The first shotgun deer season opens Saturday (Dec. 4th) and the Iowa Department of Natural Resources is urging you not to wait until the last minute to get a hunting license. The D-N-R’s Terry Little says they’re concerned that they only sold about half of the licenses they expect — which will be several thousand. He says they expect 70 to 75-thousand hunters to take part in the first season and another 50-thousand for the second season. Little says if you wait until Friday, you’re more likely to run into a problem. He says if the people wanting a license pile up, there could be a problems. He says a phone line could go down, or a computer that processes the licenses could go down, leaving the hunter with no options. Little says many retail and sporting goods stores sell the licenses. He says at this point that’s about the only option. He says if you start earlier you can call in and order a license or go on-line. He says they cut off the phone and on-line orders 10 days before the season to ensure that the licenses that’re ordered get mailed in time. Little’s not sure why people wait until the day before the hunt to get a license.He says,”Why do we humans always procrastinate?” He says it’s just human nature.The first season runs Saturday through the following Wednesday (Dec. 8th). The second shotgun deer season runs from December 11th to the 19th. A deer hunting license for an Iowa resident costs 26-dollars.

Radio Iowa