Iowa DNR Approves Rules For January Deer Hunting In Decatur And Wayne Counties

January hunting to thin the deer herd in select Iowa counties has been happening for several years. A legislative panel has just approved the rules for hunting antlerless deer in Decatur, Wayne, Alamakee, Appanoose, Monroe, and Winneshiek Counties in early 2023. Chris Ensminger is a with the Department of Natural Resources’ wildlife bureau.

The governor signed a bill into law this year to allow hunters to harvest antlerless deer in any county, regardless of the local deer population. Ensminger says the D-N-R plans to release its proposed rules later this summer for more widespread hunting of deer in January — and it will also be linked to how many deer tags for 2022 remain unused.