Iowa
Disclaimer: Season dates are gathered on a best-effort basis and may contain errors or be outdated. Always verify dates, bag limits, and regulations directly with Iowa DNR before hunting.
Proposed 2026-27
federal openings
in Iowa
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is proposing hunting and fishing access changes at 5 stations in Iowa. Public comment closes June 26, 2026.
- IA · NWR
Driftless Area NWR
IowaMIGRATORY BIRD: OPEN + EXPANDUPLAND GAME: OPEN + EXPANDBIG GAME: EXPANSION - IA · NWR
Neal Smith NWR
IowaMIGRATORY BIRD: OPEN + EXPANDUPLAND GAME: OPEN + EXPANDBIG GAME: EXPANSIONFISHING: NEW STATION - IA · MN · NWRCA
Northern Tallgrass Prairie NWRCA
Iowa / MinnesotaMIGRATORY BIRD: OPEN + EXPANDUPLAND GAME: OPEN + EXPANDBIG GAME: EXPANSIONFISHING: EXPANSION - IA · IL · NWR
Port Louisa NWR
Iowa / IllinoisMIGRATORY BIRD: OPENINGUPLAND GAME: OPEN + EXPANDBIG GAME: OPENING - IA · NWR
Union Slough NWR
IowaMIGRATORY BIRD: OPENINGUPLAND GAME: OPENING
Deer
White-tailed Deer
Archery, Late Split
Dec 21 — Jan 10, 2027
White-tailed Deer
Archery Late Split
Dec 21 — Jan 10, 2027
White-tailed Deer
Firearm Shotgun 2
Dec 12 — Dec 20
White-tailed Deer
Population Mgmt. January Antlerless
Jan 11 — Jan 24, 2027
White-tailed Deer
Early Muzzleloader
Oct 17 — Oct 25
White-tailed Deer
Shotgun 2
Dec 12 — Dec 20
White-tailed Deer
Disabled Hunter
Sept 19 — Oct 4
White-tailed Deer
Muzzleloader Late
Dec 21 — Jan 10, 2027
White-tailed Deer
Population Management January Antlerless
Jan 11 — Jan 24, 2027
White-tailed Deer
Late Muzzleloader
Dec 21 — Jan 10, 2027
White-tailed Deer
Youth
Sept 19 — Oct 4
White-tailed Deer
Shotgun 1
Dec 5 — Dec 9
White-tailed Deer
Archery Early Split
Oct 1 — Dec 4
White-tailed Deer
Muzzleloader Early
Oct 17 — Oct 25
White-tailed Deer
Nonresident Holiday
Dec 24 — Jan 2, 2027
White-tailed Deer
Firearm Shotgun 1
Dec 5 — Dec 9
White-tailed Deer
Excess Tag January Antlerless
Jan 11 — Jan 24, 2027
White-tailed Deer
Archery, Early Split
Oct 1 — Dec 4
Turkey
Wild Turkey
Spring - Combination Gun/Bow, Season 2
Apr 17 - 21, 2026 — Apr 17 - 21, 2026
Wild Turkey
Fall Archery
Oct 1 — Dec 4
Wild Turkey
Spring Combination Gun/Bow Season 2
Apr 17 — Apr 21, 2026
Wild Turkey
Spring Youth
Apr 10 — Apr 12, 2026
Wild Turkey
Spring Combination Gun/Bow Season 4
Apr 29 — May 17, 2026
Wild Turkey
Fall Combination Gun/Bow
Oct 12 — Dec 4
Wild Turkey
Spring Combination Gun/Bow Season 1
Apr 13 — Apr 16, 2026
Wild Turkey
Spring Archery
Apr 13 — May 17, 2026
Wild Turkey
Fall Archery Late Split
Dec 21 — Jan 10, 2027
Wild Turkey
Spring Combination Gun/Bow Season 3
Apr 22 — Apr 28, 2026
Wild Turkey
Fall - Resident Archery-only
Oct 1 — Dec 4
Wild Turkey
Fall - Combination Gun/Bow
Oct 12 — Dec 4
Wild Turkey
Fall - Resident Archery-only, Late Split
Dec 21 — Jan 10, 2027
Wild Turkey
Spring - Combination Gun/Bow, Season 1
Apr 13 - 16, 2026 — Apr 13 - 16, 2026
Wild Turkey
Spring - Youth (Residents Only)
Apr 10 - 12, 2026 — Apr 10 - 12, 2026
Wild Turkey
Spring - Combination Gun/Bow, Season 3
Apr 22 - 28, 2026 — Apr 22 - 28, 2026
Wild Turkey
Spring - Combination Gun/Bow, Season 4
Apr 29 - May 17, 2026 — Apr 29 - May 17, 2026
Wild Turkey
Spring - Resident Archery-only
Apr 13 - May 17, 2026 — Apr 13 - May 17, 2026
Waterfowl
Canada Goose
Metropolitan Canada Goose
Sep. 12 — Sep. 20
Zone: Specified metropolitan areas (Cedar Rapids/Iowa City, Des Moines, Waterloo/Cedar Falls)
Canada Goose
Metropolitan Canada Goose
Sep. 12 - 20 — Sep. 12 - 20
Zone: Specified Metropolitan Areas
Duck
General Split 1
Oct. 17 — Oct. 23
Zone: South Zone
Duck
General Split 1
Oct. 3 — Oct. 9
Zone: North Zone
Duck
General Split 2
Oct. 24 — Dec. 15
Zone: Central Zone
Duck
General Split 2
Oct. 31 — Dec. 22
Zone: South Zone
Duck
General Split 2
Oct. 17 — Dec. 8
Zone: North Zone
Duck
General Split 1
Oct. 10 — Oct. 16
Zone: Central Zone
Ducks
General
Oct. 3 - Oct. 9, Oct. 17 - Dec. 8 — Dec. 8
Zone: North Zone
Ducks
General
Oct. 10 - Oct. 16, Oct. 24 - Dec. 15 — Dec. 15
Zone: Central Zone
Ducks
General
Oct. 17 - Oct. 23, Oct. 31 - Dec. 22 — Dec. 22
Zone: South Zone
Geese
General
Sep. 26 - Oct. 11, Oct. 17 - Dec. 8, Dec. 12 - Jan. 9 — Jan. 9
Zone: North Zone
Geese
General
Oct. 3 - Oct. 18, Oct. 24 - Dec. 15, Dec. 19 - Jan. 16 — Jan. 16
Zone: Central Zone
Geese
General
Oct. 10 - Oct. 25, Oct. 31 - Dec. 22, Dec. 26 - Jan. 23 — Jan. 23
Zone: South Zone
Goose
General Split 1
Oct. 10 — Oct. 25
Zone: South Zone
Goose
General Split 2
Oct. 24 — Dec. 15
Zone: Central Zone
Goose
General Split 2
Oct. 17 — Dec. 8
Zone: North Zone
Goose
General Split 1
Sep. 26 — Oct. 11
Zone: North Zone
Goose
General Split 3
Dec. 19 — Jan. 16
Zone: Central Zone
Goose
General Split 2
Oct. 31 — Dec. 22
Zone: South Zone
Goose
General Split 1
Oct. 3 — Oct. 18
Zone: Central Zone
Goose
General Split 3
Dec. 26 — Jan. 23
Zone: South Zone
Goose
General Split 3
Dec. 12 — Jan. 9
Zone: North Zone
Light Goose
Conservation Order
Jan. 24 — May 1, 2027
Zone: Statewide
Teal
Special September Teal
Sep. 5 — Sep. 13
Zone: Statewide
Waterfowl
Youth Waterfowl
Sep. 26 - 27 — Sep. 26 - 27
Zone: North Zone
Waterfowl
Youth Waterfowl
Oct. 3 - 4 — Oct. 3 - 4
Zone: Central Zone
Waterfowl
Youth Waterfowl
Oct. 10 - 11 — Oct. 10 - 11
Zone: South Zone
Waterfowl (Duck/Goose)
Youth Waterfowl
Oct. 3 - 4 — Oct. 3 - 4
Zone: Central Zone
Waterfowl (Duck/Goose)
Youth Waterfowl
Sep. 26 - 27 — Sep. 26 - 27
Zone: North Zone
Waterfowl (Duck/Goose)
Youth Waterfowl
Oct. 10 - 11 — Oct. 10 - 11
Zone: South Zone
Dove
Mourning Dove
General
Sep. 1 — Nov. 29
Zone: Statewide
Pheasant
Rooster Pheasant
Youth
Oct 18-19 — Oct 18-19
Rooster Pheasant
General
Oct 25 — Jan 10, 2026
Quail
Bobwhite Quail
General
Oct 25 — Jan 31, 2026
Grouse
Gray Partridge
General
Oct 11 — Jan 31, 2026
Ruffed Grouse
General
Oct 4 — Jan 31, 2026
Rabbit
Cottontail Rabbit
General
Aug 30 — Feb 28, 2026
Jack Rabbit
General
Squirrel
Fox & Gray Squirrel
General
Aug 30 — Jan 31, 2026
Furbearer
Beaver
Hunting
Nov 1 — Apr 15, 2026
Beaver
Trapping
Nov 1 — Apr 15, 2026
Bobcat, Otter
Trapping
Nov 1 — Feb 28, 2026
Bobcat, Otter
Hunting
Nov 1 — Feb 28, 2026
Coyote, Mink, Muskrat, Weasel, Striped Skunk, Badger, Opossum, Fox (Red and Gray)
Trapping
Nov 1 — Feb 28, 2026
Opossum, Badger, Mink, Striped Skunk, Muskrat, Fox (Red and Gray), Weasel
Hunting
Nov 1 — Feb 28, 2026
Raccoon
Hunting - Public Land
Nov 1 — Feb 28, 2026
Zone: Public Land
Raccoon
Trapping
Zone: Private land
Raccoon
Trapping - Private Land
Zone: Private Land
Raccoon
Hunting
Zone: Private land
Raccoon
Trapping - Public Land
Nov 1 — Feb 28, 2026
Zone: Public Land
Raccoon
Trapping
Nov 1 — Feb 28, 2026
Zone: Public land
Raccoon
Hunting - Private Land
Zone: Private Land
Raccoon
Hunting
Nov 1 — Feb 28, 2026
Zone: Public land
Small Game
Groundhog
General
Migratory Birds
Rail
General
Sep. 5 — Nov. 13
Zone: Statewide
Snipe
General
Sep. 5 — Nov. 30
Zone: Statewide
Woodcock
General
Oct. 3 — Nov. 16
Zone: Statewide
Coyote
Coyote
Hunting
Coyote
General
Other
Crow
General
Oct 15 — Nov 30, 2026
Crow
General
Jan 14 — Mar 31, 2026
Groundhog
General
Pigeon
General