Deer bow hunting season is currently underway, but the early returns on youth and early muzzle-loader seasons have been around average. According to Wesley Gould, Law Enforcement Officer for the Iowa Department of Natural Resources for Washington and Keokuk Counties, the warm weather has been a deterrent to hunting whitetail deer this year, but hunters found success early. He says while people enjoy the nice weather, it does make for some tough hunting. Warm days with lots of wind generally make it difficult to harvest deer, and those who found success in the early muzzle-loader season got them on the first weekend during a cold snap.

Gould emphasizes this is a small sample-size, and hunting season is still a long way from over. He believes bow hunters could find a great deal of success in the coming weeks, as it’s approaching the peak time for the deer mating season, or rut. The rut typically lasts from late October to early December, with the ideal time being around Veterans Day, according to Gould. He adds, they should have a better idea about the deer harvest right before the first shotgun season starts on December 3rd.