Iowa’s final deer hunting opportunities for the season include two January antlerless-only hunts: the Population Management January Antlerless Season and the Excess Tag January Antlerless Season. Both seasons run from January 11 through January 25, but they differ in eligibility, locations, and allowed weapons.
The Population Management January Antlerless Season is limited to counties that had more than 100 antlerless tags remaining as of December 22. All seven qualifying counties—Allamakee, Appanoose, Decatur, Lucas, Monroe, Wayne, and Winneshiek—met that requirement and will be open for this season. Hunters participating in this season may use a wide range of legal methods of take, including bows, crossbows, muzzleloaders, handguns, shotguns, or rifles of .223 caliber or larger.
The Excess Tag January Antlerless-only Season will be available in any county that still has unsold antlerless tags at midnight on January 11. As of now, counties with remaining antlerless tags include Adair, Allamakee, Appanoose, Clarke, Clayton, Dallas, Davis, Decatur, Fayette, Guthrie, Jefferson, Lee, Lucas, Madison, Monroe, Taylor, Union, Van Buren, Wapello, Warren, Wayne, and Winneshiek.
Licenses for the excess tag season will go on sale January 11 and remain available until county quotas are filled. Because of the short timeframe, these licenses will not be sold online and must be purchased from authorized vendors. Only antlerless deer may be harvested during this season, and hunters are restricted to using rifles ranging from .223 to .500 caliber.
Hunters are reminded that 2025 licenses expire on January 10. Anyone planning to hunt beginning January 11 must have a valid 2026 hunting license and habitat fee.
For counties that qualify for a January antlerless-only season, Landowner/Tenant (LOT) tags will also be available to registered landowners and tenants for use on qualifying property within those counties. Even if a county’s antlerless quota is reached, LOT January tags will continue to be available. These tags may only be purchased from vendors located in counties that are open for the January season.
County-specific antlerless license quotas are updated in real time and can be viewed online under “Resident Antlerless Deer by County.”
