Order online, pick up at a licensed dealer in Story County. Ames is Iowa State's city, a research and agriculture town half an hour north of Des Moines. Story County dealers take transfers and Iowa's permit to acquire is optional.
Pick an FFL dealer near you that accepts shipped transfers and name it at checkout. We confirm their license and ship the firearm to them. Ammunition, optics and parts ship straight to your door where Iowa law allows.
Iowa's permit to acquire has been optional since July 2021; without one the dealer runs the federal check when you complete ATF Form 4473. Federal age limits apply: 21 for a handgun from a dealer, 18 for a long gun. The firearm ships to the Iowa dealer you name at checkout. There is no waiting period and no registration.
Dealers in these communities all work for Ames-area buyers:
Iowa has allowed permitless carry since July 2021 for adults 21 and over who are not prohibited, openly or concealed. Schools, courthouses and posted property remain off limits. The permit to carry is still issued by the Story County Sheriff and adds reciprocity in other states.
Iowa's deer seasons are built around two shotgun seasons in early and mid-December, with youth, muzzleloader and archery seasons around them. Antlerless quotas are set by county, so check the DNR table for Story County. Shotguns, muzzleloaders, handguns and straight-walled rifle cartridges are legal; bottleneck centerfire rifle cartridges are not allowed for deer.
Story County is central Iowa farmland with deer in the creek timber, hunted in the December shotgun seasons with slug guns, muzzleloaders and straight-wall rifles; pheasants open in late October.
Banner's DNR range near Indianola is the nearest state facility, and Iowa's youth deer season in September is built for a child's first hunt.
These ranges are run by or officially listed by a state wildlife agency, a state forest or a national forest, and several run hunter-education and youth programmes. Most ask for a hunting licence, a range permit or a small day fee, and hours change with the season, so check the agency page before you go.
Source: State wildlife agency, state forest and U.S. Forest Service public range listings, September 2026. Distances are approximate; call or check the agency site before you drive out.
Yes. Order here, name a licensed FFL dealer in Nevada, Huxley, Story City, Ames or anywhere in Story County, and we ship the firearm to them. You fill out ATF Form 4473 at their counter and they run the background check.
No. The permit to acquire is optional. Your dealer runs the federal check when you complete ATF Form 4473.
Yes, for adults 21 and over who are not prohibited. The Story County Sheriff still issues permits to carry for travel.
Only straight-walled cartridges. Shotguns, muzzleloaders and handguns are the traditional Iowa deer guns; check the current DNR rules.
A compact bolt-action in .243 with a growing stock, or a .350 Legend where the state restricts rifles to straight-walled cartridges, after a season on a .22.
Each dealer sets its own fee, commonly $20 to $75. Call before you order to confirm the price and that they accept firearms shipped from an online store.
General information, not legal advice. Rules current as of September 2026. See our buying guide and check with Story County Sheriff (permits to carry and to acquire) or a local attorney about your own situation.