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Iowa's Deer Shotgun Season Opens This Weekend

Photo: Sue Danielson

(Des Moines, IA) -- The first of two deer shotgun seasons begins this weekend in Iowa. Tyler Harms of the Iowa Department of Natural Resources estimates around 30-thousand hunters will try their luck this weekend in Iowa. He says the second season may attract more, up to 50-thousand hunters.

He says each year the deer harvest is around 100,000. Last year, hunters took 109,500.

Harms reminds hunters to take safety precautions in the field and when handling harvested deer. A recent study found wild-deer in Iowa infected with coronavirus. Harms says they do not believe there's any risk to humans who consume venison from a COVID-infected wild deer. He is reminding hunters to use gloves while processing the animal and making sure hands and equipment are thoroughly washed after use.

He says at this point there are more questions than answers about the spread of coronavirus within the wild deer population.

Harms also reminds hunters about the Help Us Stop Hunger (HUSH) program, to donate venison to the Food Bank of Iowa. He says the program provides about 135,000 pounds of venison to families in need each year.

He says the DNR has an Iowa Deer Exchange program, to connect hunters with potential recipients.


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