Hunting Seasons

Hunting Season is always a special time of the year. Whether you are planning on waiting patiently in a deer stand to bag that trophy buck or sitting knee deep in the marsh hoping to bag a band. Being able to take advantage of all the hunting seasons is why The Waterfowl Hunter has put together the hunting dates for Iowa.

These dates serve as a general guide for more specific hunting visit Iowa Department of Natural Resources. 

Deer

Hunt Type Earliest Opening Date Latest Closing Date
Youth Sep. 16,2017 Oct. 1,2017
Disabled Hunter Sep. 16,2017 Oct. 1,2017
Bow Oct. 1,2017 Dec. 1,2017
Dec. 18,2017 Jan. 10,2018
Early Muzzleloader Oct. 14,2017 Oct. 22,2017
Late Muzzleloader Dec. 18,2017 Jan. 10,2018
Shotgun 1 Dec. 2,2017 Dec. 6,2017
Shotgun 2 Dec. 9,2017 Dec. 17,2017
Nonresident Holiday Antlerless-Only Dec. 24,2017 Jan. 2,2018

2017 Spring Turkey Seasons

Hunt Type Earliest Opening Date Latest Closing Date
Youth (Gun/Bow) April 8,2017 April 16,2017
Season 1 (Gun/Bow) April 17,2017 April 20,2017
Season 2 (Gun/Bow) April 21,2017 April 25,2017
Season 3 (Gun/Bow) April 26,2017 May 2,2017
Season 4 (Gun/Bow) May 3,2017 May 21,2017
Resident Archery April 17,2017 May 21,2017

2017 Fall Turkey Seasons

Hunt Type Earliest Opening Date Latest Closing Date
Gun/Bow Oct. 16,2017 Dec. 1,2017
Archery Only Oct. 1,2017 Dec. 1,2017
Dec. 18,2017 Jan. 10,2018

Furbearer Hunting Seasons

Hunt Type Earliest Opening Date Latest Closing Date
Raccoon Nov. 4,2017 Jan. 31,2018
Opossum Nov. 4,2017 Jan. 31,2018
Badger Nov. 4,2017 Jan. 31,2018
Striped Skunk Nov. 4,2017 Jan. 31,2018
Fox (Red & Gray) Nov. 4,2017 Jan. 31,2018
Bobcat Nov. 4,2017 Jan. 31,2018

Trapping Seasons

Species Earliest Opening Date Latest Closing Date
Raccoon Nov. 4,2017 Jan. 31,2018
Muskrat Nov. 4,2017 Jan. 31,2018
Fox (Red & Gray) Nov. 4,2017 Jan. 31,2018
Coyote Nov. 4,2017 Jan. 31,2018
Badger Nov. 4,2017 Jan. 31,2018
Mink Nov. 4,2017 Jan. 31,2018
Weasal Nov. 4,2017 Jan. 31,2018
Opossum Nov. 4,2017 Jan. 31,2018
Striped Skunk Nov. 4,2017 Jan. 31,2018
Beaver Nov. 4,2017 April 15,2018
Otter Nov. 4,2017 Jan. 31,2018
Bobcat Nov. 4,2017 Jan. 31,2018

Small Game

Hunt Type Earliest Opening Date Latest Closing Date
Pheasant (Youth) Oct. 21,2017 Oct. 22,2017
Pheasant Oct. 28,2017 Jan. 10,2018
Bobwhite Quail Oct. 28,2017 Jan. 31,2018
Gray Partridge Oct. 14,2017 Jan. 31,2018
Ruffed Grouse Oct. 7,2017 Jan. 31,2018
Rabbit (Cottontail) Sep. 2,2017 Feb. 28,2018
Squirrel (Fox & Gray) Sep. 2,2017 Jan. 31,2018
Groundhog Continuous Open
Crow Oct. 15,2017 Nov. 30,2017
Jan. 14,2018 March 31,2018
Pigeon Continuous Open
Coyote Continuous Open

Migratory Seasons

Zone Hunt Type Earliest Opening Date Latest Closing Date
North Zone September Teal Sep. 2,2017 Sep. 10,2017
Ducks, Coots & Mergansers Sep. 23,2017 Oct. 1,2017
Oct. 14,2017 Dec. 3,2017
Youth Waterfowl Sep. 16,2017 Sep. 17,2017
Dark Geese Sep. 23,2017 Oct. 8,2017
Oct. 14,2017 Jan. 1,2018
Light Geese Sep. 23,2017 Jan. 10,2018
Oct. 14,2017 Jan. 10,2018
South Zone September Teal Sep. 2,2017 Sep. 10,2017
Ducks, Coots & Mergansers Sep. 30,2017 Oct. 4,2017
Oct. 21,2017 Dec. 14,2017
Youth Waterfowl Sep. 23,2017 Sep. 24,2017
Dark Geese Sep. 30,2017 Oct. 8,2017
Oct. 21,2017 Jan. 15,2018
Light Geese Sep. 30,2017 Oct. 8,2018
Oct. 21,2017 Jan. 24,2018
Missouri River September Teal Sep. 2,2017 Sep. 17,2017
Ducks, Coots & Mergansers Oct. 7,2017 Oct. 8,2017
Oct. 21,2017 Dec. 17,2017
Youth Waterfowl Sep. 30,2017 Oct. 1,2017
Dark Geese Oct. 7,2017 Oct. 15,2017
Oct. 21,2017 Jan. 15,2018
Light Geese Oct. 7,2017 Oct. 15,2017
Oct. 21,2017 Jan. 15,2018
Statewide Seasons Doves Sep. 1,2017 Nov. 29,2017
Snipe Sep. 2,2017 Nov. 30,2017
Rails Sep. 2,2017 Nov. 10,2017
Woodcock Oct. 7,2017 Nov. 20,2017