Brief update

[Fishbonker]

SF 2017 (leashed dogs for deer tracking) passed out of committee today on a 13-0 vote and will be eligible for Senate debate. The house version HF 2007 is still in subcommittee.

SSB 3058 (tagging deer stands/blinds) passed out of committee today on a 9-4 vote. This bill is now SF2113 and eligible for senate debate.

HF 573 doesn’t pertain to hunting but it has to do with deadly force. I don’t know enough about the issue to know if the changes are good or bad. It is a long bill but worth reading.

Couple of other things on the radar are paying the migratory game bird fee for hunting mourning doves, reversing the lead shot ban, party hunting in late ML season and landowner turkey licenses good for any season.

[jesserichard]

Thanks for the updates!

[risto2351]

SF 2017 (leashed dogs for deer tracking) passed out of committee today on a 13-0 vote and will be eligible for Senate debate. The house version HF 2007 is still in subcommittee.

SSB 3058 (tagging deer stands/blinds) passed out of committee today on a 9-4 vote. This bill is now SF2113 and eligible for senate debate.

HF 573 doesn’t pertain to hunting but it has to do with deadly force. I don’t know enough about the issue to know if the changes are good or bad. It is a long bill but worth reading.

Couple of other things on the radar are paying the migratory game bird fee for hunting mourning doves, reversing the lead shot ban, party hunting in late ML season and landowner turkey licenses good for any season.

Thanks for the update Bonk.

I wish they would pass letting youth turkey tags being good for the entire turkey season like deer does.

[ElkHunter]

I wish they would pass letting youth turkey tags being good for the entire turkey season like deer does.

Doubt if hunting all four is gunna happen, at least they expanded the youth season.

[waylonb19]

I sure hope they never pass late muzzy party hunting.

[deersniffer]

Hi Everyone,
My name is Brian and I live in Johnson County near the town of Oxford. I have been trying to get the bill allowing the use of a leashed dog to track deer for several years. As of now the bill has made some progress, but may be hung up in the Iowa House due to some of the Reps in Southern Iowa having a problem with it. Please note I am not pushing this bill to profit off of tracking deer for people. I do like dogs and have a couple of competent trackers. I also enjoy watching my dogs work. I do also breed and have about 1 litter a year of tracker pups. Finding homes for these pups is not a problem and they have been going throughout the U.S. to be used as hunters and companions.This is a hobby for me that I use to help friends and family and occasionally a random person. I am also an avid bow hunter and usually do either the shotgun or muzzle loader season. I could use your support, especially in the Southern counties if you agree with this as being another possible tool to help maybe find that trophy buck or doe that you can't find using traditional methods. If you have any questions please feel free to contact me at 319-430-8065. I have included below some further information below that I posted on my website www.trackingteckels.com (http://www.trackingteckels.com). Thank you. Brian

As some of you may know I have been trying to get Iowa to pass a law legalizing the use of a leashed dog to track wounded deer in Iowa for several years. As of now I inform the DNR Officer in charge of the county I do a track in and they allow me to do it. They have gotten to know who I am. My goal is to have Iowa get on board with the other 21 states that it is written in law as being a legal practice. This year the proposed bill is making its way through the Iowa legislature once again. The first time I attempted this the bill was funneled out and disregarded by the first 3 person committee that reviewed it. After taking time to educate the Iowa DNR and state legislators things are looking better. On 1-31-12 the bill passed out of the full Senate Natural Resources and Environment Committee surviving the first cut or funneling of proposed bills. Although this is positive forward movement, the bill now has to make it through the Iowa House of Representatives. The bill has been assigned as SF 2017. I have been told that the Representatives in Southern Iowa oppose this bill. They say this practice will cause their properties to be over run by dogs and create more trespassers. I have told them this is nothing different than a person tracking a deer now except that the tracker may have a dog on a lead ahead of him helping to find sign and ultimately the animal. This bill has specific language that states that the dog will be required to be on a lead and that the person tracking must obtain permission prior to going on private property. I don’t know how the law can be any more clear cut than that. I don’t understand their argument. I have written these particular legislators and asked them to please not punish all Iowans in the other counties if they do not trust the citizens in their counties and do not believe them to be ethical enough to follow the rules. If you are reading this and you live in one of the Southern Iowa counties please take the time to look up your Representative. You can give them a call or send an email explaining your support for SF2017. You can find your Representative and their contact information on the Iowa Legislation website. I thank you and appreciate any of the support I can get.

[Packnasty]

Thanks for the update Brian.

Like him, I too am training my wirehaired dachshund Stanley to track. He just turned 1, and had a pretty decent season. I lay a training line weekly for him, and he successfully completed two tracks on real deer this past fall. However, I originally bought him with the intention that this bill would've been passed last year. I'm colorblind and a worthless tracker. I need his help. The wife has always hated getting that call. It would be nice to be able to do it legally, with a leash of course.

Once a bill like this is passed, trackers like myself and Brian will pop up statewide... willing to provide a service to hunters having difficulty tracking their deer. The end result will obviously be greater recovery rates.

I will write my representatives in the house and senate. I am assuming their concern is that dogs will now be allowed to run deer. That is a common misconception. Common practice for tracking is for them to do it on a lead (leash), which is the way the bill is written up.

Here's a tool to find your elected officials:
http://www.congress.org/congressorg/officials/congress/

[risto2351]

Doubt if hunting all four is gunna happen, at least they expanded the youth season.

Randy,
What is the rational behind that?

They do it for deer season. bigger time frame for deer?

Glad they expanded the youth season and extended everything by a week.

[ElkHunter]

I think legislature made the youth tag good in all seasons not a DNR idea.

[Cooter]

Randy,
What is the rational behind that?

They do it for deer season. bigger time frame for deer?

Glad they expanded the youth season and extended everything by a week.

Turkeys aren't running rampant like the deer herd :rolleyes:

Mobile Cooter using IW

[magnus]

Nothing on HF2003 .....related to shed thieving?

[Fishbonker]

The IBA Legislative Newsletter said it will most likely not pass out of subcommittee. My Rep said the chairman of the Judiciary Committee was not inclined to move the proposed legislation forward. I wonder if the bill would have had some legs if it had gone to the Natural Resources Committee.