One of the most popular deer hunting seasons opens this weekend across Iowa.

Conservation Officer for the Iowa Department of Natural Resources Aron Arthur says the first shotgun season is December 7th through 11th. He tells Raccoon Valley Radio the reason why shotgun seasons are the most popular time for hunters is because they are allowed to hunt as a group or in cases of Iowa residents they can “party hunt.”

“The explanation of ‘party hunting’ is when you can shoot for each other as long as you have a license for that season. So if ten of us go out, one person can shoot all of the deer as long as they are present, but they must be tagged within 15 minutes and then it becomes possession of the person whose tag is on it.” 

Arthur adds that the minimum required safety clothing is a blaze orange vest, but he encourages more as the more easily you are seen, the less of a chance that you get accidentally shot, especially during shotgun seasons.