Information about Iowa's draw system for big game hunts to help you prepare to apply. Want to apply in Iowa for whitetail or turkey? Then this article is for you
Iowa boasts a stellar reputation for its great whitetail deer hunting with numerous record book entries accumulated over the years. The state's genetics are top-notch, contributing to exceptional trophy potential thanks to the combination of excellent habitat, agricultural practices, and mild winters. In addition to whitetail deer, Iowa offers fantastic hunting opportunities for wild turkey, various small game species and great fishing. Resident deer tags are conveniently available over-the-counter (OTC) while nonresidents must navigate a preference point system to obtain their deer license. Although Iowa is primarily composed of private lands, diligent hunters who conduct thorough research can still uncover excellent public hunting prospects.
Be sure to check out our Application Strategy articles to learn in-depth research and application tips when it comes time to apply in Iowa.
Iowa uses preference points for the nonresident deer and spring turkey drawings. With a preference point system, the tags are allocated to the applicants with the most preference points. Hunters can opt to apply solely for points during the application, but each unsuccessful draw also earns a point.
Points are applied to first choice applications and successfully drawing a tag will remove the accrued points from your account.
Iowa does not require residents to draw for tags so nonresidents do receive their own application pool and are only competing against each other. Each year, the state allocates around 6,000 nonresident deer tags that are drawn among all of the available season types. No more than 35% of each zone quota can be for the bow season.
Hunters may apply individually or as a group of up to 15 applicants for deer and turkey permits. The group's point total will default to the lowest point value present in the group. For example, if a group of two applies and Applicant A has one point while Applicant B has four points, the group enters the draw with one point.
Learn more information about hunting applications, draw systems, hunt regulations, tag allocations, and more in our State Profile sections:
