CHAPTER 94
NONRESIDENT DEER HUNTING
571—94.1(483A) Licenses. Every hunter must have in possession a valid nonresident deer license, a valid nonresident hunting license, and proof that the hunter has paid the current year’s wildlife habitat fee when hunting, possessing, or transporting deer. No person, while hunting deer, shall carry or have in possession any license or transportation tag issued to another person. No one who is issued a deer hunting license and transportation tag shall allow another person to use or possess that license or transportation tag while deer hunting or tagging a deer.
	94.1(1) Types of licenses.
	a. 	Any-deer licenses. Any-deer licenses shall be valid for taking deer of either sex in the zone and season designated by the hunter when the application is submitted as described in rule 94.8(483A).
	b. 	Mandatory antlerless-only licenses. Each hunter who is successful in drawing an any-deer license must also purchase an antlerless-only license for the same zone and season as the any-deer license. If the hunter is unsuccessful in drawing an any-deer license, neither the any-deer nor antlerless-only license will be issued.
	c. 	Optional antlerless-only licenses. A hunter who is not successful in drawing an any-deer license may purchase an antlerless-only license as described in rule 571—94.8(483A).
	d. 	Antlerless deer defined. Antlerless-only licenses shall be valid for taking deer that have no forked antler.
	94.1(2) Bow season license. Bow and arrow deer licenses shall be valid for deer of either sex or antlerless deer during the bow season and in the zone designated by the hunter at the time the application is submitted.
	94.1(3) Regular gun season license. Regular gun season licenses will be issued for deer of either sex or antlerless deer. Regular gun season licenses will be issued by zone and season and will be valid in the zone and season designated by the hunter when the application is submitted.
	94.1(4) Muzzleloader season license. Muzzleloader season licenses will be issued for deer of either sex or antlerless deer and shall be valid only during the muzzleloader season and in the zone designated by the hunter when the application is submitted.
	94.1(5) Special licenses. The commission shall issue licenses in conformance with Iowa Code section 483A.24(10) to nonresidents 21 years of age or younger who have a severe physical disability or who have been diagnosed with a terminal illness. A person applying for this license must provide a completed form obtained from the department of natural resources. The application shall be certified by the applicant’s attending physician with an original signature and declare that the applicant has a severe physical disability or a terminal illness using the criteria listed in 571—Chapter 15. A medical statement from the applicant’s attending physician that specifies criteria met shall be on 8½″ × 11″ letterhead stationery. The attending physician shall be a currently practicing doctor of medicine, doctor of osteopathy, physician assistant or nurse practitioner.
[ARC 8252B, IAB 11/4/09, effective 12/9/09]
571—94.2(483A) Season dates. Deer may be taken only during the following periods.
	94.2(1) Bow season. Deer may be taken by bow and arrow only in accordance with the type and zone of license issued from October 1 through the Friday before the first Saturday in December, and from the Monday following the third Saturday in December through January 10 of the following year.
	94.2(2) Regular gun seasons. Deer may be taken with gun only in accordance with the type, season, and zone of license issued, from the first Saturday in December and continuing for five consecutive days or from the second Saturday in December and continuing for nine consecutive days.
	94.2(3) Muzzleloader season. Deer may be taken by muzzleloader only in accordance with the type and zone of license issued from the Monday following the third Saturday in December through January 10 of the following year.
571—94.3(483A) Shooting hours. Legal shooting hours shall be from one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset in all seasons.
571—94.4(481A) Limits.
	94.4(1) Bow season. The daily bag limit is one deer per license. The possession limit is one deer per license. A person may shoot and tag a deer only by utilizing the license and tag issued in the person’s name.
	94.4(2) Muzzleloader season. The daily bag limit is one deer per license. The possession limit is one deer per license. A person may shoot and tag a deer only by utilizing the license and tag issued in the person’s name.
	94.4(3) Regular gun seasons. The bag limit is one deer for each hunter in the party who has a valid deer transportation tag. The possession limit is one deer per license. “Possession” shall mean that the deer is in the possession of the person whose license number matches the number of the transportation tag on the carcass of the deer.
	94.4(4) Maximum annual possession limit. The maximum annual possession limit for a nonresident deer hunter is one deer for each legal license and transportation tag obtained.
571—94.5(483A) Zones open to hunting. Licenses will be valid only in designated areas as follows:
	94.5(1) Zone descriptions. The zones are described as areas bounded as follows:
	a. 	Zone 1. Beginning at a point where U.S. Highway 169 crosses the Minnesota-Iowa state line; thence along U.S. Highway 169 to state Highway 3; thence along state Highway 3 to U.S. Highway 71; thence along U.S. Highway 71 to U.S. Highway 20; thence along U.S. Highway 20 to the Nebraska-Iowa state line; thence along the Nebraska-Iowa, South Dakota-Iowa and Minnesota-Iowa state lines to the point of beginning.
	b. 	Zone 2. Beginning at the point where state Highway 3 and Interstate Highway 35 intersect; thence along Interstate Highway 35 to its eastern junction with Interstate Highways 80 and 235; thence along Interstate Highway 235 to its western junction with Interstate Highways 80 and 35; thence along Interstate Highway 80 to U.S. Highway 59; thence along U.S. Highway 59 to U.S. Highway 20; thence along U.S. Highway 20 to U.S. Highway 71; thence along U.S. Highway 71 to state Highway 3; thence along state Highway 3 to the point of beginning.
	c. 	Zone 3. Beginning at the point where U.S. Highway 20 crosses the Nebraska-Iowa state line; thence along U.S. Highway 20 to U.S. Highway 59; thence along U.S. Highway 59 to the Missouri-Iowa state line; thence along the Missouri-Iowa and Nebraska-Iowa state lines to the point of beginning.
	d. 	Zone 4. Beginning at the western junction of Interstate Highway 235 with Interstate Highways 80 and 35; thence along Interstate Highway 35 to the Missouri-Iowa state line; thence along the Missouri-Iowa state line to U.S. Highway 59; thence along U.S. Highway 59 to Interstate Highway 80; thence along Interstate Highway 80 to the point of beginning.
	e. 	Zone 5. Beginning at the point where Interstate Highway 235 and state Highway 163 intersect; thence along state Highway 163 to state Highway 92; thence along state Highway 92 to U.S. Highway 218; thence along U.S. Highway 218 to U.S. Highway 34; thence along U.S. Highway 34 to U.S. Highway 63; thence along U.S. Highway 63 to the Missouri-Iowa state line; thence along the Missouri-Iowa state line to Interstate Highway 35; thence along Interstate Highway 35 to its western junction with Interstate Highways 80 and 235; thence along Interstate Highway 235 to the point of beginning.
	f. 	Zone 6. Beginning at the point where U.S. Highway 63 crosses the Missouri-Iowa state line; thence along U.S. Highway 63 to U.S. Highway 34; thence along U.S. Highway 34 to U.S. Highway 218; thence along U.S. Highway 218 to state Highway 92; thence along state Highway 92 to the Illinois-Iowa state line; thence along the Illinois-Iowa and Missouri-Iowa state lines to the point of beginning.
	g. 	Zone 7. Beginning at the point where U.S. Highway 61 intersects with state Highway 92 at its northern junction; thence along state Highway 92 to state Highway 163; thence along state Highway 163 to Interstate Highway 235; thence along Interstate Highway 235 to its eastern junction with Interstate Highways 80 and 35; thence along Interstate Highway 35 to state Highway 3; thence along state Highway 3 to state Highway 38; thence along state Highway 38 to U.S. Highway 61; thence along U.S. Highway 61 to the point of beginning.
	h. 	Zone 8. Beginning at the point where state Highway 92 intersects with the Illinois-Iowa state line; thence along state Highway 92 to U.S. Highway 61; thence along U.S. Highway 61 to state Highway 38; thence along state Highway 38 to state Highway 3; thence along state Highway 3 to the Illinois-Iowa state line; thence along the Illinois-Iowa state line to the point of beginning.
	i. 	Zone 9. Beginning at the point where state Highway 3 intersects with the Illinois-Iowa state line; thence along state Highway 3 to U.S. Highway 63; thence along U.S. Highway 63 to the Minnesota-Iowa state line; thence along the Minnesota-Iowa, Wisconsin-Iowa, and Illinois-Iowa state lines to the point of beginning.
	j. 	Zone 10. Beginning at the point where U.S. Highway 63 crosses the Minnesota-Iowa state line; thence along U.S. Highway 63 to state Highway 3; thence along state Highway 3 to U.S. Highway 169; thence along U.S. Highway 169 to the Minnesota-Iowa state line; thence along the Minnesota-Iowa state line to the point of beginning.
	94.5(2) Closed areas. There shall be no open season for hunting deer on the county roads immediately adjacent to or through Union Slough National Wildlife Refuge, Kossuth County, where posted accordingly.
571—94.6(483A) License quotas. A limited number of nonresident deer licenses will be issued in zones as follows:
	94.6(1) Zone license quotas. Nonresident license quotas are as follows:

 	 	Any-deer licenses	Mandatory
Antlerless-only	Optional
Antlerless-only	
 	 	All Methods	Bow			
 	Zone 1.	180	63	180	 	
 	Zone 2.	180	63	180	 	
 	Zone 3.	560	196	560	 	
 	Zone 4.	1280	448	1280	 	
 	Zone 5.	1600	560	1600	 	
 	Zone 6.	800	280	800	 	
 	Zone 7.	360	126	360	 	
 	Zone 8.	240	84	240	 	
 	Zone 9.	600	210	600	 	
 	Zone 10.	200	70	200	 	
 	Total	6000	2100	6000	3500	
	94.6(2) Quota applicability. The license quota issued for each zone will be the quota for all bow, regular gun and muzzleloader season licenses combined. No more than 6,000 any-deer licenses and 6,000 mandatory antlerless-only licenses will be issued for all methods of take combined, for the entire state. Of the 6,000 any-deer and 6,000 mandatory antlerless-only licenses, no more than 35 percent in any zone can be bow licenses. A maximum of 4,500 optional antlerless-only licenses will be issued on a county-by-county basis. The licenses will be divided between the counties in the same proportion as resident antlerless-only licenses. Hunters must designate a zone or county and season when purchasing the license and hunt only in that zone or county and season.
	94.6(3) Antlerless defined. Rescinded IAB 3/1/06, effective 4/5/06.
[ARC 7687B, IAB 4/8/09, effective 5/13/09]
571—94.7(483A) Method of take. Permitted weapons and devices vary according to the type of season.
	94.7(1) Bow season. Except for crossbows for persons with certain afflictions of the upper body, as provided in 571—15.5(481A), only longbow, compound or recurve bows shooting broadhead arrows are permitted. Arrows must be at least 18 inches long. No explosive or chemical devices may be attached to the arrow or broadhead.
	94.7(2) Regular gun season. Only 10-, 12-, 16-, or 20-gauge shotguns, shooting single slugs only, and flintlock or percussion cap lock muzzleloaded rifles or muskets of not less than .44 nor larger than .775 caliber, shooting single projectiles only, and handguns as described in 571—subrule 106.7(3), will be permitted in taking deer during the regular gun season.
	94.7(3) Muzzleloader and holiday seasons. During the muzzleloader and holiday seasons, deer may be taken with a muzzleloader, handgun, or bow as described in 94.7(1). Muzzleloading rifles are defined as flintlock or percussion cap lock muzzleloaded rifles and muskets of not less than .44 and not larger than .775 caliber, shooting single projectiles only. Centerfire handguns must be .357 caliber or larger shooting straight-walled cartridges propelling an expanding-type bullet (no full-metal jacket) and complying with all other requirements provided in Iowa Code section 481A.48. Legal handgun calibers are listed on the department of natural resources list of “Acceptable Handgun Calibers for Hunting Deer in Iowa.” Revolvers, pistols and black powder handguns must have a 4-inch minimum barrel length. There can be no shoulder stock or long-barrel modifications to handguns. Muzzleloading handguns must be .44 caliber or larger, shooting single projectiles only.
	94.7(4) Prohibited weapons and devices. The use of dogs, domestic animals, salt or bait, rifles other than muzzleloaded, handguns except as provided in 94.7(3), crossbows except as provided in 571—15.5(481A), automobiles, aircraft, or any mechanical conveyances or device including electronic calls is prohibited except that paraplegics and single or double amputees of the legs may hunt from any stationary motor-driven land conveyance. “Bait” means grain, fruit, vegetables, nuts, hay, salt or mineral blocks or any other natural food materials, or by-products of such materials transported to or placed in an area for the intent of attracting wildlife. Bait does not include food placed during normal agricultural activities. “Paraplegic” means an individual with paralysis of the lower half of the body with involvement of both legs, usually due to disease of or injury to the spinal cord.
It shall be unlawful for a person, while hunting deer, to have on their person a rifle other than a muzzleloading rifle that meets the requirements of 571—subrule 106.7(3).
	94.7(5) Discharge of firearms from highway. No person shall discharge a shotgun shooting slugs or a rifle, including a muzzleloading rifle or musket, or a handgun from a highway during the regular gun seasons in all counties and parts of counties north of Highway 30. A “highway” means the way between property lines open to the public for vehicle traffic, including the road ditch, as defined in Iowa Code section 321.1(78).
	94.7(6) Hunting from blinds. No person shall use a blind for hunting deer during the regular gun deer seasons as defined in 94.2(2), unless such blind exhibits a solid blaze orange marking visible in all directions with a minimum height of 12 inches and a minimum width of 12 inches. Such blaze orange shall be affixed directly on or directly on top of the blind. For the purposes of this subrule, the term “blind” is defined as a place of concealment constructed, either wholly or partially from man-made materials, and used by a person who is hunting for the purpose of hiding from sight. A blind is not a naturally occurring landscape feature or an arrangement of natural or agricultural plant material that a hunter uses for concealment. In addition to the requirements in this subrule, hunters using blinds must also satisfy the requirements of wearing blaze orange as prescribed in Iowa Code section 481A.122.
[ARC 7687B, IAB 4/8/09, effective 5/13/09; ARC 8887B, IAB 6/30/10, effective 8/18/10]
571—94.8(483A) Application procedure. Applications for nonresident deer hunting licenses must be made through the electronic licensing system for Iowa (ELSI) telephone order system or the ELSI Internet license sales Web site.
	94.8(1) Any-deer licenses. Applications for any-deer and mandatory antlerless-only licenses will be accepted from the first Saturday in May through the first Sunday in June. No one may submit more than one application during the application period. Hunters may apply as individuals or as a group of up to 15 applicants. All members of a group will be accepted or rejected together in the drawing. If applications have been sold in excess of the license quota for any zone or season, a drawing will be held to determine which applicants receive licenses. Licenses or refunds of license fees will be mailed to applicants after the drawing is completed. License agent writing fees, department administrative fees and telephone order charges will not be refunded. If any zone’s license quota for any-deer and mandatory antlerless-only licenses has not been filled, the excess any-deer and mandatory antlerless-only licenses will be sold on a first-come, first-served basis through the telephone ordering system or the Internet license sales Web site. Excess any-deer and mandatory antlerless-only licenses will be sold beginning the last Saturday in July until the quota has been filled or the last day of the hunting period for which the license is valid, whichever occurs first. Members of a group that is rejected may purchase licenses individually if excess any-deer and mandatory antlerless-only licenses or optional antlerless-only licenses are available.
	94.8(2) Optional antlerless-only licenses. Optional antlerless-only licenses must be purchased through the ELSI telephone ordering system or the ELSI Internet license sales Web site. Licenses for taking only antlerless deer will be available on the same date as excess any-deer licenses are sold as explained in 94.8(1). Optional antlerless-only licenses will only be issued for one of the two regular gun seasons and for qualified disabled hunters (571—94.10(481A)). They will be sold first-come, first-served until the county quota is filled, or until the last day of the season for which a license is valid. If optional antlerless-only licenses are still available on December 15, they may be purchased by nonresidents to hunt during the period from December 24 through January 2. These licenses will be available to nonresidents who have not purchased a nonresident deer license during one of the current deer seasons. The hunter must have in possession a valid nonresident small game hunting license and proof of having paid the current year’s wildlife habitat fee. Optional antlerless-only licenses will be valid only in the season and county designated by the hunter at the time the license is purchased.
	a. 	Nonresident landowners. Nonresidents who own land in Iowa will have preference in obtaining optional antlerless-only licenses. Nonresidents must qualify as landowners following the criteria stated in 571—subrule 106.12(1) and 571—subrules 106.12(3) through 106.12(6), except that nonresident tenants and family members of nonresident landowners and tenants do not qualify and nonresident optional antlerless-only licenses will not be free of charge. If a farm unit is owned jointly by more than one nonresident, only one owner may claim landowner preference in the same year. Nonresidents who own land jointly with a resident do not qualify for preference. Nonresidents who have provided proof to the department that they own land in Iowa and meet the qualifying criteria may purchase an optional antlerless-only license for one of the two regular gun seasons when excess any-deer licenses go on sale or for the holiday season beginning December 15. Such proof must be provided before an optional antlerless-only license can be purchased and must be resubmitted each year in which an optional antlerless-only license is purchased. These licenses do not count against the county quota.
	b. 	Nonresident proof of land ownership. Nonresidents who request preference for optional antlerless-only licenses will be required to submit a copy of their state of Iowa property tax statement for the current year or sign an affidavit that lists the legal description of their land, date purchased, and book and page number, or instrument number, where the deed is recorded.
	94.8(3) Preference points. Each individual applicant who is unsuccessful in the drawing for an any-deer license will be assigned one preference point for each year that the individual is unsuccessful. If a person who was unsuccessful in the drawing purchases a leftover license within four weeks, the person will receive a refund for the cost of the preference point. Preference points will not accrue in a year in which an applicant fails to apply, but the applicant will retain any preference points previously earned. Preference points will apply only to obtaining any-deer licenses. Once an applicant receives an any-deer nonresident deer hunting license, all preference points will be removed until the applicant is again unsuccessful in a drawing or purchases a preference point as described in subrule 94.8(4). Preference points will apply to any zone or season for which a hunter applies. The first drawing for any-deer licenses each year will be made from the pool of applicants with the most preference points. If licenses are still available after the first drawing, subsequent drawings will be made from pools of applicants with successively fewer preference points and continue until the any-deer license quota is reached or all applicants have received licenses. Applicants who apply as a group will be included in a pool of applicants with the same number of preference points as that of the member of the group with the fewest preference points assigned.
	94.8(4) Purchasing preference points. A nonresident who does not want to hunt in the current year may purchase one preference point per calendar year. The preference point will apply to the next year’s drawing for any-deer licenses. The preference point will be treated in the same manner as preference points obtained by hunters who are unsuccessful in the any-deer license drawing. A nonresident may not purchase a preference point and apply for an any-deer license in the same calendar year. Preference points may be purchased only during the application period for any-deer licenses.
[ARC 8887B, IAB 6/30/10, effective 8/18/10]
571—94.9(483A) Transportation tag. A transportation tag bearing the license number of the licensee, year of issuance, and date of kill properly shown shall be visibly attached to the carcass of each deer, in such a manner that the tag cannot be removed without mutilating or destroying the tag, within 15 minutes of the time the deer is killed or before the carcass of the deer is moved in any manner, whichever first occurs. This tag shall be proof of possession and shall remain affixed to the carcass until such time as the animal is processed for consumption. The head, and antlers if any, shall remain attached to all deer while being transported by any means whatsoever from the place where taken to the processor or commercial preservation facility, or until the deer has been processed for consumption.
571—94.10(481A) Deer hunting season for severely disabled persons.
	94.10(1) Licenses. A nonresident meeting the requirements of Iowa Code section 321L.1(8) may apply for or purchase a nonresident deer hunting license to participate in a special deer hunting season for severely disabled persons. Nonresidents applying for this license must have on file with the department of natural resources either a copy of a disabilities parking permit issued by a state department of transportation or an Iowa DNR form signed by a physician that verifies their disability.
	94.10(2) Season dates. Any deer or antlerless deer may be taken in the hunting zone indicated on the deer license during 16 consecutive days beginning the third Saturday in September.
	94.10(3) Shooting hours. Legal shooting hours will be from one-half hour before sunrise until one-half hour after sunset each day regardless of the type of weapon used.
	94.10(4) Limits. Daily bag and possession limit is one deer. A person may shoot and tag only one deer by utilizing the license and tag issued in the person’s name.
	94.10(5) License quotas. Licenses for the special hunting season for severely disabled persons shall be issued from the quotas established in 571—94.6(483A). A special quota will not be set aside for severely disabled persons.
	94.10(6) Method of take and other regulations. Deer may be taken with shotgun, bow, muzzleloading rifle or pistol as defined in 571—94.7(483A). All participants must meet the hunters’ orange apparel requirement in Iowa Code section 481A.122. All other regulations for taking deer with a gun or bow shall apply.
	94.10(7) Application procedures. Persons meeting the requirements for this season must apply following the procedures described in 571—94.8(483A). A person who does not have a form on file to verify a disability will not be entered into the drawing or be allowed to purchase a license and will have the license fee refunded, less a $10 administrative fee to cover the cost of handling the application as provided in 571—subrule 15.11(1). License agent writing fees, department administrative fees, Internet sales charges and telephone order charges will not be refunded.
571—94.11(481A) Harvest reporting. Each hunter who bags a deer must report that kill according to procedures described in 571—95.1(481A).
571—94.12(481A) January antlerless season. Beginning on January 11, nonresident hunters may obtain antlerless-only licenses for the January antlerless season specified in 571—subrule 106.2(5). Licenses will be available only in those counties specified in 571—subrule 106.6(4) until the quota provided in 571—subrule 106.6(6) is filled. All regulations specified in 571—Chapter 106 for the January antlerless season for resident hunters including limits, shooting hours, method of take, tagging and reporting requirements will also apply to nonresident hunters during this season.
[ARC 7687B, IAB 4/8/09, effective 5/13/09]
These rules are intended to implement Iowa Code sections 481A.38, 481A.39, 481A.48, 483A.1, 483A.8 and 483A.24.
[Filed emergency 8/11/89—published 8/23/89, effective 8/11/89]
[Filed 5/11/90, Notice 3/7/90—published 5/30/90, effective 8/1/90]
[Filed 5/10/91, Notice 3/6/91—published 5/29/91, effective 8/1/91]
[Filed 5/8/92, Notice 3/4/92—published 5/27/92, effective 7/6/92]
[Filed emergency 4/9/93 after Notice 2/17/93—published 4/28/93, effective 4/9/93]
[Filed emergency 5/20/94 after Notice 3/2/94—published 6/8/94, effective 5/20/94]
[Filed 2/9/95, Notice 12/7/94—published 3/1/95, effective 4/5/95]
[Filed 2/9/96, Notice 1/3/96—published 2/28/96, effective 4/10/96]
[Filed 12/13/96, Notice 11/6/96—published 1/1/97, effective 2/5/97]
[Filed emergency 11/14/97 after Notice 9/10/97—published 12/3/97, effective 11/14/97]
[Filed 2/20/98, Notice 12/31/97—published 3/11/98, effective 4/15/98]
[Filed 2/19/99, Notice 12/2/98—published 3/10/99, effective 4/14/99]
[Filed emergency 11/12/99 after Notice 9/8/99—published 12/1/99, effective 11/12/99]
[Filed 8/18/00, Notice 5/3/00—published 9/6/00, effective 10/11/00]
[Filed 2/16/01, Notice 12/27/00—published 3/7/01, effective 4/11/01]
[Filed 2/15/02, Notice 11/28/01—published 3/6/02, effective 4/10/02]
[Filed 2/14/03, Notice 12/11/02—published 3/5/03, effective 4/9/03]
[Filed 10/10/03, Notice 9/3/03—published 10/29/03, effective 12/3/03]
[Filed 2/13/04, Notice 12/10/03—published 3/3/04, effective 4/21/04]
[Filed 2/11/05, Notice 12/8/04—published 3/2/05, effective 4/6/05]
[Filed 5/18/05, Notice 3/30/05—published 6/8/05, effective 7/13/05]
[Filed emergency 6/28/05—published 7/20/05, effective 6/29/05]
[Filed 2/9/06, Notice 12/7/05—published 3/1/06, effective 4/5/06]
[Filed 2/8/07, Notice 12/6/06—published 2/28/07, effective 4/6/07]
[Filed 2/21/08, Notice 12/5/07—published 3/12/08, effective 4/16/08]
[Filed ARC 7687B (Notice ARC 7500B, IAB 1/14/09), IAB 4/8/09, effective 5/13/09]
[Filed ARC 8252B (Notice ARC 8016B, IAB 7/29/09), IAB 11/4/09, effective 12/9/09]
[Filed ARC 8887B (Notice ARC 8683B, IAB 4/7/10), IAB 6/30/10, effective 8/18/10]