Antlered Buck White-tailed Deer

After a relatively slow start, hunters across Iowa have been out using their deer tags lately as the first shotgun season winds down. According to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, this year there has been a reported total of 656 deer harvested in Washington County as of Monday. That number includes 260 does, 335 antlered bucks, 60 button bucks, and one shed-antler buck. Button bucks are male fawns aged six months or younger. They’re called button bucks because though their antlers haven’t yet grown, two bumps, or “buttons,” have emerged on top of their heads. Shed-antler bucks are male deer that have recently shed their old antlers and have yet to regrow new ones.

Statewide, there have been 19,248 does, 25,530 antlered bucks, 3,632 button bucks, and 61 shed-antler bucks harvested this hunting season, for a total of 48,471 white-tailed deer. The second shotgun season starts December 10th and goes until December 18th. Bow-hunting season ended December 2nd with the start of the first shotgun season, but will resume along with muzzleloader season on December 19th and run until January 10th. Find information about the deer harvest in other area counties below.

As of Monday, December 6th:
County – Does – Antlered Bucks – Button Bucks – Shed-Antler Bucks – Total
Washington – 260 – 335 – 60 – 1 – 656
Henry – 233 – 286 – 58 – 1 – 578
Iowa – 217 – 317 – 56 – 1 – 591
Jefferson – 230 – 269 – 47 – 0 – 546
Johnson – 386 – 428 – 76 – 1 – 891
Keokuk – 136 – 278 – 35 – 0 – 449
Louisa – 209 – 287 – 53 – 0 – 549
Statewide – 19,248 – 25,530 – 3,632 – 61 – 48,471