwhite Quail	Oct 26 - Jan 31, 2025	8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.	8 /16
Gray Partridge	Oct 12 - Jan 31, 2025	8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.	8 /16
Ruffed Grouse	Oct 5 - Jan 31, 2025	Sunrise to Sunset	3/ 6
Rabbit (Cottontail)	Aug 31 - Feb 28, 2025	Sunrise to Sunset	10 /20
Rabbit (Jack)	CLOSED		0/ 0
Squirrel (Fox and Gray)	Aug 31 - Jan 31, 2025	No Restrictions	6 /12
Groundhog	Continuous Open Season	No Restrictions	No Limit /No Limit
Crow	Oct 15 - Nov 30, 2024 and Jan 14 - March 31, 2025	No Restrictions	No Limit /No Limit
Pigeon	Continuous Open Season	No Restrictions	No Limit /No Limit
Coyote	Continuous Open Season	No Restrictions	No Limit /No Limit

Trapping & Fur Harvesting Season Dates

We work hard to keep our calendar current, but always refer to the hunting regulation booklet for official, legal season dates.

General Trapping Nov. 2-Feb. 28, 2025
Beaver Nov. 2-April 15, 2025

Turkey Hunting Season Dates

turkey

We work hard to keep our calendar current, but always refer to the hunting regulation booklet for official, legal season dates.

Licenses go on sale August 15.
Note: nonresidents are not eligible for fall turkey hunting licenses.

Gun shooting hours: half-hour before sunrise to sunset
Bow shooting hours: half-hour before sunrise to 1/2 hour after sunset.

2024 Fall Turkey Hunting	Season Dates	License On-sale Dates
Gun/bow	Oct 14 - Dec 6, 2024	Aug 15 - until quotas are filled
Archery Only	Oct 1 - Dec 6, 2024 & Dec 23 - Jan 10, 2025	Aug 15 - end of season (no quota)

2025 Spring Turkey Hunting	Season Dates	Shooting Hours
Youth season (residents only)	Apr 11 - 13, 2025	half-hour before sunrise to sunset.
Season 1	Apr 14 - 17, 2025	half-hour before sunrise to sunset.
Season 2	Apr 18 - 22, 2025	half-hour before sunrise to sunset.
Season 3	Apr 23 - 29, 2025	half-hour before sunrise to sunset.
Season 4	Apr 30 - May 18, 2025	half-hour before sunrise to sunset.
Resident archery-only	Apr 14 - May 18, 2025	half-hour before sunrise to sunset.

Bag limit: daily bag and season possession limit is one bearded or male wild turkey for each valid license and transportation tag issued to the hunter.

The nonresident spring turkey application period is Jan. 1 to the last Sunday in January. the application is available in December.