fishorhunt
New Member
This is a long email but nice PR for the bowhunters helping control the population in state parks. Nice work guys.
Area Hunts Reduce Deer Numbers
By Joe Wilkinson
CEDAR RAPIDS -- More than 630 deer were harvested by hunters in seven
urban or park hunts in the Iowa City-Cedar Rapids corridor this fall and
early winter. The special hunts were in addition to regular hunting
pressure in rural areas, "county-specific" antlerless tags and two rural
deer zones; one each in Linn and Johnson counties. The added hunting
pressure was designed to reduce populations in areas where deer had
become traffic safety and/or vegetation damage concerns. Statewide, 41
special park or urban hunts were held in 2005-06.
Nearly half of those I-380 corridor whitetails * 289 * were taken by
bowhunters in Cedar Rapids, during the city's return to a management
hunt. The hunt ended Sunday.
In Coralville, police say 139 deer were taken by bowhunters in the
sixth year of the city's deer management program.
A few miles away, near Tiffin, officials with the Johnson County
Conservation Board say hunters tallied 65 deer at F.W. Kent Park. There,
bowhunters are allowed from October through late January, except during the
first two weekends of Iowa's December shotgun seasons, when gun hunters
are in the park. The gun hunt marked its 10th year in 2005. "We've had
some folks participating in our shotgun hunt since the beginning,"
noted Director Harry Graves. "It's gratifying that with all the special
hunts in place now, they remain loyal to the hunt here."
Hunters were required to shoot antlerless deer, though some special
hunts offer a few "any sex" tags as incentives, should enough antlerless
deer be removed. Hunters were urged to identify and shoot does, rather
than non-antlered "button bucks," and the harvests showed a
predominance of does taken. In Cedar Rapids, for instance, 268 of the 289 deer
were adult does or doe fawns. Participants in special park or urban hunts
are required to hunt within specified boundaries. Most also are
required to pass a proficiency test.
Bowhunters took 49 deer in Lake Macbride State Park, during the park's
first-ever management hunt; from Oct. 1 to Dec. 18. The hunt was
implemented to reduce deer numbers in the park, five miles west of Solon.
Hunters reported harvesting 45 does or doe fawns and four button bucks.
"It was a successful hunt. It should make a noticeable drop in our
population," observed Macbride park manager Gwen Prentice. "We plan to
conduct a hunt next season, too."
Near Mount Vernon, hunters harvested 10 whitetails over the same dates
during the first hunt within Palisades-Kepler State Park's boundaries.
Like other park hunts, those at Macbride and Palisades-Kepler were
established after a noticeable "browse line" appeared in wooded areas,
indicating deer were feeding too heavily on understory vegetation, thus
impacting other wildlife and plant species. Prentice noted that no
complaints were received from surrounding landowners, park users or hunters.
At Squaw Creek County Park near Marion, 43 deer were taken in the
annual bow hunt. Within the City of Marion, bowhunters no longer need a
specific "city tag," but may hunt within city limits with regular or
antlerless tags after registering with the city. Police expect about 40 deer
to be reported, as hunters are contacted in the coming days.
Just outside the I-380 corridor, near Brighton, the state's oldest
"park hunt" (since 1991) is conducted at Lake Darling State Park. Though
not included in the "corridor" total, shotgun season hunters harvested 66
deer during their December dates.
Area Hunts Reduce Deer Numbers
By Joe Wilkinson
CEDAR RAPIDS -- More than 630 deer were harvested by hunters in seven
urban or park hunts in the Iowa City-Cedar Rapids corridor this fall and
early winter. The special hunts were in addition to regular hunting
pressure in rural areas, "county-specific" antlerless tags and two rural
deer zones; one each in Linn and Johnson counties. The added hunting
pressure was designed to reduce populations in areas where deer had
become traffic safety and/or vegetation damage concerns. Statewide, 41
special park or urban hunts were held in 2005-06.
Nearly half of those I-380 corridor whitetails * 289 * were taken by
bowhunters in Cedar Rapids, during the city's return to a management
hunt. The hunt ended Sunday.
In Coralville, police say 139 deer were taken by bowhunters in the
sixth year of the city's deer management program.
A few miles away, near Tiffin, officials with the Johnson County
Conservation Board say hunters tallied 65 deer at F.W. Kent Park. There,
bowhunters are allowed from October through late January, except during the
first two weekends of Iowa's December shotgun seasons, when gun hunters
are in the park. The gun hunt marked its 10th year in 2005. "We've had
some folks participating in our shotgun hunt since the beginning,"
noted Director Harry Graves. "It's gratifying that with all the special
hunts in place now, they remain loyal to the hunt here."
Hunters were required to shoot antlerless deer, though some special
hunts offer a few "any sex" tags as incentives, should enough antlerless
deer be removed. Hunters were urged to identify and shoot does, rather
than non-antlered "button bucks," and the harvests showed a
predominance of does taken. In Cedar Rapids, for instance, 268 of the 289 deer
were adult does or doe fawns. Participants in special park or urban hunts
are required to hunt within specified boundaries. Most also are
required to pass a proficiency test.
Bowhunters took 49 deer in Lake Macbride State Park, during the park's
first-ever management hunt; from Oct. 1 to Dec. 18. The hunt was
implemented to reduce deer numbers in the park, five miles west of Solon.
Hunters reported harvesting 45 does or doe fawns and four button bucks.
"It was a successful hunt. It should make a noticeable drop in our
population," observed Macbride park manager Gwen Prentice. "We plan to
conduct a hunt next season, too."
Near Mount Vernon, hunters harvested 10 whitetails over the same dates
during the first hunt within Palisades-Kepler State Park's boundaries.
Like other park hunts, those at Macbride and Palisades-Kepler were
established after a noticeable "browse line" appeared in wooded areas,
indicating deer were feeding too heavily on understory vegetation, thus
impacting other wildlife and plant species. Prentice noted that no
complaints were received from surrounding landowners, park users or hunters.
At Squaw Creek County Park near Marion, 43 deer were taken in the
annual bow hunt. Within the City of Marion, bowhunters no longer need a
specific "city tag," but may hunt within city limits with regular or
antlerless tags after registering with the city. Police expect about 40 deer
to be reported, as hunters are contacted in the coming days.
Just outside the I-380 corridor, near Brighton, the state's oldest
"park hunt" (since 1991) is conducted at Lake Darling State Park. Though
not included in the "corridor" total, shotgun season hunters harvested 66
deer during their December dates.
