Set-Aside Deer and Turkey Licences — Resident Prices for Non-Residents
Iowa reserves 75 non-resident deer licences and 25 wild turkey licences each year for veterans entitled to a service-connected rating of 30% or more, at RESIDENT fees. It is reached through a hunt run by a natural resources department approved organisation providing hunting experiences in Iowa for disabled veterans. This is a benefit for people who do NOT live in Iowa.
Verified August 27, 2026
What this benefit is
Iowa reserves 75 non-resident deer licences and 25 wild turkey licences each year for veterans entitled to a service-connected rating of 30% or more, at RESIDENT fees. It is reached through a hunt run by a natural resources department approved organisation providing hunting experiences in Iowa for disabled veterans. This is a benefit for people who do NOT live in Iowa.
What it's worth: 75 deer and 25 turkey non-resident licences a year, at resident prices
- This is for NON-RESIDENTS. It is the only benefit in this corpus addressed to someone who does not live in the state.
- 75 non-resident deer licences and 25 wild turkey licences are reserved annually. They are finite, so timing matters.
- They are purchased at RESIDENT fees, which on non-resident deer licences is a very large difference.
- The route in is a hunt conducted by an organisation APPROVED by the natural resources department to run hunting experiences in Iowa for disabled veterans. You cannot buy these independently.
- The rating test is entitlement to a service-connected rating of 30% or more under 38 U.S.C. chapter 11.
- The hunting licence including the wildlife habitat fee, plus the deer or turkey licence, are all at resident rates. A $1 deer herd management fee still applies.
- The state veterans department is involved in the approval.
Who is entitled to it
- You served in the U.S. armed forces.
- Your rating is 30% or higher.
- The hunt is in Iowa.
Not sure whether that describes you?
Answer a few questions about this benefit specifically — we only ask what this one actually depends on, and we stop as soon as we know.
How to claim it
- 1Find an organisation approved by the Iowa natural resources department to run hunts for disabled veterans. That is the only route — you cannot buy these licences yourself.
- 2Apply early. There are 75 deer and 25 turkey licences in total for the whole year.
- 3You do NOT need to live in Iowa. That is the point of this one.
- 4Take VA documentation of a 30% or higher service-connected rating.
- 5Budget for the $1 deer herd management fee, which is not waived.
- Form
- Through an approved organisation running the hunt
- File with
- A DNR-approved organisation running veteran hunts in Iowa
- Documents you will need
- va benefit summary letter
- Annual
- Claimed once a year.
Sources
- authority · statuteIowa Code 483A — set-aside licences for disabled veterans
- operating · published policyIowa Department of Veterans Affairs
This finder provides an informational match, not a government eligibility determination. The responsible agency decides your application.