Iowa Deer population, by year, graph….

[Sligh1]

If I had to pick a handful of years I thought iowa was “off the charts amazing”…. So hard to say. For absolute bombers…. I kinda feel the 2003 to 2007 timeframe was it. Maybe I’m way off.

Interesting - our population was highest in 2004

We are back to deer populations of 90’s. I will say this: be careful of “politicians + deer” which is OBVIOUS. But when they use the argument “too many deer” ….. we sure can point to the FACT that we’ve reduced levels substantially vs 15 years ago. It’s staying lower & flat. When politicians & insurance companies use this argument…. remember:
-we have a depredation program for any farmer to call & ask for. -dnr will match up farmers & hunters to kill does. - walk-in will pay farmers & LO’s to allow hunting


BACK ON POINT…. Here’s graph. Nothing earth shattering. We down a bit. We shoot more does than bucks vs ‘90’s.

I do see pockets of the state way down. I see the super high pockets. But I do see the 70% of state with very few deer. Like central to northern areas. That’s ONE issue I wish would change

 

[Handcannon]

Habitat is disappearing in rural Woodbury, has been for a while. I've watched my #s decline steadily. Haven't bow hunted in 2 years. Something about seeing the same 5 deer on cameras 2 miles apart makes for a long season (100+ hours).

 

[JNRBRONC]

Where are the outfitters operating? Are they actively managing for herd health or deer numbers to placate client desire to see lots of deer? I really don’t know.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Muskrat24]

Where are the outfitters operating? Are they actively managing for herd health or deer numbers to placate client desire to see lots of deer? I really don’t know.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Well I can say for a fact that an outfitter by me is not practicing Iowa trophy management thought process. They post a penalty for shooting small bucks but either they collect A LOT of penalties or have a pretty short tape…… even with low herd numbers Iowa is still 1000 times better than some states that these guys that get outfitted in Iowa come from. Most outfitters are after $. Just ask people from Illinois.

 

[Muskrat24]

If I had to pick a handful of years I thought iowa was “off the charts amazing”…. So hard to say. For absolute bombers…. I kinda feel the 2003 to 2007 timeframe was it. Maybe I’m way off.

Interesting - our population was highest in 2004

We are back to deer populations of 90’s. I will say this: be careful of “politicians + deer” which is OBVIOUS. But when they use the case “too many deer” ….. we sure can point to the FACT that we’ve reduced levels substantially vs 15 years ago. It’s staying lower & flat. When politicians & insurance companies use this argument…. remember:
-we have a depredation program for any farmer to call & ask for. -dnr will match up farmers & hunters to kill does. - walk-in will pay farmers & LO’s to allow hunting


BACK ON POINT…. Here’s graph. Nothing earth shattering. We down a bit. We shoot more does than bucks vs ‘90’s.

I do see pockets of the state way down. I see the super high pockets. But I do see the 70% of state with very few deer. Like central to northern areas. That’s ONE issue I wish would change View attachment 124524

I agree with your timeframe. I do think we had some carryover mature deer that were trailing they high populations up to 2012 which would be a 5-6 yo buck from 06/07 high pops. And quality in numbers has not returned from 2012 EHD!!

 

[Rous14]

If I had to pick a handful of years I thought iowa was “off the charts amazing”…. So hard to say. For absolute bombers…. I kinda feel the 2003 to 2007 timeframe was it. Maybe I’m way off.

Interesting - our population was highest in 2004

We are back to deer populations of 90’s. I will say this: be careful of “politicians + deer” which is OBVIOUS. But when they use the case “too many deer” ….. we sure can point to the FACT that we’ve reduced levels substantially vs 15 years ago. It’s staying lower & flat. When politicians & insurance companies use this argument…. remember:
-we have a depredation program for any farmer to call & ask for. -dnr will match up farmers & hunters to kill does. - walk-in will pay farmers & LO’s to allow hunting


BACK ON POINT…. Here’s graph. Nothing earth shattering. We down a bit. We shoot more does than bucks vs ‘90’s.

I do see pockets of the state way down. I see the super high pockets. But I do see the 70% of state with very few deer. Like central to northern areas. That’s ONE issue I wish would change View attachment 124524

So down 25% from the “golden years”. That’s pretty significant.
Have always felt that for the quality to be off the charts good there has to almost be more 4,5,6 year old bucks than hunters can kill. In IL it feels like a very high % of the nice 4 plus year olds get killed every year. Need that surplus from year to year to increase the age structure

 

[Sligh1]

One other side tangent…. Farm Bureau & some politicians would leave us to believe most farmers or a lot of farmers have way too many deer and are “fed up”. 1) refer to above solutions I mentioned.
2) …. Anecdotal to SOME degree…. In early 2000’s I spent weekends knocking on farmer’s doors. 90% of the time “already have a lot of hunters” or “NO!” TODAY when countless buddies do the same…. If they knock on 30 doors…. They hope ONE will allow permission. It usually involves dealing with other guys with permission. Sure- some of those farmers are the “kill every one” type, but it’s hard to find them & get permission. BOTTOM LINE: I don’t buy farm bureaus or politicians premise on not enough hunting & too many deer. Bologne- go knock on doors & tell me what u find!!!

 

[Spysar]

There's no farmers left that don't know deer hunting tranlates to money.

 

[Rous14]

If I had to pick a handful of years I thought iowa was “off the charts amazing”…. So hard to say. For absolute bombers…. I kinda feel the 2003 to 2007 timeframe was it. Maybe I’m way off.

Interesting - our population was highest in 2004

We are back to deer populations of 90’s. I will say this: be careful of “politicians + deer” which is OBVIOUS. But when they use the argument “too many deer” ….. we sure can point to the FACT that we’ve reduced levels substantially vs 15 years ago. It’s staying lower & flat. When politicians & insurance companies use this argument…. remember:
-we have a depredation program for any farmer to call & ask for. -dnr will match up farmers & hunters to kill does. - walk-in will pay farmers & LO’s to allow hunting


BACK ON POINT…. Here’s graph. Nothing earth shattering. We down a bit. We shoot more does than bucks vs ‘90’s.

I do see pockets of the state way down. I see the super high pockets. But I do see the 70% of state with very few deer. Like central to northern areas. That’s ONE issue I wish would change View attachment 124524

Wonder if they produce this data per county? That would be very interesting.

 

[Rous14]

And I know I beat this horse to death but it’s just so fascinating and at same time frustrating to me that pretty much all the statistical scientific data (in the Midwest) shows that the best deer hunting from a quality and quantity standpoint was during that stretch in the mid 2000s when there were significantly MORE deer. And yet as I repeatedly say/complain- the percentage of hunters that continue to advocate for shooting does has to be around 95%

If we want the best hunting possible….doesn’t it make sense to mirror the herd to when the hunting was the absolute best?? Maybe I’m just missing something but it truly seems that simple to me.

But, let’s keep promoting all the great benefits of shooting a bunch of does and preventing the herd from looking like it did when we all reminisce about how awesome the hunting was back in those days lol. I don’t get it.

 

[hillrunner]

And I know I beat this horse to death but it’s just so fascinating and at same time frustrating to me that pretty much all the statistical scientific data (in the Midwest) shows that the best deer hunting from a quality and quantity standpoint was during that stretch in the mid 2000s when there were significantly MORE deer. And yet as I repeatedly say/complain- the percentage of hunters that continue to advocate for shooting does has to be around 95%

If we want the best hunting possible….doesn’t it make sense to mirror the herd to when the hunting was the absolute best?? Maybe I’m just missing something but it truly seems that simple to me.

But, let’s keep promoting all the great benefits of shooting a bunch of does and preventing the herd from looking like it did when we all reminisce about how awesome the hunting was back in those days lol. I don’t get it.

The farmers and the insurance companies won't put up with that population level. If we don't keep it in check, someone will.

 

[Rous14]

The farmers and the insurance companies won't put up with that population level. If we don't keep it in check, someone will.

Probably some truth in that but a few thoughts:

- 25% is an awful big “compromise”. And that’s Iowa, in IL there are lots of counties that are down 30-40%
And make no mistake, those folks still want more killed plus you have more coyotes than ever before plus you have crossguns, more nr’s, longer seasons, straight walls, etc… 25% will be 35 or 40 quickly if we don’t pull in the opposite direction.

- As mentioned in this thread, it’s my perception that farmers can kill as many deer as they want if they feel it’s adversely affecting their livelihood.

- I wish we as an industry would just say that then. All these other excuses (social stress, lack of habitat, bigger bucks, buck to doe ratio, health of the herd, etc…) are, imo, mostly just not true as evidenced by how amazing the herd was in those magical years. 90% of hunters arent shooting does because the insurance company’s will get mad if they don’t. They think they’re doing their part in helping to manage the herd and make the hunting better. Again, the statistics don’t support those concepts. Let’s at least start by acknowledging that.

 

[Sligh1]

Wonder if they produce this data per county? That would be very interesting.

Absolutely there is. Have to look year by year I think though
Top tab changes year

Iowa DNR Harvest Report | Go Outdoors Iowa

gooutdoorsiowa.com

 

[hans1]

I live and own farms in areas that have either high or way to high of deer populations. The current population is not sustainable from a habitat level or a social level. We utilize all opportunities to harvest does and take maybe 30-50 a year. I have a neighbor in Appanoose Co. Always late getting his crop out, in the winter of 2019-2020 about mid January he just started shooting them. The game warden was called and quickly caught him in the act. They found about 65 deer but charged him with 40 threatened fines of 100k. He basically told them to piss off, got Farm Bureau on his side and after the court case he was convicted of illegal disposal and got about a thousand dollar fine ,Which he is fighting. The main way he got off was a Jury trial the average resident of that part of Iowa thinks there is way to many deer and want them gone. When everyone electric fences there foodplots which increases the depredation on others crops don’t expect your farmer neighbors to patiently wait for gun season.

 

[Rous14]

I live and own farms in areas that have either high or way to high of deer populations. The current population is not sustainable from a habitat level or a social level. We utilize all opportunities to harvest does and take maybe 30-50 a year. I have a neighbor in Appanoose Co. Always late getting his crop out, in the winter of 2019-2020 about mid January he just started shooting them. The game warden was called and quickly caught him in the act. They found about 65 deer but charged him with 40 threatened fines of 100k. He basically told them to piss off, got Farm Bureau on his side and after the court case he was convicted of illegal disposal and got about a thousand dollar fine ,Which he is fighting. The main way he got off was a Jury trial the average resident of that part of Iowa thinks there is way to many deer and want them gone. When everyone electric fences there foodplots which increases the depredation on others crops don’t expect your farmer neighbors to patiently wait for gun season.

Crazy story, wow!
You and others on here have talked about numbers being extremely high in some areas… I’m curious if you were to use the info/link that skip has above what your particular county(s) your land is in what the population comparison is between today and 05-08ish

There must be some counties that are the same or slightly more deer than in the hay day? I wouldn’t have guessed that. Interesting. I know even in one specific county you can have some areas w lots and others w little but in general I would think it would be similar.

 

[Sligh1]

I live and own farms in areas that have either high or way to high of deer populations. The current population is not sustainable from a habitat level or a social level. We utilize all opportunities to harvest does and take maybe 30-50 a year. I have a neighbor in Appanoose Co. Always late getting his crop out, in the winter of 2019-2020 about mid January he just started shooting them. The game warden was called and quickly caught him in the act. They found about 65 deer but charged him with 40 threatened fines of 100k. He basically told them to piss off, got Farm Bureau on his side and after the court case he was convicted of illegal disposal and got about a thousand dollar fine ,Which he is fighting. The main way he got off was a Jury trial the average resident of that part of Iowa thinks there is way to many deer and want them gone. When everyone electric fences there foodplots which increases the depredation on others crops don’t expect your farmer neighbors to patiently wait for gun season.

Agree those pockets exist. They are predominantly SE iowa. The rest of the state I do not see anything close to that region.

let me ask you this…. Why do you think those counties & pockets have such high deer #’s? Is there a lot of NR ownership there? I’m sure it’s multiple things.

Last- here’s the trouble with dudes that do that…. The obvious one… combine your crops on time . But… Depredation tags are there for THIS PERSON. One phone call & meeting & could have done things legally, without POACHING. He also could have called DNR (I’ve helped connect land owners & been a part of this) to get connected with a few or a ton of guys willing to immediately come shoot does & actually use the meat!! Last- he could have gotten paid by state to make his land walk-in. Bottom line: he had multiple solutions. He chose to poach & let deer go to waste. Whether a jury lets him off & farm bureau sides with criminality- it still is that…. Criminal. Poaching. Wasteful. Lazy. Ignorant. This guy is example of a lazy entitled brat - he didn’t follow rules - breaks laws & doesn’t use his brain - gets busted & has a tantrum.

 

[Sligh1]

Crazy story, wow!
You and others on here have talked about numbers being extremely high in some areas… I’m curious if you were to use the info/link that skip has above what your particular county(s) your land is in what the population comparison is between today and 05-08ish

There must be some counties that are the same or slightly more deer than in the hay day? I wouldn’t have guessed that. Interesting. I know even in one specific county you can have some areas w lots and others w little but in general I would think it would be similar.

Appanoose is lower from 2006 to now. See 2 dates of data. The problem that is so hard to address…. The pockets where no one allows any hunting or uses the farm to hunt a week per year - u aren’t gonna change those folks. Do we want more folks like that??? Selfishly maybe a lot of us do want that for neighbors!! But statewide- not good policy. Let’s be honest - there’s a portion of some folks who literally buy a farm to shoot a buck & that’s it. If it’s a big farm - it’s a problem. Could be R or NR. But logistically - I’m here at my farm all season. If does, bully bucks, coons, coyotes, etc need thinned- we are right here to do it and we do.
Let’s put it another way…. U pump all this crazy legislation for these whacky bills that are specifically for more folks hunting more bucks in iowa - more land will get locked up. Access will go down. Deer sanctuaries where they get out of hand will go up. All while the “mediocre” or “lower deer density” parts of states & everyday hunter gets crapped on by all disastrous dynamics from these insane bills that are currently being introduced. World is upside down. This is madness.

 

[Muskrat24]

One other side tangent…. Farm Bureau & some politicians would leave us to believe most farmers or a lot of farmers have way too many deer and are “fed up”. 1) refer to above solutions I mentioned.
2) …. Anecdotal to SOME degree…. In early 2000’s I spent weekends knocking on farmer’s doors. 90% of the time “already have a lot of hunters” or “NO!” TODAY when countless buddies do the same…. If they knock on 30 doors…. They hope ONE will allow permission. It usually involves dealing with other guys with permission. Sure- some of those farmers are the “kill every one” type, but it’s hard to find them & get permission. BOTTOM LINE: I don’t buy farm bureaus or politicians premise on not enough hunting & too many deer. Bologne- go knock on doors & tell me what u find!!!

I had a case identical to this this past fall. Landowner used to let me hunt but now his family hunts it and doesn’t allow me to hunt. Had balls enough to call and say their shotgun group needed to hunt a piece I have run of because too much deer damage on their adjoining row crop. I said sure you can, just shoot does while sitting on my piece (no drives) and if your group shoots any bucks then I get to bow hunt on you next fall….. I think you all know how this ended….. They weren’t interested in only shooting does and must not have had as much deer damage as they let on or they would have agreed to the terms. On another note deer get a lot of bad rap for damage coons do!!!!!

 

[Rous14]

Appanoose is lower from 2006 to now. See 2 dates of data. The problem that is so hard to address…. The pockets where no one allows any hunting or uses the farm to hunt a week per year - u aren’t gonna change those folks. Do we want more folks like that??? Selfishly maybe a lot of us do want that for neighbors!! But statewide- not good policy. Let’s be honest - there’s a portion of some folks who literally buy a farm to shoot a buck & that’s it. If it’s a big farm - it’s a problem. Could be R or NR. But logistically - I’m here at my farm all season. If does, bully bucks, coons, coyotes, etc need thinned- we are right here to do it and we do.
Let’s put it another way…. U pump all this crazy legislation for these whacky bills that are specifically for more folks hunting more bucks in iowa - more land will get locked up. Access will go down. Deer sanctuaries where they get out of hand will go up. All while the “mediocre” or “lower deer density” parts of states & everyday hunter gets crapped on by all disastrous dynamics from these insane bills that are currently being introduced. World is upside down. This is madness.


View attachment 124528View attachment 124529

Interesting. And would be in line with what I would have suspected. That’s 28% less! That’s a bunch. Now I don’t know if Appanoose is where some of these guys on here that are saying they have a ton of deer live/hunt or not though. Wherever they do, my guess is that their county is also down from 06ish.
So I think we all agree that there are rare pockets where the herd has trended in the complete opposite direction of the majority of the state/Midwest but Skip asks a good question of those guys- why do they think that has happened, what has lead to that in their opinion?

I also, without offending anyone, can’t help but think that some folks are simply using their subjective opinion. “I see tons of deer”. “There were 40 deer in my field last night”. I hear these comments all the time in IL and they are technically true statements based on that person’s observations BUT it’s also true that there were 30-40% more deer in the hay day and I don’t think 95% of hunters realize or understand that.

 

[Daver]

Agree those pockets exist. They are predominantly SE iowa. The rest of the state I do not see anything close to that region.

let me ask you this…. Why do you think those counties & pockets have such high deer #’s? Is there a lot of NR ownership there? I’m sure it’s multiple things.

Last- here’s the trouble with dudes that do that…. The obvious one… combine your crops on time . But… Depredation tags are there for THIS PERSON. One phone call & meeting & could have done things legally, without POACHING. He also could have called DNR (I’ve helped connect land owners & been a part of this) to get connected with a few or a ton of guys willing to immediately come shoot does & actually use the meat!! Last- he could have gotten paid by state to make his land walk-in. Bottom line: he had multiple solutions. He chose to poach & let deer go to waste. Whether a jury lets him off & farm bureau sides with criminality- it still is that…. Criminal. Poaching. Wasteful. Lazy. Ignorant. This guy is example of a lazy entitled brat - he didn’t follow rules - breaks laws & doesn’t use his brain - gets busted & has a tantrum.

Total FWIW story and this occurred close to 30 years ago or so...so I suppose it is safe to tell about now. But I used to hunt a private land farm that bordered a state park that was WAY overrun with deer. The farm that I hunted had timber on it that was pastured to cattle and an alfalfa field, but never any row crops. So even with the huge over population in the area, "my" farm wasn't losing grain to the zillions of stomaches in the area.

But...the guy to the north of this farm was and I really can't even put it into proper perspective how hard his corn and beans were getting hammered. I am told that he tried to resolve it via proper channels and got nowhere. (This may have been before depredation tags were a thing, I am not sure on that.) But...two things finally happened. They set up a hunt in the park, which was a shooting gallery from what I understand, AND this guy just started shooting deer...and leaving them lay.

It was no secret in the neighborhood and I really don't know if he ever got caught on that or not. But after a couple years the deer numbers really did drop. Suffice to say, the farmer that was taking the deer out via rifle was quite popular in the neighborhood, I doubt there would have been much support for him getting prosecuted if it was up to any nearby farmers. FWIW.