gersdorf
Life Member
Bow hunting deer called a success in Polk County
REGISTER STAFF REPORTS
November 28, 2006
In its ninth season of controlled bow-hunting, Polk County officials say they have reduced the deer population by 4,000 animals without a single safety incident.
The numbers of deer shot have steadily increased from 65 the first year to 373 last season for a total of 1389 doe, “This represents nearly 4000 deer not added to the population”, said Willie Suchy of the Iowa Department of Natural Resources.
Comparatively, Iowa City has been controlling deer since 1997 using sharpshooters who killed 1305 deer (60% antler-less from 1997 to 2005), at a cost of $395,700.00 to the taxpayers. During the same time frame, participating entities in the Des Moines Area Urban Deer Management Zone harvested 1016 deer (all antler-less), providing a safer alternative and more efficient population control, according to a press release from the Polk County Conservation Board.
Success of this program rests on many different participating organizations and groups working together towards a common goal. The task used were aerial surveys using a helicopter to count deer, tagging and/or radio collaring deer to study geographic dispersion and mortality rates, and erecting deer exclosures to study the effect of deer browsing on natural vegetation.
Based on that recommended a bow-hunting program in the Des Moines Area Urban Deer Management Zone. This bow-hunting program would allow hunters to harvest mature does only, with the exception of Buck Incentive tags available to qualifying hunters.
This year, the City of Des Moines in conjunction with Des Moines Park and Recreation Department made huge strides in harvesting more deer by opening five additional parks to bow-hunting and lowering the distance requirement to adjacent buildings for private property bow-hunts.
Initially city ordinances restricted the distance requirement of discharging a bow in relation to adjacent buildings to 200 feet. Last year the City of Urbandale was the first to amend their ordinance to allow a reduced distance with approval from the city. The City of Des Moines followed suit this year lowering their distance requirement to 100 feet with an option to reduce further if approved.
REGISTER STAFF REPORTS
November 28, 2006
In its ninth season of controlled bow-hunting, Polk County officials say they have reduced the deer population by 4,000 animals without a single safety incident.
The numbers of deer shot have steadily increased from 65 the first year to 373 last season for a total of 1389 doe, “This represents nearly 4000 deer not added to the population”, said Willie Suchy of the Iowa Department of Natural Resources.
Comparatively, Iowa City has been controlling deer since 1997 using sharpshooters who killed 1305 deer (60% antler-less from 1997 to 2005), at a cost of $395,700.00 to the taxpayers. During the same time frame, participating entities in the Des Moines Area Urban Deer Management Zone harvested 1016 deer (all antler-less), providing a safer alternative and more efficient population control, according to a press release from the Polk County Conservation Board.
Success of this program rests on many different participating organizations and groups working together towards a common goal. The task used were aerial surveys using a helicopter to count deer, tagging and/or radio collaring deer to study geographic dispersion and mortality rates, and erecting deer exclosures to study the effect of deer browsing on natural vegetation.
Based on that recommended a bow-hunting program in the Des Moines Area Urban Deer Management Zone. This bow-hunting program would allow hunters to harvest mature does only, with the exception of Buck Incentive tags available to qualifying hunters.
This year, the City of Des Moines in conjunction with Des Moines Park and Recreation Department made huge strides in harvesting more deer by opening five additional parks to bow-hunting and lowering the distance requirement to adjacent buildings for private property bow-hunts.
Initially city ordinances restricted the distance requirement of discharging a bow in relation to adjacent buildings to 200 feet. Last year the City of Urbandale was the first to amend their ordinance to allow a reduced distance with approval from the city. The City of Des Moines followed suit this year lowering their distance requirement to 100 feet with an option to reduce further if approved.
