The second urban deer hunt within Fort Dodge city limits will begin on Saturday.

This archery only hunt will be confined to areas on the northern, eastern and western edges of the city that meet specific criteria.

Hunting will be allowed through Jan. 10, 2025.

In 2023, the City Council approved the first hunt after hearing complaints for years about deer eating up gardens and nearly causing traffic crashes. That hunt began in September 2023 and concluded in January of this year. A total of 43 deer, all does, were harvested.

This year’s hunt will again target does, but it will also provide hunters with the opportunity to earn an incentive buck tag.

According to police Capt. Steve Hanson, the Fort Dodge Police Department will keep a report of each hunter’s harvests. Once a hunter has harvested three does through the required verification process and the Police Department has received verification from the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, an incentive tag will be issued to the hunter in the DNR’s system. The incentive tag can only be used within the Fort Dodge Urban Deer Management Zone and is only good for one season.

“This year, and this year only, the Iowa DNR has granted the city of Fort Dodge’s urban controlled deer hunt the opportunity to not only utilize the incentive tag, but to earn an incentive tag for the 2024-2025 season and the 2025-2026 season with qualifying harvests,” Hanson told The Messenger previously. “For those that harvested two or less does in the 2023-2024 season, this one-time opportunity will allow a hunter to achieve an incentive tag in each hunting season. This would also allow a first-year hunter to obtain an incentive tag for the 2024-2025 season along with the 2025-2026 season.”

However, not everyone can notch up an arrow and go hunting during this period. Only hunters who have complied with all city requirements, including passing an archery proficiency test, can participate. Aug. 29 was the deadline for applying to be part of the hunt.

Hunting will only be allowed on properties that measure at least 200 by 200 yards.