The Iowa Department of Natural Resources has established deer management zones in areas where wild deer have tested positive for chronic wasting disease.
Chronic wasting disease is spread through direct contact between deer, and through urine, blood, feces and saliva left on the landscape where it remains infectious for years. This disease is 100 percent fatal. Infected deer may not display symptoms.
These deer management zones allow hunters additional opportunities to pursue deer while assisting the Iowa DNR with population management and the collection of valuable disease data. Each zone has its own antlerless licenses specific to the area, in addition to any existing county quota. Please refer to the 2020-2021 Deer Population Management Zone Hunts for additional information. Maps for each of these zones can be found below.
Hunters must still have permission to hunt any property within areas zones: purchasing a tag does not guarantee trespassing rights. Please respect private property.
These licenses are outside of the restriction of how many firearm seasons a hunter participates in, meaning that one resident of Iowa hunter can purchase DMZ licenses for Early Muzzleloader, Shotgun 1, Shotgun 2, and Late Muzzleloader season while still obtaining a Statewide Any Sex tag for a season of their choice. Licenses do not transfer between seasons and hunters must still follow all of the rules for the season they are hunting and location they are hunting. These licenses may be purchased for any regular hunting season: Youth/Disabled, Early Muzzleloader, Archery, Shotgun 1, Shotgun 2, and Late Muzzleloader. They must be used within the defined boundaries of the zone they are purchased for. CWD Zone tags may only be purchased at the specific vendor listed for each zone.
There are a few stipulations hunters agree to when purchasing these licenses:
- Licenses are good only in the zone, not county wide
- Hunters are asked to call the number on the zone map for sample collection.
- Successful hunters must check to see if a tissue sample is needed and provide one if requested.
Hunters with county specific or general deer licenses may hunt in these zones without the stipulations but are encouraged to provide tissue samples.
Zone #102 license: |
Hunters may purchase Allamakee DMZ licenses locally in Harpers Ferry at Barry’s Minimart, 563-586-2281 or Harpers One Stop, 563-586-2557; in Lansing, River N Ridge Outdoors, 563-538-4188; or at the Wallace State Office Building in Des Moines. |
Zone map: |
Allamakee Deer Management Zone Map |
Check Station: |
Sample drop off site located at
DNR Office, 427 N. First Street, Harpers Ferry
Available September 19, 2020 - January 30, 2021. Dumpster onsite. |
Tissue Collection: |
Successful hunters must call 563-379-5725 to determine if tissue sample collection is required for their harvest. |
Zone #88 license:
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January 16-24, 2021
Hunters may purchase Harpers Ferry Zone licenses locally in Harpers Ferry at Barry’s Minimart, 563-586-2281 or Harpers One Stop, 563-586-2557; in Lansing, River N Ridge Outdoors, 563-538-4188
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Zone map: |
Harpers Ferry Deer Management Zone Map
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Check Station: |
Sample drop off site located at
DNR Office, 427 N. First Street, Harpers Ferry
Available September 19, 2020 - January 30, 2021. Dumpster onsite.
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Tissue Collection: |
Successful hunters must call 563-379-5725 to determine if tissue sample collection is required for their harvest. |
Zone #106 license:
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Hunters may purchase Fayette DMZ licenses locally at West Union Hardware 563-422-5646, Fayette County Recorder 563-422-3687or at the Wallace State Office Building in Des Moines.
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Zone map: |
Fayette Deer Management Zone Map
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Check Station: |
Sample drop off site Gilbertson Nature Center, 1810 Agate Rd, Elgin.
Available September 19, 2020 through January 30, 2021. Dumpster on site. |
Tissue Collection: |
Successful hunters must call 319-213-2815 to determine if tissue sample collection is required for their harvest. |
Zone #103 license:
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Hunters may purchase Clayton DMZ licenses locally at Coast to Coast 563-245-2521, Clayton County Recorder 563-245-2710 or at the Wallace State Office Building in Des Moines.
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Zone map: |
Clayton Deer Management Zone Map
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Check Station: |
Sample drop off site at Osborne Nature Center, 29862 Osborne Rd, Elkader.
Available September 19, 2020 through January 30, 2021. Dumpster on site. |
Tissue Collection: |
Successful hunters must call 563-929-6001 to determine if tissue sample collection is required for their harvest. |
Zone #87 license:
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January 16-24, 2021
Hunters may purchase Elkader-West Union CWD Zone licenses locally at Elkader Coast-to-Coast, 563-245-2521
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Zone map: |
Elkader-West Union Deer Management Zone Map
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Check Station: |
Drop off site located at Osborne Park, 29862 Osborne Road, Elkader and the Gilbertson Nature Center 1810 Agate Rd, Elgin
Available September 19, 2020 - January 30, 2021. Dumpster on site. |
Tissue Collection: |
Successful hunters must call 563-929-6001 to determine if tissue sample collection is required for their harvest. |
Zone #17 license: |
Hunters may purchase Dubuque Zone licenses locally at Bait Shack, 563-582-9395 or Tri State Outdoors, 563-582-8514; or at the Wallace State Office Building in Des Moines. |
Zone map: |
Dubuque Deer Management Zone Map |
Check Station: |
Sample drop off sites located at
Swiss Valley Nature Center, 13606 Swiss Valley Road, Peosta and Bait Shack, 2095 Kerper Blvd, Dubuque
Available September 19, 2020 - January 30, 2021. Dumpster on site. |
Tissue Collection: |
Successful hunters must call 563-929-6001 to determine if tissue sample collection is required for their harvest. |
Zone #108 license: |
Hunters may purchase Winneshiek licenses locally at Winneshiek County Recorder 563-277-5292, Fisk Farm & Home 563-382-8822, Decorah; or at the Wallace State Office Building in Des Moines. |
Zone map: |
Winneshiek Deer Management Zone Map |
Check Station: |
Sample drop off site at Chuck Gipp Decorah Fish Hatchery, Decorah.
Available September 19, 2020 through January 30, 2021. Dumpster on site. |
Tissue Collection: |
Successful hunter must call 563-379-5725 to determine if tissue sample collection is required for their harvest. |
Zone #93 license:
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January 16-24, 2021
Hunters may purchase licenses locally at Winneshiek County Recorder 563-277-5292, Fisk Farm & Home 563-382-8822, Howard County Recorder at 536-547-9210
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Zone map: |
Decorah-Cresco Deer Management Zone Map
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Check Station: |
Sample drop off site at Chuck Gipp Decorah Fish Hatchery, Decorah.
Available September 19, 2020 through January 30, 2021. Dumpster on site. |
Tissue Collection: |
Sucessful hunters must call 563-379-5725 to determine if tissue sample collection is required for their harvest. |
Zone #104 license: |
Hunters may purchase licenses locally at Leon Hy-Vee 641-446-6132,Decatur County Recorder 641-446-4322 or at Wallace State Office Building in Des Moines. |
Zone map: |
Decatur Deer Management Zone Map |
Check Station: |
Decatur CCB, 20485 NW Little River Rd., Leon - Dec. 5-6, 12-13, & 19-20
Dumpster nearby |
Tissue Collection: |
Successful hunters must call 515-975-8318 or email andrew.kellner@dnr.iowa.gov to determine if tissue sample collection is required for their harvest. |
Zone #109 license: |
Hunters may purchase licenses locally at Mills Fleet Farm 712-454-7306, Scheels 712-252-1551, Dick’s Bait & Tackle #2 712-252-4000, or at Wallace State Office Building in Des Moines |
Zone map: |
Woodbury Deer Management Zone Map |
Check Station: |
Successful hunters can drop off heads at Stone State Park, 5001 Talbot Rd, Sioux City, and Woodbury County Conservation Bd Brown's Lake, 722 Bigelow Park Rd, Salix |
Tissue Collection: |
Successful hunters must call 712-420-2437 or email doug.chafa@iowa.dnr.gov to determine if tissue sample collection is required for their harvest. |
Zone #107 license: |
Hunters may purchase Wayne Deer Management Zone licenses locally at the Corydon Hy-Vee, 641-872-1564, T/K Guns, 641-873-4755, or Wayne County Recorder's Office, 641-872-1676; or Wallace State Office Building in Des Moines. |
Zone map: |
Wayne Deer Management Zone Map |
Check Station: |
11 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., Dec. 5-6 and 12-13
Corydon Volunteer Fire Station, 213 S Washington Street, Corydon
Dumpster nearby, email questions to WayneCWD@dnr.iowa.gov |
Tissue Collection: |
If check station not available, successful hunters must call 641-208-5411 to determine if tissue sample collection is required for their harvest. |
Zone #89 license: |
January 16-24, 2021
Hunter precertification required prior to license purchase. Call 641-203-2970 with inquiries.
Hunters may purchase Corydon CWD Incentive licenses locally at T/K Guns, 641-873-4755, or Wayne County Recorder's Office, 641-872-1676
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Zone map: |
Corydon CWD Incentive Zone Map |
Check Station: |
none |
Tissue Collection: |
Successful hunters must call 641-203-5411 or 319-330-5578 to arrange for tissue sample collection. |