- About the Deer Management Program
- The Deer Management Plan
- Public Input
- Documents
- Links and Resources
About Iowa City’s Deer Management Program
Iowa City’s Deer Management Plan was formed in response to resident concerns about deer in urban and suburban areas. A survey conducted in 2018 revealed the urban deer population had tripled since the City ceased its deer management program in 2010. After coordinating with the Iowa DNR and soliciting public input, the City Council adopted a Deer Management Plan in 2019. This plan was approved through the Iowa Natural Resources Commission and included one year of professional sharpshooting, four years of urban bow hunts, and ongoing public education.
A full timeline and history of the City’s deer management response is available here.
Contacts:
Questions, comments, complaints, or suggestions for staff can be sent to deermanagement@iowa-city.org and the appropriate person will follow up if necessary.
Comments, complaints, or suggestions related to Iowa City's Deer Management Program for City Council can submitted by emailing council@iowa-city.org, submitting written correspondence to Council Members addressed to 410 E. Washington Street, Iowa City, Iowa 52240, or addressing the City Council during public comment at regular formal meetings. Individual councilor phone numbers are also available online. Residents who submit public comment must include their full name and should be aware that all correspondence addressed to the City Council becomes a permanent public record and is archived by the City.
Deer Management Plan
2019 – 2020 (Professional Sharpshooting): A report on the results of White Buffalo, Inc.’s 2019 – 2020 deer cull is available here.
2020 – 2024 (Urban Bow Hunt): Information on the 2021 – 2022 urban bow hunt is available on the Urban Bow Hunt page.
Ongoing (Public Education): Please visit our Deer Education and Non-Lethal Management page for tips on living with deer and information on non-lethal deer management solutions.
Public Input
The community was invited to attend a public input meeting to discuss deer population management on Tuesday, Aug. 14, 2018, at City Hall, 410 E. Washington St.
City staff presented a short history of the City’s deer management, which is included in the document entitled “Council Information Packet: Urban Wildlife-Deer.” Tony DeNicola of White Buffalo, Inc. presented the study completed last winter on the estimate of the deer population in Iowa City, which is Exhibit B to the document entitled “Letter to Natural Resources Commission.” The meeting was then opened up for comments and questions from the public (limited to 3 minutes per person). View the meeting here.
Documents
- Adopted Long-Term Deer Management Plan (2019 – 2024)
- 2018 Deer Population Survey (Conducted by White Buffalo Inc.)
- 2010 White Buffalo, Inc. Deer Harvest Report
- 2020 White Buffalo Inc. Deer Harvest Report
- 2020 - 2021 Deer Management Annual Report, Bow Hunt Results, and Aerial Survey Results
- 2021 - 2022 Deer Management Annual Report, Bow Hunt Results, and Aerial Survey Results
Links & Resources
- Frequently Asked Questions
- History/Timeline of Iowa City Deer Management Efforts
- Deer Education, Tips for Living with Deer, and Non-Lethal Management Information
- Iowa Department of Natural Resources Deer Management Zone Hunts
- Ordinance to Prohibit Feeding of Deer
- Map of Deer-Vehicle Collisions in Iowa City (2016 - 2021)