(KIWA) — Western Iowa deer hunters will have several opportunities next month to learn about major regulation changes taking effect for the upcoming deer season.
The Iowa Department of Natural Resources will hold four public meetings before deer licenses go on sale August 15. Two will be held in the immediate area:
•August 5 — Sandy Hollow Clubhouse near Sioux Center
•August 6 — Prairie Heritage Center between Sutherland and Peterson
Additional meetings are scheduled for August 3 at Yellow Smoke Park near Denison and August 4 at the Dennis L. Sohl Center in Hinton. All four meetings begin at 6 p.m.
State Divided Into Two Deer Zones
The most significant change divides Iowa into two deer hunting zones.
Zone B includes Lyon, Sioux, O’Brien, Plymouth, Woodbury, Ida, Crawford and Shelby counties. All remaining counties are included in Zone A.
General deer licenses issued for Zone B will be valid for antlered bucks only. Under the new regulations, an antlered buck must have at least one forked antler.
Party hunting will also be prohibited in Zone B for both residents and nonresidents. That means each hunter must shoot and tag a deer for which they personally hold a valid license. Group hunting and deer drives may still take place.
Zone B’s antlered-buck restriction applies during all seasons except for youth and disabled hunters, those using landowner-tenant licenses, and landowners participating in the depredation program.
Hunters Must Choose a Zone
Hunters will be required to choose where they plan to hunt before purchasing a license. Zone A licenses will not be valid in Zone B, and Zone B licenses cannot be used in Zone A.
A limited number of county-specific Any-Deer licenses will be available in select Zone B counties. Those licenses will be sold on a first-come, first-served basis and will only be valid in the county for which they are issued.
Licenses go on sale at 9 a.m. August 15.
Iowa DNR State Deer Biologist Jace Elliott says the changes followed more than a dozen meetings with local hunters who expressed concern about low deer populations and wanted regulations that would help the herd recover.
Elliott says the upcoming Zone B meetings are intended to continue that conversation and help hunters understand the new requirements. He adds that Zone B could eventually expand to other counties if population conditions warrant additional protections.
The DNR is also encouraging hunters to make conservative harvest decisions in areas where deer numbers remain low. Additional details are available through the department’s deer hunting information page.
