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.
Hunters may not use a handgun to shoot a deer while hunting under an archery deer tag. While hunting under an archery tag, hunters with a permit to carry may have a handgun in their possession, but may not use it to shoot or dispatch any deer. Hunters who do not have a permit to carry may not have a handgun in their possession while hunting under an archery tag.
Archery season closes during the two shotgun seasons and reopens after the second shotgun season closes. This coincides with the opening of the late muzzleloader season.
Legal methods of take for hunters using a late muzzleloader tag include: bow, muzzleloader, crossbow (resident only) and handgun.