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
2021-2022 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.