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DNR News Releases

Archive by tag: huntingReturn

Learn to Hunt program opens registration for rabbit workshop

• 9/5/2023 1:09:00 PM
• View Count 2139

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is offering a program to teach skills needed to hunt, field dress and cook rabbits to youth and adults who have little to no small game hunting experience.

Learn to Hunt program opens registration for women’s upland bird hunting workshop and mentored hunt

• 9/5/2023 1:06:00 PM
• View Count 1062

DES MOINES - The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is offering a comprehensive program on hunting upland game for women who have little or no upland bird hunting experience or who are looking to return to the field and build a network of female upland hunters.

Iowa’s rabbit, squirrel season opens Sept. 2

• 8/29/2023 2:23:00 PM
• View Count 2133

The good news for Iowa’s cottontail rabbit hunters is that Iowa has an abundant rabbit population, with the south-central part of the state seeing the best overall numbers. The better news for hunters is Iowa’s cottontail rabbit season begins Sept. 2 statewide.

Iowa’s dove season begins Sept. 1

• 8/29/2023 2:11:00 PM
• View Count 2632

Iowa’s sunflower and wheat fields will be popular places on Sept. 1, when thousands of hunters slip into the standing flowers and field edges in the early morning darkness for the opening day of dove hunting season.

Iowa’s teal-only hunting season opens Sept. 1

• 8/29/2023 2:02:00 PM
• View Count 2459

Iowa’s 16-day teal only hunting season begins statewide Sept. 1, offering hunters an opportunity to enjoy Iowa’s wetlands and shallow lakes during the mild late summer weather.

Big Creek Wildlife Area is hidden in plain sight

• 8/9/2023 7:30:00 AM
• View Count 2684

Often overlooked for its similarly named state park or mistaken for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers sprawling Saylorville Wildlife Area, Big Creek Wildlife Area is roughly 3,100-acre, one stop outdoor shop just 10 minutes from Ankeny.

DNR seeks comment on proposed license regulations and docks administrative rule revisions

• 7/13/2023 3:17:00 PM
• View Count 2624

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is seeking informal comments on administrative rules for  Private, Commercial and Public Docks (Chapter 16) and General Licenses for hunting, fishing and trapping license regulations (Chapter 15).

Iowa’s spring turkey season is one for the books

• 5/16/2023 1:47:00 PM
• View Count 2687

Despite a rainy cold closing weekend across much of state, Iowa’s wild turkey hunters reported harvesting more than 14,800 birds through the mandatory registration system, an increase of nearly 3,000 versus the 2022 harvest.

New veterans hunting, fishing licenses available April 12

• 4/12/2023 1:24:00 PM
• View Count 9009

The new Armed Forces Hunting and Fishing licenses are now available to residents of Iowa who served in the armed forces of the United States on federal active duty. The new annual fishing license, or hunting and fishing combo license, is $5, with a $2 processing fee.

Iowa DNR cancels public meetings in Ventura, Algona and Okoboji due to weather

• 2/22/2023 12:33:00 PM
• View Count 4391

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources is cancelling public meetings planned tonight in Ventura, Algona and Okoboji due to inclement weather. The meetings will not be rescheduled.

DNR annual public meetings recapping hunting, trapping seasons, and possible rule changes begin next week

• 2/17/2023 9:05:00 AM
• View Count 5532

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is hosting a series of town hall-style meetings where local staff will provide updates on recently completed hunting and trapping seasons, discuss possible changes, and address other topics as requested.

2022 hunting, fishing license sales

• 2/7/2023 8:13:00 PM
• View Count 6400

In 2022, Iowa residents purchased…

DNR finalizes public meeting locations to recap hunting, trapping seasons, discuss possible rule changes

• 2/7/2023 8:04:00 PM
• View Count 5713

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is hosting a series of town hall-style meetings where local staff will provide updates on recently completed hunting and trapping seasons, discuss possible changes, and address other topics as requested.

Iowa DNR accepting comments on proposed new armed forces fishing licenses

• 12/20/2022 11:58:00 AM
• View Count 8710

DES MOINES - The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is accepting comments on the proposed new armed forces fishing licenses, through Jan. 24.

Iowa’s late muzzleloader deer season is underway; hunters provide 4,600 deer samples for chronic wasting disease testing

• 12/20/2022 11:55:00 AM
• View Count 9465

With Iowa’s shotgun deer seasons in the rearview mirror, hunting deer returns to a more solidary experience with late muzzleloader season and the reopening of the archery season.

2023 hunting, fishing licenses on sale Dec. 15

• 12/6/2022 9:14:00 PM
• View Count 8329

Iowans can begin buying 2023 resident hunting, fishing and other licenses on Dec. 15.  Licenses purchased for 2022 expire on Jan. 10, 2023.

Four states partner in Operation Early Birds waterfowl hunting enforcement project

• 11/22/2022 11:36:00 AM
• View Count 4216

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) joined its fellow agencies in Missouri, Kansas and Nebraska on a joint project to check waterfowl regulations compliance over a 36-hour period from the evening on Nov. 4 to the morning on Nov. 6.

Revive the Thanksgiving pheasant hunting tradition this year

• 11/22/2022 11:34:00 AM
• View Count 4483

Iowa’s 2022 pheasant season has produced some of the best hunting in the past decade and peak hunting may be just starting.

Safety first, during the shotgun seasons

• 11/15/2022 11:42:00 AM
• View Count 3886

The long wait is almost over. For an expected 100,000 deer hunters, the shotgun deer seasons are right around the corner and before they head to the timber, it’s important that everyone go through their gear to make sure everything still fits and still works and takes time to review their hunting safety plan.

For Iowa’s deer hunters, the wait is nearly over, shotgun deer seasons begin Dec. 3

• 11/15/2022 11:37:00 AM
• View Count 8433

Iowa’s most popular deer hunting seasons are just around the corner, when roughly 100,000 blaze orange clad hunters take to the timber and wildlife experts are forecasting another good year.

Iowa’s pheasant opener was busy, with lots of hunter success

• 11/1/2022 1:43:00 PM
• View Count 3934

Hunters are home, the dogs are resting and Iowa’s opening weekend of pheasant season is in the rearview mirror. Reports from across the state varied from excellent up north to good in central and southwest Iowa, with the consensus that hunting will continue to improve once all the corn is harvested.

Duck hunters encouraged to use safe boating practices while on the water

• 9/30/2022 2:39:00 PM
• View Count 2560

Duck hunters who hunt from a boat are encouraged to include boating safety as part of their hunting plan. Waterfowl hunters use boats on some of the coldest days of the year.

Duck season begins Oct. 1 in Iowa’s north zone

• 9/30/2022 2:31:00 PM
• View Count 2832

Waterfowlers have waited all year for this: for the next three weekends in Iowa, there will be an opening day for duck and goose hunting. The north zone opens on Oct. 1, the central zone opens on Oct. 8 and the south zone opens on Oct. 15. Each zone is open seven days, then close for seven days, before re-opening.

Bowhunters encouraged to practice the ABCs of tree stand safety

• 9/27/2022 2:14:00 PM
• View Count 2562

Tree stand incidents can happen to deer hunters regardless of skill level or experience and result in serious injury or even death. Unfortunately, in nearly every case, these incidents were preventable.

Iowa’s rabbit, squirrel season opens Sept. 3

• 8/30/2022 1:39:00 PM
• View Count 4587

The good news for Iowa’s cottontail rabbit hunters is that Iowa has an abundant rabbit population, with the south-central part of the state seeing the best overall numbers. The better news for hunters is Iowa’s cottontail rabbit season begins Sept. 3 statewide.

Pheasant survey predicts a repeat of last year’s excellent hunting for most of Iowa

• 8/30/2022 1:02:00 PM
• View Count 11181

Results of Iowa’s 2022 pheasant population survey are in and the results were nearly identical to that of 2021, when hunters harvested the highest number of roosters in more than a decade.

Iowa’s dove season begins Sept. 1

• 8/16/2022 1:17:00 PM
• View Count 4320

Iowa’s sunflower and wheat fields will be popular places on Sept. 1, when thousands of hunters slip into the standing flowers and field edges in the early morning darkness for the opening day of dove hunting season.

Iowa’s teal-only hunting season opens Sept. 1

• 8/16/2022 1:12:00 PM
• View Count 3803

Iowa’s 16-day teal only hunting season begins statewide Sept. 1, offering hunters an opportunity to enjoy Iowa’s wetlands and shallow lakes during the mild late summer weather.

Spring turkey season ends on a high note

• 5/31/2022 3:31:00 PM
• View Count 2220

Despite some challenging weather conditions, Iowa’s wild turkey hunters reported harvesting nearly 12,000 birds through the mandatory registration system. While similar to 2021, the 300 additional birds registered represented and overall state increase in harvest of around two percent.

Apply now for Iowa nonresident deer tags

• 5/23/2022 3:17:00 PM
• View Count 2906

The Iowa nonresident deer hunting application period is currently open. Applications close June 5 at midnight, so there's still plenty of time to apply.

Learn to Hunt program opens registration for Field to Fork archery deer hunting program

• 5/10/2022 1:55:00 PM
• View Count 2116

DES MOINES - The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is offering a six-month workshop to teach skills needed to hunt, field dress and cook white-tailed deer to individuals who have little to no archery hunting experience.

Learn to Hunt program opens registration for wild turkey virtual Q & A panel discussion

• 3/8/2022 1:45:00 PM
• View Count 848

DES MOINES - The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is offering a virtual program to teach the introductory skills needed to hunt, field dress and cook wild turkey.

DNR finalizes public meeting locations to recap hunting, trapping seasons, discuss possible rule changes

• 2/8/2022 12:44:00 PM
• View Count 1541

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is hosting a series of town hall-style meetings where local staff will provide updates on recently completed hunting and trapping seasons, discuss possible changes to hunting and trapping rules and regulations, and address other topics as requested.

2021 hunting, fishing license sales

• 1/25/2022 3:40:00 PM
• View Count 2070

In 2021, nonresidents purchased…

DNR finalizes public meeting locations to recap hunting, trapping seasons, discuss possible rule changes

• 1/20/2022 1:38:00 PM
• View Count 2188

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is hosting a series of town hall-style meetings where local staff will provide updates on recently completed hunting and trapping seasons, discuss possible changes to hunting and trapping rules and regulations, and address other topics as requested.

Outdoor Notes

• 12/28/2021 1:15:00 PM
• View Count 1120

Hunting seasons will begin closing in early January. Pheasant, archery turkey and deer seasons, and late muzzleloader deer season close on Jan. 10.

2022 hunting, fishing license on sale Dec. 15; duck, goose and dove hunters now required to register with HIP

• 12/8/2021 2:20:00 PM
• View Count 6979

Resident hunting, fishing and other licenses for 2022 are available beginning Dec. 15. The menu of license options includes the popular Outdoor Combo annual resident hunting/fishing/habitat combo license for $55; the Angler’s Special three-year fishing license for $62; and the Hunter’s Special three-year hunting license with habitat included for $101.

Iowa DNR stresses safety after weekend hunting incidents

• 12/7/2021 1:45:00 PM
• View Count 6300

Officers with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) responded to four deer hunting incidents over the weekend – one related to property damage, one minor injury, one serious injury and one fatality - and one related to pheasant hunting.

Iowa DNR releases name of hunting incident fatality in Marion County

• 12/5/2021 5:02:00 PM
• View Count 1119

MARION COUNTY, Iowa – Authorities have identified 37-year-old Nathan Allen Sharpnack, of Winterset, as the victim in a fatal hunting incident that occurred in Marion County on Saturday. 

DNR investigates fatal hunting incident in Marion County

• 12/4/2021 5:05:00 PM
• View Count 1089

MARION COUNTY, Iowa – Iowa DNR conservation officers responded to a fatal hunting incident on Saturday, December 4, 2021 around 2:45 pm near Lake Red Rock in Marion County.

Pheasant hunting on Thanksgiving as traditional as pumpkin pie

• 11/23/2021 3:09:00 PM
• View Count 1803

For many Iowans, a Thanksgiving Day pheasant hunt is as much a part of the holiday tradition as football, battling over the last turkey leg and an afternoon nap, and this year’s outing may be one of the best.

Learn to Hunt program opens registration for upland bird hunting workshop and mentored hunt

• 11/16/2021 2:30:00 PM
• View Count 1511

DECORAH - The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is offering a program to teach skills needed to hunt upland birds to anyone who has little to no upland bird hunting experience. 

Duck hunters encouraged to use safe boating practices while on the water

• 10/26/2021 4:08:00 PM
• View Count 2029

Duck hunters who hunt from a boat are encouraged to include boating safety as part of their hunting plan. Waterfowl hunters use boats on some of the coldest days of the year. Not only is the water deathly cold on these days, but the hunter is likely wearing enough layers to make themselves heavy and clumsy, and if they go into the water, they are in serious trouble.

Learn to Hunt program opens registration for upland bird hunting workshop and mentored hunt

• 10/19/2021 7:09:00 PM
• View Count 1980

DES MOINES - The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is offering a program to teach skills needed to hunt, field dress and cook upland birds to anyone who has little to no upland bird hunting experience.

Partnership aims to empower more Iowans to help slow the spread of Chronic Wasting Disease

• 10/19/2021 9:13:00 AM
• View Count 1598

Fall is upon us, which means more than 160,000 Iowans will soon be hitting the field for Iowa’s famed white-tailed deer hunting season. The Iowa Department of Natural Resources’ (DNR) is once again asking hunters to help fight chronic wasting disease in the deer herd.

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