Several popular hunting seasons will open in Iowa next week. DNR conservation officer Nate Carr says rabbit and squirrel seasons will open September 5th.

Squirrel season typically brings out some 20,000 hunters who will harvest more than 100,000 squirrels a year, while Iowa hunters took around 90,000 cottontail rabbits each year over the past 10 years.

“Another thing that’s going to start September 5th is our special September teal season,” Carr says. “It’s kind of additional days for waterfowl hunters to get out and hunt ducks, specifically teal, whether it’s blue winged teal, green winged teal, cinnamon. It’s an additional nine days.” There’s a daily bag limit of six for teal, and that season begins at sunrise and ends at sunset.

Next Tuesday also marks the start of Iowa’s mourning dove hunting season.

“Dove runs September 1st all the way through November 29th. The daily limit is 15 for those,” Carr says. “It’s a longer season, but really your best days of hunting are going to be opening day, the first couple of weekends as we catch those birds migrating.”

Visit the website IowaDNR.gov for all of the rules and regulations on fall hunting.

(Pat Powers, KQWC, Webster City)