(Des Moines, IA) -- The wait is almost over for Iowa's hunters.
The shotgun deer season begins December 3rd.
The Iowa Department of Natural Resources says the deer population is slightly increasing compared to last year.
More than 23-thousand deer have been harvested so far, which is 8-percent higher than this time last year.
Excess Tag Antlerless Season will start in select counties on January 11th.