Your guide to the 2025 hunting seasons in Iowa

Looking to nab some deer or ducks to stock your meat freezer this year? Here are the 2025 hunting seasons in Iowa, divided by animal for ease of use. 

There’s a lot to do in Iowa, some things for fun and others for necessity—and some for both. Take geo treasure hunting, which is becoming beloved in Iowa. It gets people outdoors and creates valuable time together that folks can, in turn, cherish forever. Then, there’s hunting, which some people do for sport and others do to feed themselves and their families.

Hunting can keep populations in check and provide folks with incredibly fresh meat, but it has to be done during state-sanctioned times to prevent the decline of any population (or put you or other hunters at risk). Pursuing a deer in the summer when it’s at its peak agility? Probably not wise.

Hunting seasons in Iowa—and many other U.S. states—typically span the winter. Wild animals, such as deer, operate more slowly during the colder months (as do we, to be honest), which makes tracking and hunting them far easier than during the warm-weather months. As such, don’t forget your snow boots and well-insulated gloves when heading out for a hunting trip through the forest. The last thing you want is the chilly air to get to you before you’ve made your shot.

With that said, let’s break down this year’s hunting seasons in Iowa by animal. We’re going over ducks, deer, and small game, and you’re going to want to take notes.

How to get a valid license for the 2025 hunting seasons in Iowa

Many states across the U.S. do not require formal education of any kind before allowing residents and nonresidents alike to purchase hunting licenses, but that’s not the case in Iowa. By law, every person who seeks to purchase an Iowa hunting license must take a hunting education course. These classes typically run during the off season (March to November) because they’re led by experienced volunteer hunters who want to help their peers hunt legally, safely, and ethically.

These courses cover everything from learning how to pinpoint the type of animal you’ve hunted to understanding hunting laws and becoming better educated on gun safety. They’re an invaluable asset to your time as a hunter, almost like driving school (except for a hobby you actually signed up for). Looking to get ahead before the upcoming hunting seasons in Iowa? Check out the full schedule of hunting education courses here.

Once you’ve completed your hunting education course, you can purchase a hunting license that will be valid statewide in Iowa. To be more precise, you’ll be able to purchase hunting licenses based on the wildlife you’re aiming to pursue. According to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, there are three main licenses: the general hunting license used for small game, the deer license, and the turkey license. These range from $22 to $33, and you have the option to bundle your hunting license with a fishing license for $55.

Who needs a license for the 2025 hunting seasons in Iowa?

Hunters must have a valid Iowa hunting license to pursue wildlife in the state from the age of 12 onward. Even minors need to take the hunting education course, so keep this in mind before setting out on a forest-trotting trip with your young’un.

But what about those under 12? Anyone aged 11 and up is permitted to take the education course, but the rules appear to be lax for those under 12. Whereas 12-year-olds can receive a full hunting license, those 11 and under can only receive specific licenses for turkeys and deer—and only with the stipulation that they hunt with a licensed adult at all times. If an 11-year-old completes their hunting education course before turning 12, they will still receive their hunting permit, but it will not be usable until they turn 12.

The same laws apply to nonresidents and residents alike. Those coming from out of state who want to take part in the 2025 hunting seasons in Iowa will need to prepare ahead to take a hunting education course and purchase a license.

The 2025 hunting seasons in Iowa, broken down by animal 

You’ve got your hunting license now, and you’re ready to get out into Iowa’s beautiful forests, lakesides, and sweeping meadows. But first, you need to understand when each animal on your list is able to be hunted. Here, we’ve broken them down by species.

Deer hunting seasons in Iowa in 2025

Youth hunters get first dibs with a hunting season from Sept. 20 to Oct. 5. Then, archery enters the scene from Oct. 1 to Dec. 5 and again from Dec. 22 to Jan. 10. Meanwhile, the early muzzleloader season is from Oct. 11 to Oct. 19. Shotgun season doesn’t begin until December, with the first season lasting from Dec. 6 to Dec. 10 and the second shotgun season from Dec. 13 to Dec. 21. Next, the late muzzleloader season will last from Dec. 22 to Jan. 10. Finally, the nonresident holiday season will electrify the hunting scene from Dec. 24 to Jan. 2, while the January antlerless season will last from Jan. 11 to Jan. 25.

Turkey hunting seasons in Iowa in 2025

Turkey hunting in 2025 will kick off with archery, which will last from Oct. 1 to Dec. 5 and again from Dec. 22 to Jan. 10. During that period, guns will become legal on Oct. 13 and remain valid throughout the rest of the archery season.

In early 2026, you will have plenty of opportunities to hunt turkeys, too. Youth days are slated for Apr. 10 to Apr. 12, and a series of gun-bow seasons are set to last from Apr. 13 through May 17. Finally, the archery-exclusive season will last from Apr. 13 to May 17.

Migratory game bird hunting seasons in Iowa in 2025

Turkeys are great and all, but perhaps you prefer migratory game birds. If so, you need to know which zone you fall under for migratory game birds, whether it’s the North Zone, Central Zone, or South Zone. Check here to see a full map of the state divided into the three zones.

Youth will be kicking off the migratory game bird hunting seasons as well, with dates ranging from Sept. 20 to Sept. 21 in the North Zone to Sept. 27 to Sept. 28 in the Central Zone and Oct. 4 to Oct. 5 in the South Zone.

Coots, ducks, and mergansers are lumped together. In the North Zones, you can hunt them from Sept. 27 to Oct. 3 and Oct. 11 to Dec. 2. In the Central Zone, you can hunt them from Oct. 4 to Oct. 10 and Oct. 18 to Dec. 9. Finally, in the South Zone, you can hunt them from Oct. 11 to Oct. 17 and Oct. 25 to Dec. 16.

Then, there are the dark geese and light geese. The North Zone’s hunting seasons are Sept. 20 to Oct. 5, Oct. 11 to Dec. 2, and Dec. 13 to Jan. 10. Meanwhile, the Central Zone’s seasons are Sept. 27 to Oct. 12, Oct. 18 to Dec 9, and Dec. 20 to Jan. 17. Lastly, the South Zone’s seasons are Oct. 4 to Oct. 19, Oct. 25 to Dec. 16, and Dec. 27 to Jan 24.

Finally, we have some miscellaneous birds that aren’t restricted by the state’s zones. Doves can be hunted in Iowa from Sept. 1 to Nov. 29; snipes can be hunted from Sept. 6 to Nov. 30; rails can be hunted from Sept. 6 to Nov. 14; and woodcocks can be hunted from Oct. 4 to Nov. 17. Plus, there’s the special September teal season from Sept. 6 to Sept. 14. It’s only a week long, but you’ll want to keep an eye out for all of the blue-winged teals roaming throughout the state.

Small game hunting seasons in Iowa in 2025

Deer, ducks, and turkeys—what else is there to hunt? Well, quite a lot, actually. This year’s hunting seasons in Iowa include a number of small-game species for you to keep on your radar.

First up, rooster pheasants can be hunted by youth hunters from Oct. 18 to Oct. 19, and then by everyone from Oct. 25 to Jan. 10. Meanwhile, the ruffed grouse can be hunted from Oct. 4 to Jan. 31; the gray partridge can be hunted from Oct. 11 to Jan. 31; and the bobwhite quail can be hunted from Oct. 25 to Jan 31. Last in the list of our avian friends is the great crow, which can be hunted from Oct. 15 to Nov. 30 and Jan. 14 to Mar. 31 in early 2026.

If birds aren’t what you’re after, look no further than these hunting seasons in Iowa. Cottontail rabbits enter the scene from Aug. 30 to Feb. 28, though you should note that jack rabbits are off the table in 2025. Fox and gray squirrels are huntable from Aug. 30 to Jan. 31.

What about open seasons, you ask? Coyotes, pigeons, and groundhogs all have continuous open seasons in Iowa’s 2025 hunting schedule, so feel free to pursue them at your will.

Trapping seasons in Iowa in 2025

Hunting and trapping are very different in many ways, but there are always those folks who are proficient in both. If that’s you, you should know these two key seasons in 2025: The general trapping season is slated to run from Nov. 1 to Feb. 28, and the beaver-specific season will last from Nov. 1 to Apr. 15.

Fines for breaking hunting laws in Iowa can get steep

Ensuring that you’re following all of the state’s laws during this year’s hunting seasons in Iowa is important, to say the least. Some actions can result in arrest, and others can incur thousands of dollars in fines.

According to The Iowa Hunter Ed Course, hunting animals outside of their seasons and without proper licensing can result in court appearances and hefty fines; you’re essentially paying the state government for the designated worth of the animal, with different species having different valuations. For example, a deer can cost you up to $10,000 in fines plus 80 hours of community service or $20,000 sans community service, while a crane would run you $1,500, and an antelope would cost $2,500.

There’s also the issue of trespassing, which has been worsening statewide, according to KMAland. It’s been so bad that an existing law meant to curb the behavior was made stricter in 2024 to help lower the instances of trespassing for hunting purposes. Now, the law applies to trespassing to hunt any animal—not just deer as originally written—and will result in a fine of $500 on the first instance of trespassing. The second instance? A whopping $1,000. The re-upped law also now allows for arrests to be made.

So, whatever you do, hunt safely; a sport is never worth risking your financial stability or freedom.

This article first appeared on Good Info News Wire and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.

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