The return of the white-tailed deer as a major game species in Iowa is a tribute to good landowner attitude and progressive management, research and enforcement programs. Likewise, responsibility for the future of deer in Iowa depends upon the cooperation of hunters and landowners, preservation of critical timber habitat, legislative support and continued professional management of the resource.
The Iowa Deer Program maintains a number of informational documents to showcase current management strategies, research findings, and hunter perspectives. These reports and plans provide transparency, outline program priorities, and help guide the future of deer management in Iowa.
The Iowa Department of Natural Resources routinely monitors health events affecting our native wildlife. For more information regarding incidental, seasonal (EHD and BT), and endemic diseases (CWD) visit our deer health page. The Iowa DNR also offers specific information regarding Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD), including a Chronic Wasting Disease Hunter Guide.
The population management season is restricted to Allamakee, Winneshiek, Decatur, Appanoose, Monroe and Wayne and is only open if the number of antlerless licenses available exceeds 100 on the third Monday in December. This season allows hunter options for the method of take. The excess tag season was created by the Iowa legislature in 2022 and allows any county with excess antlerless tags on Jan. 10 to be eligible, but restricts the method of take to rifles only.
The caliber, or bullet diameter, is typically printed on the ammunition box and packaging.
No it's not. We have tried to include common ones in the limited space we have in the regulations, but there are many less popular cartridges not shown on the list. The most important criteria is that it's at least .350 inches, but no greater than .500 inches. If you’re not sure if your cartridge is allowed, please check with your local DNR conservation officer.
Both the .350 and .500 are legal. If it's .349 or less or .501 or more, it's not legal.
It’s legal to use a revolver for deer hunting if the barrel is at least 4 inches long.
The .350 Legend is legal for deer hunting in Iowa.
If you need additional clarification or have other questions, we'd encourage you to call your local DNR conservation officer, who would be happy to chat about this. You can find contact information at iowadnr.gov/officers.
No, there is not a maximum round count for rifle or shotgun magazines for deer hunting in Iowa.
Legal shotguns, handguns, muzzleloaders, bows and center-fire rifles .223 caliber and larger are legal for use during the special January Antlerless-only deer season in Allamakee, Appanoose, Clayton, Decatur, Lucas, Monroe, Wayne and Winneshiek counties January 11-19, 2025.
Legal firearms for the youth/disabled and shotgun 1 and 2 seasons include:
Pistols and revolvers (with a minimum barrel length of 4 inches)
Straight-wall and "necked-down" cartridge rifles shooting an expanding type bullet of at least .350 inches and no greater than .500 inches with at least 500 foot pounds of muzzle energy.
This includes, but is not limited to, the following common calibers: .35 Whelen, .350 Legend, .358 Winchester, .375 Winchester, .40 S&W, .44 Magnum, .444 Marlin, .45 Long Colt, .45 Raptor, .450 Bushmaster, .450 Marlin, .45-70 Govt, .460 S&W and .500 S&W.
