(Area) Iowa’s deer harvest has exceeded 65,000 with plenty of opportunities still ahead.
The 2nd shotgun season is underway and will run through next weekend. Bryan Hayes with the Iowa DNR provides on update on the harvest progress. “So far statewide the deer harvest is progressing right along as we would like. To date going into 2nd season we’ve had a total of 65,600 deer registered in the state as being harvested.”
Harvesting 100,000 deer is a big goal for managing the deer population. “We’ve got a ways to go to get to that 100,000 deer harvest. A couple of years ago we didn’t make it. Last year I think we did. We’ll see how the harvest goes this year.”
Hayes says conditions were on the warm side for the 1st season, but were good overall. Snow will greet the hunters in the 2nd season. “The snow will make the deer a little bit more visible, but make it more difficult to get to some areas as the roads muddy up and make it a little more difficult to walk. Snow actually can be a benefit and I think 2nd season gun hunters will welcome the snow to make those deer a little bit more visible.”
Of the over 65,600 deer harvested to date, roughly 28,000 have been does and 37,000 have been bucks.
