Fishbonker
Life Member
Groups ask Branstad to reject DNR’s deer harvest plan
3/12/2012 9:55:06 AM
Dirck Steimel
Concerned that Iowa’s deer population remains too large in many parts of the state, the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation (IFBF) and other groups sent a letter to Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad last week asking him to reject a Department of Natural Resources proposal to reduce the upcoming deer harvest and stabilize the deer herd.
For the 2012-13 deer season, the Iowa DNR has proposed reducing the number of antlerless deer licenses by nearly 26,000, with the reductions coming in 20 eastern Iowa counties. The Natural Resources Commission, which oversees the DNR’s hunting programs, last week supported the agency’s plan to reduce antlerless licenses, based on preliminary harvest data, hunter surveys and comments from 350 hunters at public meetings last week.
The coalition concern­ed about the size of the deer herd believes that reducing the number of antlerless licenses in the upcoming harvest would increase damage to Iowa’s field and horticultural crops as well as increase the potential for vehicle-deer accidents.
No input from farmers
In addition, the groups say that the DNR has not followed through with recommendations of a 2009 deer advisory committee, which recommended that the agency conduct more frequent surveys of farmers and the public, not just hunters, about management of the state’s deer herd, it said.
"Until this kind of information is available, we ask that the number of antlerless deer licenses be held unchanged this year," the coalition said in its letter to Branstad.
Along with Farm Bureau, the coalition includes the Iowa Corn Growers Association, the Iowa Soybean Association, the Iowa Nursery and Landscape Association, the Iowa Insurance Institute and the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Steward­ship.
This is the second consecutive year that the DNR has proposed significantly reducing the deer harvest in portions of Iowa. Last year, Branstad, reacting to a similar letter from farm organizations and others, instructed the DNR to revise its plan, and the deer harvest was ultimately left unchanged.
Eastern Iowa reductions
In the DNR proposal for 2012-13, the number for antlerless licenses would be reduced in 20 counties in eastern Iowa. The antlerless deer licenses are a primary method that the DNR uses to reduce the number of does and control each county’s overall deer population.
The largest reductions in antlerless quotas in the DNR proposal would be in Clayton County at 4,125, Lee County at 1,825 and Fayette County at 1,775. A list of the counties affected is available at http://1.usa.gov/yH34Cg.
The proposed changes would also remove four counties from the January antlerless season and reduce length of the deer season by a week.
Dale Garner, chief of the DNR’s wildlife bureau, said the proposed deer harvest reductions would help deer populations to stabilize in parts of the state where numbers have been reduced to the DNR’s goal. And, he said, the reduction will help Iowa retain its status as a premier deer hunting state.
"Without these changes, deer numbers in some areas of the state will continue to decline, and Iowa will lose its standing as one of the best states for hunting whitetail deer," Garner said in a release. "Failure to make these changes could adversely affect rural areas since deer hunters spend nearly $200 million annually."
Crop damage significant
But Rick Robinson, IFBF environmental policy advisor, said that the DNR’s proposal fails to consider the additional crop and property damage that would occur if the deer harvest is reduced in the 2012-13 season.
"Our surveys of farmers show that almost two-thirds have suffered crop damage from deer and half say the damage was unacceptable and that the deer herd is still too large," he said. "With relatively high corn and soybean prices, this is obviously having a significant impact on farmers and rural areas."
In addition, the coalition also said the DNR should factor in the impact to motorists’ safety, including injuries, damages and loss of future income when setting harvest limits. "It is not enough to only gauge the comments of hunters in establishing the state’s deer management policies," it said.
Robinson urged Farm Bureau members to email comments on the proposal to reduce antlerless deer licenses to the DNR at wildlife@dnr.iowa.gov and to Branstad’s office at governor.contact@iowa.gov.
END
Follow the links they provide to simply say "I support the deer herd stabilization goals set forth by the DNR".
I still wanna see the results of the poll the FB took a few months ago that was posted here. They aren't very forth coming with their data.
If you want a compilation of the data from all the ICN sites you have to request it. For lack of better terminology I think the DNR has been instructed to keep a close hold on the data. I have to guess they have been told they can't put out an official press release on the findings because of the overwhelming support the reduction in tags received. I received a copy from the DNR biologist that ran our meeting. It will not copy and paste here but the results in regards to the deer questions was overwhelming. Reduce Antlerless quotas and shorten January season received 95% (297) support and 5% (17) non support. Eliminate November antlerless season 95% (306) support and 5% (16) non support. The reason for the difference in the numbers is not all questionnaires were filled out at all sites. For example my site had 20 attendees but on 18 questionnaires turned in. Likewise some of the questionnaires were turned in that were not 100% completed.
Anyway, I just get this feeling that the Governor’s office is gonna try and ignore us again this year. Please click the links above, as I’m sure some of you have, but do it again and for those of you who think your effort will be a waste of time because you think you don’t make a difference, well, elections have been won and lost on fewer than 10 votes and if we leave a trail of emails, letters and phone calls there will be no denying how the sportsmen and women of Iowa feel and how they vote.
Remember all you need to do is say “I support the deer herd stabilization goals set forth by the DNR”.
Thanks, The 'Bonker
3/12/2012 9:55:06 AM
Dirck Steimel
Concerned that Iowa’s deer population remains too large in many parts of the state, the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation (IFBF) and other groups sent a letter to Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad last week asking him to reject a Department of Natural Resources proposal to reduce the upcoming deer harvest and stabilize the deer herd.
For the 2012-13 deer season, the Iowa DNR has proposed reducing the number of antlerless deer licenses by nearly 26,000, with the reductions coming in 20 eastern Iowa counties. The Natural Resources Commission, which oversees the DNR’s hunting programs, last week supported the agency’s plan to reduce antlerless licenses, based on preliminary harvest data, hunter surveys and comments from 350 hunters at public meetings last week.
The coalition concern­ed about the size of the deer herd believes that reducing the number of antlerless licenses in the upcoming harvest would increase damage to Iowa’s field and horticultural crops as well as increase the potential for vehicle-deer accidents.
No input from farmers
In addition, the groups say that the DNR has not followed through with recommendations of a 2009 deer advisory committee, which recommended that the agency conduct more frequent surveys of farmers and the public, not just hunters, about management of the state’s deer herd, it said.
"Until this kind of information is available, we ask that the number of antlerless deer licenses be held unchanged this year," the coalition said in its letter to Branstad.
Along with Farm Bureau, the coalition includes the Iowa Corn Growers Association, the Iowa Soybean Association, the Iowa Nursery and Landscape Association, the Iowa Insurance Institute and the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Steward­ship.
This is the second consecutive year that the DNR has proposed significantly reducing the deer harvest in portions of Iowa. Last year, Branstad, reacting to a similar letter from farm organizations and others, instructed the DNR to revise its plan, and the deer harvest was ultimately left unchanged.
Eastern Iowa reductions
In the DNR proposal for 2012-13, the number for antlerless licenses would be reduced in 20 counties in eastern Iowa. The antlerless deer licenses are a primary method that the DNR uses to reduce the number of does and control each county’s overall deer population.
The largest reductions in antlerless quotas in the DNR proposal would be in Clayton County at 4,125, Lee County at 1,825 and Fayette County at 1,775. A list of the counties affected is available at http://1.usa.gov/yH34Cg.
The proposed changes would also remove four counties from the January antlerless season and reduce length of the deer season by a week.
Dale Garner, chief of the DNR’s wildlife bureau, said the proposed deer harvest reductions would help deer populations to stabilize in parts of the state where numbers have been reduced to the DNR’s goal. And, he said, the reduction will help Iowa retain its status as a premier deer hunting state.
"Without these changes, deer numbers in some areas of the state will continue to decline, and Iowa will lose its standing as one of the best states for hunting whitetail deer," Garner said in a release. "Failure to make these changes could adversely affect rural areas since deer hunters spend nearly $200 million annually."
Crop damage significant
But Rick Robinson, IFBF environmental policy advisor, said that the DNR’s proposal fails to consider the additional crop and property damage that would occur if the deer harvest is reduced in the 2012-13 season.
"Our surveys of farmers show that almost two-thirds have suffered crop damage from deer and half say the damage was unacceptable and that the deer herd is still too large," he said. "With relatively high corn and soybean prices, this is obviously having a significant impact on farmers and rural areas."
In addition, the coalition also said the DNR should factor in the impact to motorists’ safety, including injuries, damages and loss of future income when setting harvest limits. "It is not enough to only gauge the comments of hunters in establishing the state’s deer management policies," it said.
Robinson urged Farm Bureau members to email comments on the proposal to reduce antlerless deer licenses to the DNR at wildlife@dnr.iowa.gov and to Branstad’s office at governor.contact@iowa.gov.
END
Follow the links they provide to simply say "I support the deer herd stabilization goals set forth by the DNR".
I still wanna see the results of the poll the FB took a few months ago that was posted here. They aren't very forth coming with their data.
If you want a compilation of the data from all the ICN sites you have to request it. For lack of better terminology I think the DNR has been instructed to keep a close hold on the data. I have to guess they have been told they can't put out an official press release on the findings because of the overwhelming support the reduction in tags received. I received a copy from the DNR biologist that ran our meeting. It will not copy and paste here but the results in regards to the deer questions was overwhelming. Reduce Antlerless quotas and shorten January season received 95% (297) support and 5% (17) non support. Eliminate November antlerless season 95% (306) support and 5% (16) non support. The reason for the difference in the numbers is not all questionnaires were filled out at all sites. For example my site had 20 attendees but on 18 questionnaires turned in. Likewise some of the questionnaires were turned in that were not 100% completed.
Anyway, I just get this feeling that the Governor’s office is gonna try and ignore us again this year. Please click the links above, as I’m sure some of you have, but do it again and for those of you who think your effort will be a waste of time because you think you don’t make a difference, well, elections have been won and lost on fewer than 10 votes and if we leave a trail of emails, letters and phone calls there will be no denying how the sportsmen and women of Iowa feel and how they vote.
Remember all you need to do is say “I support the deer herd stabilization goals set forth by the DNR”.
Thanks, The 'Bonker
