Live Des Moines-area forecast
Best time to hunt deer today in Iowa
Iowa crop, CRP, and timber edges reward precise timing; use the Des Moines windows as today’s baseline.
Today’s sit windows
Early Morning
6:23 AM – 8:38 AM
Good · 66/100
6:23 AM – 8:38 AM
Good · 66/100
Midday
10:00 AM – 2:00 PM
Poor · 32/100
10:00 AM – 2:00 PM
Poor · 32/100
Evening
5:45 PM – 8:00 PM
Fair · 62/100
5:45 PM – 8:00 PM
Fair · 62/100
Movement Index
54
Movement Index · Des Moines, IA
Fair — Not a kill-sit day. Use it for intel — observation or a camera check.
As of Wednesday, September 9, 2026 at 7:49 PM · Confidence: High — All key inputs are reliable and well-defined. This is a high-accuracy forecast.
Get your exact ZIP forecastBest sit today
Morning stand (6:23 AM – 8:38 AM) — solid window. Be in your stand 30–45 min before the window opens.
Season phase: early-season
Best movement times
- 6:23 AM – 8:38 AM
- 5:45 PM – 8:00 PM
Weather snapshot
- 82°F
- Wind W at 6 mph
- Pressure steady
- Waning Crescent moon
What’s driving it
- Wind: 6 mph — favorable wind that tends to keep scent moving predictably without overloading deer senses.
- Warm Front: Up 8°F — warming conditions tend to suppress daytime activity. Evening sits may still produce.
- Temperature: 82°F — warm conditions that tend to push deer toward more nocturnal activity patterns.
- Moon Phase: Waning Crescent (4% lit) — solunar timing may favor morning and evening movement windows.
- Season: Early Season: Deer follow predictable food-source patterns. Target mast crops and ag fields at dawn and dusk.