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TheIowa DNR partners with the Food Bank of Iowa and their affiliates throughout the state to make sure the venison is distributed to qualified Iowans. The Food Bank of Iowa receives $5 administrative cost for each deer distributed.

Like other states in the midwest Iowa produces some outstanding white-tailed deer. Abundant food and mild winter weather make it possible for Iowa's whitetails to become large in body weight and, if allowed to grow to maturity, often possess impressive antlers.The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) maintains a record book of the largest antlered deer harvested in the state with firearms and archery equipment. Those who successfully harvest a deer in Iowa with trophy-sized antlers are encouraged to enter the rack in Iowa's big game registry. Award certificates will be issued by the DNR to eligible entries that meet minimum standards (shown below).In order to qualify for an award, the rack must be measured by an official measurer. You can search for an official measure in Iowa by searching those certified through the Boone and Crockett Club) or the Pope and Young Club.

There is no charge for measuring or submitting entries for the Iowa record book. Because of shrinkage in varying degrees, the rack must be air dried for at least 60 days following the date of kill before it can be officially measured. There is no time limit concerning how long ago the deer was killed for measurement purposes or for entry into the Iowa records. The scoring system used for Iowa records is identical to that used by the Boone and Crockett and Pope and Young Clubs, but the minimum qualifying scores differ from these national clubs. Iowa award certificates will be presented in ten classes. The classes with minimum scores for each are as follows:

Deer taken under a kill permit for depredation purposes will not qualify for this program.Deer hunters who want to have their trophy rack officially measured should call one of the official Iowa measurers listed above to set up an appointment to have the rack measured. If the rack meets the minimum scores listed above the measurement form should be sent to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, ATTN: Deer Records, Wallace State Office Building, 502 East 9th Street, Des Moines, IA 50319.

The return of the white-tailed deer as a major game species in Iowa is a tribute to good landowner attitude and progressive management, research and enforcement programs. Likewise, responsibility for the future of deer in Iowa depends upon the cooperation of hunters and landowners, preservation of critical timber habitat, legislative support and continued professional management of the resource.

If you need additional clarification or have other questions, we'd encourage you to call your local DNR conservation officer, who would be happy to chat about this. You can find contact information at iowadnr.gov/officers.

The population management season is restricted to Allamakee, Winneshiek, Decatur, Appanoose, Monroe and Wayne and is only open if the number of antlerless licenses available exceeds 100 on the third Monday in December. This season allows hunter options for the method of take. The excess tag season was created by the Iowa legislature in 2022 and allows any county with excess antlerless tags on Jan. 10 to be eligible, but restricts the method of take to rifles only.

A resident youth hunt/trap, deer hunting, or comprehensive lifetime hunting license is required to hunt for deer unless you meet one of the license exemptions. All deer harvested in Indiana must be reported within 48 hours of the time of harvest at an on-site check station, online, through your Indiana Fish & Wildlife Account, or by phone at 1-800-419-1326. There is a $3 charge for the phone service, payable only by Visa or Mastercard. For more information, see our Deer Hunting Questions page.

There are several reasons why Indiana is such a great place to hunt for trophy bucks. First, the state has a large and healthy deer population. The Indiana DNR manages the deer herds in each county with the goals of providing ample opportunities for hunters to harvest deer and ensuring that white-tailed deer populations are sustained every year. The bag limit of one buck per season helps the buck population age and grow larger antlers, which provides greater opportunities for hunters to harvest a buck they want.

The vast amount of land available to hunt in Indiana also provides many opportunities to hunt trophy bucks. Between state DNR-managed lands and federally managed land, more than 1,000 square miles of public land is open to hunting in Indiana. Along with public land, there is also plenty of private land available for deer hunting through the Indiana Private Lands Access (IPLA) program.

Nationally recognized as one of the country's premier states for hunting white-tailed deer, Wisconsin has both an abundant herd and a reputation for producing some of the largest bucks in the world. Hunters have a number of opportunities this fall.

Additionally, hunters should refer to the Baiting And Feeding Regulations webpage often to find out if your county allows baiting and feeding of deer. The Carcass Movement, Processing and Disposal webpage also has good information on how and where deer can be moved.

These bonus antlerless harvest authorizations may be filled with any weapon type during the appropriate season. They must be filled in the zone, unit and land type (public or private) designated on each harvest authorization. Bonus antlerless harvest authorizations are available on a first-come, first-served basis for $12 each for residents, $20 each for nonresidents and $5 for youth hunters under age 12.

Unsure which Deer Management Unit (DMU) to select? Head over to the Public Access Lands mapping application. Click "Show Layer List," then turn on "DNR Hunting Zones" and select "Deer Zones". Zoom in on your area to determine which DMU you fall within.

Hunters may use any of their Farmland (Zone 2) antlerless deer harvest authorizations included with their license or purchased bonus antlerless deer harvest authorizations to hunt in a metro sub-unit by selecting the deer management unit (DMU) where the sub-unit is located. These harvest authorizations are valid within the entire DMU, including any metro sub-unit within that DMU.

Hunters may also request a metro sub-unit antlerless deer harvest authorization at no cost or purchase a bonus metro sub-unit antlerless deer harvest authorization. These options are available only in certain counties, and the harvest authorizations are limited to the boundaries of the metro sub-unit selected.

Anyone can obtain a mentored-only hunting license and hunt without first completing a hunter education course. They must be accompanied by a licensed hunter (mentor), hunt within arm's reach of the mentor and follow other rules. Learn more about Wisconsin's Mentored Hunting Program.

Learn to Hunt programs combine four-plus hours of classroom and field instruction before a novice goes hunting with a qualified mentor. Learn to Hunts provides a great opportunity for beginners of all ages and backgrounds to learn how to hunt safely and ethically in Wisconsin.

Youth hunters under the age of 16 may hunt deer with a gun in all Deer Management Units except state parks and non-quota units during the Youth Deer Hunt. A gun deer hunting license is required if hunting with a firearm.

Thanks to generous landowners sponsoring hunters with disabilities on their land, the Wisconsin Deer Hunt for Hunters with Disabilities continues to grow. Hunters wishing to participate and landowners wanting to open their property can learn more at the DNR's Deer Hunting For Hunters With Disabilities webpage.

Sandhill Wildlife Area (9,150 acres) is open to the public year-round and hosts many outdoor workshops and wildlife studies. This year, multiple special hunts are happening at Sandhill as part of a research study on deer densities. Apply for one of this year's special hunting opportunities at the Sandhill Wildlife Outdoor Skills webpage.

With support from the USDA, the DNR partners with private landowners to lease public access to hunting habitats across the Voluntary Public Access (VPA) Program. Additionally, through the Managed Forest Law (MFL) and Forest Crop Law (FCL) programs, private forest lands are open to the public for recreation, including deer hunting.

Process your deer and enjoy your venison. The Wisconsin Department of Health Services and the Centers for Disease Control recommend not eating venison from deer that have tested positive for CWD.

Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is a degenerative disease of the brain and nervous tissue that infects white-tailed deer and other cervids. It belongs to the family of diseases known as transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs) or prion diseases. CWD occurs only in members of the cervid or deer family.

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources began monitoring the state's wild white-tailed deer for CWD in 1999. The first positives were found in 2002. While testing a harvested deer is not required, hunters are encouraged to learn about CWD in Wisconsin and stay up to date on mandatory baiting and feeding restrictions.

The DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife, based on public input and the recommendation of the Advisory Council on Wildlife and Freshwater Fish, provides Sunday deer hunting opportunities on all state wildlife areas during the regular deer hunting seasons.

All state wildlife areas are open for Sunday hunting during archery/crossbow deer hunting seasons. Portions of the wildlife areas listed below are closed to Sunday deer hunting using firearms on all or certain Sundays. Sunday deer hunting information is included on the maps below and on the new online wildlife area maps.

Note: Hunters using a crossbow during the last 10 days of the early bow season in the Northern Zone are not subject to the antlered deer-only requirement of the early muzzleloader season in WMU 6N, despite the overlap in season dates.

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