Deer harvest up in 2017

According to the Iowa Department of Natural Resourses (DNR), as of Tuesday, Dec. 19, the 2017 Iowa deer harvest is officially more than 5 percent ahead of the 2016 totals. The fall of 2017 saw 90,955 deer reported, up from 86,506 for the same period last year.

In its 2016 Trends in Iowa Wildlife Populations and Harvest Report, the Iowa DNR predicted an annual reported deer harvest of between 100,000 to 120,000. Iowa’s final two deer hunting seasons, the late muzzleloader season and archery season, conclude on Jan. 10, 2018.