2025-26 deer season change wish list

[tall@wide]

What would deer hunters like to see changed for the upcoming deer season? Be realistic.
My realistic hopes are that all in season bait and supplements are banned. Too many hunters skirt the current law now and it gives an unfair advantage to them.
I would also like to see Iowa go to a one buck limit with landowners getting an additional buck tag with their landowner tag (the landowner tag will help with the mgmt of culls).
If the late season antlerless only season was axed, I wouldn't be upset either.

 

[newfarmer]

All deer seasons end Dec 31

LOT tags be to actual landowner only (name on the deed)

Cut doe tags to be on the offense for EHD

 

[Hardwood11]

A step in the right direction would be 1 buck limit in Iowa ! Landowners (resident) can get a second buck tag for management if they own 80 acres or more in counties that can support it .

The far northern counties of Iowa with mostly cropland should not have multiple buck tags in any way, shape or form.

 

[hillrunner]

What would deer hunters like to see changed for the upcoming deer season? Be realistic.
My realistic hopes are that all in season bait and supplements are banned. Too many hunters skirt the current law now and it gives an unfair advantage to them.
I would also like to see Iowa go to a one buck limit with landowners getting an additional buck tag with their landowner tag (the landowner tag will help with the mgmt of culls).
If the late season antlerless only season was axed, I wouldn't be upset either.

I too want to see in season feeding go away. I haven't seen it become an issue yet but I keep hearing rumblings about "defensive baiting" to keep deer off other properties. That is not a road I want to see us go down.

 

[Butch973]

A step in the right direction would be 1 buck limit in Iowa ! Landowners (resident) can get a second buck tag for management if they own 80 acres or more in counties that can support it .

The far northern counties of Iowa with mostly cropland should not have multiple buck tags in any way, shape or form.

I like the landowner tag if you own a minimum number of acres but I would even bump it up to maybe 120 and also let a nonresident landowner get at least a few doe tags they can use at their own discretion and some sort of separate lottery system so these guys can at least shoot a buck every few years not having to wait five or six.
I also think you shouldn’t be able to buy a county doe tag and party hunt and shoot as many bucks as you want and then still get an any sex late muzzy tag.
Definitely need to do something about registration on those properties as well so the system isn’t abused.

 

[mplane72]

I would like to see the no cams on Public land rules the DNR tried to implement earlier this year come up in legislation and passed. Mixed feelings about cells cams but not something I'm worked up about.

 

[2-bucks]

One buck period. Landowner or not. And I'm a landowner.

 

[IowaBowHunter1983]

One buck state for all.
Landowner tag acreage increased from 2 acres to somthing realistic. 40?
End shed buck season (late doe)
No party hunting for anyone. Your deer, your tag.
Return power to DNR, not clueless bought and paid for politicians

Other things I'd support but probably arnt realistic:
Roll back of straight wall rifles. Go back to shotguns
Ban smokeless muzzleloaders
No cell cams

 

[Ishi]

One buck state for all.
Landowner tag acreage increased from 2 acres to somthing realistic. 40?
End shed buck season (late doe)
No party hunting for anyone. Your deer, your tag.
Return power to DNR, not clueless bought and paid for politicians

Other things I'd support but probably arnt realistic:
Roll back of straight wall rifles. Go back to shotguns
Ban smokeless muzzleloaders
No cell cams

IBA1983 for governor this is my list! Love it!
Also expand or buy more public land

 

[Rous14]

One buck state for all.
Landowner tag acreage increased from 2 acres to somthing realistic. 40?
End shed buck season (late doe)
No party hunting for anyone. Your deer, your tag.
Return power to DNR, not clueless bought and paid for politicians

Other things I'd support but probably arnt realistic:
Roll back of straight wall rifles. Go back to shotguns
Ban smokeless muzzleloaders
No cell cams

Great list.
As much enjoyment as I get out of my cell cams I’d have no issue at all voting to completely eliminate them.

 

[theDoorman]

1. Get would get rid of cell cameras.
2. Get rid of late season anterless season.
3. 1 tag + 1LO tag
4. Price of non resident tags would go up and proceeds would go towards EHD research. (Whether that is a $100 more for a tag or a $20 stamp. Something to get started on EHD research.)

 

[Muddyrem]

1 buck tag state wide, plus 1 buck tag for LO who own 20 acres or more.

Land owner tags be priced at the same price point as a regular any sex tag.

Cell cameras illegal to use during season.

No more party hunting.

Doe tags reduced state wide.

Youth hunters must be 12 years of age and have taken hunter safety in order to participate actively in the hunt (I have 2 kids, one who is 7 and shot a Tom last spring )

 

[Obsessed]

None of the above.

 

[Muddyrem]

None of the above.

You’d rather burn the resource to the ground before you give up your “god given rights”

Makes sense……..

 

[Trapshooter1]

Some of the ideas above aren't bad. But I think a touch unrealistic.
Banning straight walled cartridges won't happen. And Banning Cell cams won't happen. And Banning group hunting also won't happen.

A couple I see being a little more realistic.
1) Slash doe tags hard. The areas west of I-35 and North of Hwy20. Deer hunting should darn near be banned.
2) Iowa goes to a 1 buck state,+ 1 LO tag.
3) Get rid of the late Shed buck season

I have an idea about public lands but it's kind of different, as a private landowner that owns land in a big section, that has a lot of public land in that section, I think the public land gets abused pretty hard. Everyone wants more public land(which is ok, but it's just gets abused hard here) I think instead of getting more public land, there should be a law introduced on public land that only allows so many gun hunters to hunting this X section and it should be a yearly draw on X public land piece or Y public land piece. (I truly believe bow hunters are not the problem) I think this law should be limited to the gun season only.

(Trying to avoid the 8-10 trucks hunting 1 section) and try to improve the deer numbers and the quality of the deer numbers) in all honesty deer drives should be banned(I know unrealistic)

 

[tall@wide]

It seems like everyone is similar on what they would like to see. Skip, what do you think are some realistic changes we could see? How can we help?