Deer season 2026–27 · last checked Sep 26, 2026
Iowa deer season dates 2026–27
Official dates from Iowa Department of Natural Resources, by season and zone, plus the public land in Iowa from our directory. Archery opens Oct. 1, 2026. Firearms: Dec. 5, 2026 (Shotgun season 1).
Last checked Sep 26, 2026 against the official Iowa Department of Natural Resources page. Dates vary by zone, unit and county, and agencies can change them. Confirm with Iowa Department of Natural Resources before you hunt.
Quick answers
- When does archery deer season start in Iowa?
- Oct. 1, 2026, per Iowa Department of Natural Resources. See the table for zone differences and closing dates.
- When does gun (firearms) deer season start in Iowa?
- Dec. 5, 2026 (Shotgun season 1).
- Where are the official rules?
- Iowa Department of Natural Resources: hunting information. Bag limits, licenses, tags and weapon rules are not repeated here.
Iowa deer season dates, 2026–27
Deer
| Season | Where | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Youth | — | Sept. 19 – Oct. 4, 2026 |
| Disabled hunter | — | Sept. 19 – Oct. 4, 2026 |
| Archery, early split | — | Oct. 1 – Dec. 4, 2026 |
| Early muzzleloader | — | Oct. 17–25, 2026 |
| Shotgun 1 | — | Dec. 5–9, 2026 |
| Shotgun 2 | — | Dec. 12–20, 2026 |
| Archery, late split | — | Dec. 21, 2026 – Jan. 10, 2027 |
| Late muzzleloader | — | Dec. 21, 2026 – Jan. 10, 2027 |
| Nonresident holiday | — | Dec. 24, 2026 – Jan. 2, 2027 |
| January antlerless (population management / excess tag) | Where offered | Jan. 11–24, 2027 |
- Check license, quota and antlerless tag rules in the Iowa DNR regulations.
Official sources (checked Sep 26, 2026)
Public land in Iowa that may allow deer hunting
Our directory lists 469 named public land units in Iowa (about 669K ac, from USGS PAD-US 4.1): 339 state wildlife & game areas, 10 forests & grasslands, 28 wildlife refuges & WPAs, 9 lake & reservoir project lands, 83 other public land units. PAD-US shows who manages the land. It doesn’t cover hunting rules. Before you go, check the area’s own rules with the managing agency. WMAs, refuges and forests often have special dates, permits or closed zones.
State wildlife areas & game lands in Iowa
All 339 →- State wildlife / game area
Red Rock Wildlife Management Area
31,187 acres
State: department of natural resources · Marion County, Warren County + 1 more
Open access - State wildlife / game area
Rathbun Wildlife Management Area
15,902 acres
State: department of natural resources · Appanoose County, Lucas County + 1 more
Open access - State wildlife / game area
Saylorville Wildlife Management Area
10,782 acres
State: department of natural resources · Boone County, Dallas County + 1 more
Open access - State wildlife / game area
Big Marsh Wildlife Management Area
6,030 acres
State: department of natural resources · Butler County
Open access - State wildlife / game area
Sedan Bottoms Wildlife Management Area
5,990 acres
State: department of natural resources · Appanoose County
Open access - State wildlife / game area
Mississippi River Islands Wildlife Management Area
5,240 acres
State: department of natural resources · Des Moines County, Louisa County + 1 more
Open access - State wildlife / game area
Boone Forks Wildlife Management Area
4,525 acres
State: department of natural resources · Webster County, Hamilton County
Open access - State wildlife / game area
Lake Odessa Wildlife Management Area
4,146 acres
State: department of natural resources · Louisa County
Open access - State wildlife / game area
Riverton Wildlife Management Area
4,001 acres
State: department of natural resources · Fremont County
Open access
National & state forests and grasslands in Iowa
All 10 →- State forest
Stephens State Forest
15,320 acres
State: department of natural resources · Lucas County, Monroe County + 3 more
Open access - State forest
Loess Hills State Forest
11,569 acres
State: department of natural resources · Harrison County, Monona County
Open access - State forest
Shimek State Forest
9,096 acres
State: department of natural resources · Lee County, Van Buren County
Open access - State forest
Yellow River State Forest
8,206 acres
State: department of natural resources · Allamakee County
Open access - State forest
Holst State Forest
328 acres
State: department of natural resources · Boone County
Open access - State forest
White Pine Hollow State Forest
227 acres
State: department of natural resources · Dubuque County
Open access
National wildlife refuges & WPAs in Iowa
All 28 →- National Wildlife Refuge
Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife And Fish Refuge
22,592 acres
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service · Allamakee County, Clayton County + 3 more
Mixed (open and restricted parcels) - National Wildlife Refuge
Port Louisa National Wildlife Refuge
11,864 acres
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service · Iowa County, Louisa County + 2 more
Restricted access - Waterfowl Production Area
Dickinson County Waterfowl Production Area
6,733 acres
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service · Dickinson County
Restricted access - Waterfowl Production Area
Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge
6,178 acres
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service · Jasper County
Restricted access
Counties with the most listed public land
- Dickinson County (36)
- Clay County (24)
- Emmet County (22)
- Hancock County (21)
- Monona County (17)
- Fremont County (16)
- Allamakee County (15)
- Palo Alto County (15)
- Winneshiek County (14)
- Harrison County (13)
- Winnebago County (13)
- Clayton County (12)
Not legal advice and not an official source. This independent site is not affiliated with any government agency. Season dates are copied from the agency pages linked above as of the “last checked” date and may have changed since. The agency’s current regulations are what count. Full disclaimer.
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