The archery deer hunting season opens in under a week. The popular season opens Wednesday, October 1st. The Iowa Department of Natural Resources expects 60,000 hunters to take part. The archery season closes December 5th for shotgun deer hunting, and will open again December 22nd. It officially closes January 10th. Deer hunting for youth and the disabled until October 5th. The DNR reminds bow hunters to ensure their gear is working properly, especially treestands and safety harnesses.