(Area) Iowa’s reported deer harvest figures were at over 82,700 as of Friday.
Bryan Hayes, with the Iowa DNR Office in Lewis, says it appears the final harvest numbers will fall short of 100,000.
“We are through the second shotgun season and what we have left for deer season is the bow season and late muzzle loader season that run through January 10th and then everything will wrap up.”
Hayes says the harvest numbers in each county are very near management goals. “If you look at the ratio between the buck and doe harvest it’s running about 50/50. When you’re in a herd reduction mode you’re usually harvesting more does than bucks. This year it’s looking like we’re going to be at that 50/50 mark as far as antlered bucks compared to the does.”
Over 108,000 deer were harvested in Iowa during the 2018-19 hunting seasons. 2012-13 was the last time fewer than 100,000 deer were harvested in Iowa. The reported harvest that year was at 99,414.
