Late muzzleloader season

An expected 30,000 hunters will be participating in Iowa’s late muzzleloader season which begins Dec. 17. Although hunters may see fewer deer as numbers have declined in eastern and southern Iowa, the season offers some excellent hunting opportunities.

Last year, 55 percent of the 8,950 deer reported during the late muzzleloader season were does. To avoid over-harvesting deer where they hunt, hunters are encouraged to work with landowners to determine if deer are at desirable levels, and base decisions on how they use the remaining antlerless tags on local herd conditions.