DEER HARVEST UPDATE: Regular Season Summary
Deer Research Program, IOWA DNR
During the 2025-26 regular deer seasons, approximately 99,500 deer harvests have been reported statewide (+1% to prior season & -4% to 5-year average). Below is a figure depicting these harvest comparisons at the wildlife management unit (WMU) and wildlife region district scale, as well as a table showing harvest totals by county (attached). Please keep in mind that these harvest totals are summarized for regular seasons only and do not include harvest from special January seasons.
Over the last few years, we’ve seen changes emerge in our harvest data that suggest a stable/increasing deer population in the eastern region (Maquoketa, Upper Iowa, Cedar-Wapsi, Iowa River, Odessa WMUs) and reduced deer numbers throughout much of the rest of the state. The most severe harvest declines are evident in Sugema, Saylorville, Rathbun, Nishnabotna, Missouri River, Blackhawk and Grand River WMUs—which corresponds to the regions most impacted by the 2023 & 2024 hemorrhagic disease outbreaks. These divergent population trajectories highlight why Iowa’s deer populations are best discussed regionally, since important dynamics are often lost in the statewide summaries.
Many of you are hearing from members of the public who may be upset that January antlerless seasons are being held despite what they’re perceiving as a serious population decline. It’s important for these folks to understand that the Excess Tag season is established in Iowa Code to be held unconditionally in any county with excess antlerless tags. On the other hand, our department does annually establish a list of counties eligible for the concurrent Population Management season, which will be revisited in the coming months using all available data. As we begin our process of exploring deer regulations for the 2026-27 season and beyond, please continue to be a voice for the hunters, landowners, and the deer resource in your counties during the District Deer Meetings next month.
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