From the Iowa Department of Natural Resources
Iowa’s 2025 hunting and fishing licenses expired on Jan. 10. Licenses are available at 650 locations across the state, and online at www.iowadnr.gov/GoOutdoorsIowa.
Iowa’s 2025-26 deer harvest through the late muzzleloader and archery seasons is currently just shy of 100,000, which is an increase of 1% over last year, but 4% lower than the five-year average. Iowa’s deer harvest is available in real time by county at https://gooutdoorsiowa.com/RealTimeHarvestReport.aspx. Iowa’s final two deer seasons — the Population Management January Antlerless Season and the Excess Tag January Antlerless Season — close on Jan. 25.
While most hunting seasons have closed, there are a few opportunities remaining. The southern Iowa goose zone season closes on Jan. 24; quail, partridge, ruffed grouse and fox and gray squirrel seasons closes on Jan. 31; and rabbit season closes on Feb. 28.
Furbearer seasons close on Feb. 28, except for beaver, which closes on April 15.
Fish Art Contest: The Art of Conservation The Iowa DNR and Wildlife Forever encourages all Iowans ages 5-18 to enter the Iowa Fish Art Contest. Winning submissions will be featured in the DNR building at the 2026 Iowa State Fair. The art must include one or more of the following fish species: Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout, Brook Trout, Walleye, Channel Catfish, Flathead Catfish, Bluegill, Crappie, Iowa Darter and/or Muskellunge. Deadline for submissions is Feb. 28. Only digital submissions are accepted.
The Iowa DNR is scheduling 20 public meetings across the state from March 2-5 to recap hunting seasons, discuss possible regulation changes and to accept feedback. Meeting dates and locations will be announced at the end of January.