BETTENDORF, Iowa — With the Iowa shotgun deer hunting season beginning on Dec. 2, Shianne Johnson and her team at R&R Sports in Bettendorf are helping hunters be prepared.
"It gets me excited to see more people get involved and learn the right way of doing things and to care about doing so," Johnson said. "The more people we're able to get involved, including children, the better it is for the future of the sport."
Last season, Iowa hunters harvested nearly 110,000 deer, a 7% increase from the year before.
Jacob Hamburg has been hunting for six years and says he's only been able to bring birds home. However, he hopes to be able to bring a deer this season,while creating special memories with his family.
"Hunting is more than just shooting animals," Hamburg said. "The sport helps you build experiences with families and get closer. There's a lot more to it than just being at home every day, so just being able to go outside and bond with people you love, it's special."
Johnson added that this season will be special to many and hopes all who participate will do so safely.
"You need to have a proper understanding of how to safely operate your equipment as well as be respectful to other people in the area as well," Johnson said. "During gun season, wearing orange is huge, especially on public land. A lot of people see movement in the woods and they get excited, and accidents can happen, and we want to prevent any injuries as much as possible."
For more information regarding the upcoming deer hunting season, click here.
Click here to see this year's harvest report.
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