Iowa's Archery Deer Season Underway

DES MOINES, Iowa - Although many bowhunters wait until late October or early November when the rut begins to spend their time in the field pursuing Iowa's only big game animal, the archery deer season is underway.

Early season hunting can be more challenging due to the thick vegetation and limited visibility. Mosquitoes can also be voracious, but some early season hunters will be rewarded if they are willing to put in the time and effort.

In early October deer are still in their summer patterns and habitats. Deer will visit food sources and water and bed in a fairly predictable, sometimes relatively small area. Many bucks will still be in bachelor groups and their movements can often be patterned during this time. With each cold front, some bucks will begin making rubs and scrapes to advertise their presence, but they are not actively seeking does so movement is still limited. To be successful, hunters should be cautious with their scouting to avoid overly disturbing animals which have often become accustomed to less human disturbance during the summer months. Hunters should look for food sources such as hay or bean fields or acorns as they begin to fall.

Many hunters use tree stands and tree stand safety is crucial for a safe hunt. Hunting is generally safe, but climbing into and out of trees should be done with care. Hunters should inspect all of their gear to make sure it is in good condition and is working properly. And hunters should never get into a tree stand without a safety harness.

Hunters wanting to be successful need to practice with their bows so they can kill deer cleanly. Familiarity with their equipment, practice, sharp broad heads and knowledge of their quarry are all important for hunters to be consistently successful.

The early portions of the season also offer hunters the opportunity to do some needed deer management. Surveys indicate that, in general, portions of northwestern, north central, and central Iowa have deer populations similar to 2006, while populations in northeast, southeast, south-central and southwest Iowa have stable to increasing numbers compared.

Many areas in Iowa have abundant deer populations. Hunters can help farmers and landowners by taking an antlerless deer or two early in the season. Many of Iowa's urban areas offer special hunts that bow hunters can participate in. These hunts often have extra requirements however, so contact the organization listed in the hunting regulation brochure before going a field. Hunters can also use the HUSH program to donate deer to the Iowa Food Bank and provide needed meat for less fortunate Iowans.

The archery deer season runs from Oct. 1 through Nov. 30, and from Dec. 17 through Jan 10. Shooting hours are from ½ hour before sunrise to ½ hour after sunset. Hunters who are successful must report the harvest using the harvest reporting system by midnight following the day the deer is recovered. This is the second year hunters have been required to report their kill. They can call the toll free number (1-800-771-4692) or use the DNR website (www.iowadnr.gov) to report their. New this year hunters can also report a kill at any license vendor. For hunters with Internet access, online reporting of the harvest is the easiest. Last year 52,998 bow hunters harvested a reported 22,008 deer. Roughly half were antlerless deer. The harvest reports are vital information Iowa DNR biologists need for properly managing Iowa's deer population and hunting opportunities.