Iowa Deer:

[loneranger]

Hello Ladies and Gentlemen Hunters, I haven't been on here in awhile. You may remeber me.I bought land SE of Ottumwa.I finally got out here last Oct.Became resident.Bow hunted first time on my 40. Hunted2 wks, saw 4yearling bucks,an 8 and10. Alot better sighting than where I am from North MI.Before coming out here,heard all the controversy. I understand where you are comin from with the land issue. In MI we had 100sq mi. of Nat forest to hunt.Shared it though with 300,000 bow hunters. There are 8oo,ooo gun hunters in MI.Also always hearing this,"Too Many Deer in IA", "Kill More Deer". Iowa is big state.Maybe too many in some places, but my wife and I drove many evenings in sq miles around our property last fall looking for deer in open fields. Saw maybe 3 in a sq mile.I know we have to trust the Biologists, but did not seem too thick round my area. Same call went out in MI. We had Insurance Co.s saying too many deer,Ag. Dept, Then DNR came up with TB problem, all resulted in unlimited Doe and fawn permits in my county for 5 yrs. When I left,,in a week of woods sitting, you'd see 4 doe. Local Biologist told me, he did not think too many deer, but he had to bow to pressure groups.Competing goups, all see deer differently. Farmers see thenm as vermin,Insurance,liabilities, hunters as wonderful.I was down in Decatur county last wk end, where poachers caught with 50 deer. The coffeeshop talk down there was,"Hey, so what, The DNR says there are too many dang deer anyway". Have to be careful about this Too Many Deer Talk. Just to let you know I have been active, since out here contacting Senators,andReps, with my opinions. Thank You,The Loneranger.

 

[tracker]

Thanks for your input! Glad to have you in Iowa.

 

[Fletchman]

I agree with loneranger, Im from nothern Mi. also, and have hunted the Albia area twice in the last three years, took a nice 8 point with a muzzleloader in 2002 and a 170" nontypical 16 point with a bow in 2004.

So all I have is two weeks of experience deer hunting in Iowa, and even though I was successful, I would NEVER go as far as saying Iowa has TOO many deer. In fact I see alot more deer in Michigan.

I believe all this doe killing can get out of hand, sure a few need to be thined out for a healthy herd, I agree, but to slaughter them is only killing off your Bucks of future hunts IMO.

For every doe killed, how many bucks wont be born?

So from what I saw in two of your best deer hunting counties, Monroe and Marion, I do not think you have "TOO Many Deer" and all this doe killing should be seriously looked at.

Just a Michigan hunters point of veiw, thanks.

 

[THEBAD]

I have to agree...I have lived in Iowa for the last 12 years..but have hunted deer from Canada to South Texas and lived other places before where the doe killing increased like it has here and in a few years..the deer herd was decimated. The state I use to live in had a check in law wher you had to check them in...and the number of adult deer killed went way down, mainly because they got killed as fawns and the number of adult does that were killed was just insane. I would also like to talk to the guys in about six or seven years who bragged about killing 10 does this year...and ask them how there area is faring after a few years of this. Trust me on this guys Iowa doenst have a deer problem...when was the last time you seen a deer die of hunger here...when have you seen an overbrowse issue, when have you seen a late winter deer yard full of dead deer around here ? If you implmented a plan to keep the numbers in check now and not decrease the herd I could agree....Ok shoot away

 

[BJohnson]

I think the supplemental deer harvest areas should be concentrated around urban areas where traditional access is not available and the herds have a tendency to grow more dramatically (state parks, cities with major river systems like DSM, CR, Fort Dodge, Iowa City, Waterloo/CF, etc). That is where the collision damages I would guess are increasing and where the deer are seeking safe haven from hunter pressure. Rural areas do not need a lot of extra harvest pressure in my opinion (granted I am from Central IA not So. Central, SE or Eastern IA).

 

[Ghost]

BJohnson...couldn't agree more!

 

[River1]

[ QUOTE ]
I think the supplemental deer harvest areas should be concentrated around urban areas where traditional access is not available and the herds have a tendency to grow more dramatically (state parks, cities with major river systems like DSM, CR, Fort Dodge, Iowa City, Waterloo/CF, etc). That is where the collision damages I would guess are increasing and where the deer are seeking safe haven from hunter pressure. Rural areas do not need a lot of extra harvest pressure in my opinion.



[/ QUOTE ]

You could ad many more cities to that list. Those hot spot areas where hunters aren't allowed are definitely a thorn in our side. For that matter..... any area where hunters aren't allowed is going to be a problem at some point. I know a guy that complains ALL THE TIME that deer are continually getting smacked infront of his house, but he won't let a hunter set foot on his 20 acres. He's even had one car end up in his front yard because of deer.

I can't tell you how many times I've heard statements about how the deer herd is out of control, just because someone seen the herd on the edge of city limits or out by one area where the land owners don't allow hunting.

Kinda silly, but that's the way people think.


IMO the general public really has a screwed up perception of what's going on.

 

[Daver]

Not to be contrary, but I don't think the deer over-population issue is entirely limited to urban areas. I know of a few places "in the country" where there is definitely an over-abundance of deer/does. I do agree that the worst of the problems seem to be heaviliy concentrated in and around the urban areas mentioned and other "special" places like parks that don't allow hunting, etc. It would also stand to reason that proximity to larger human populations would increase the car/deer collisions too. So maybe the insurance companies need to "get on" the municipalities like Iowa City to allow hunting of some form in city limits.

As far as deer over-population away from urban areas... one area that I know reasonably well from having hunted there myself over many years and knowing local landowners had scads of deer. Using a combination of more relaxed land access and depredation tags over the past two years has whacked the population back quite a bit. I believe there were roughly 35 deer killed by hunters from this approximate square mile in the '03-'04 season and an astounding 81 killed in the same area this past season. If 80+ deer are known to be killed in one square mile, albeit a very "deer rich" square mile, a year after 30+ were killed and there are still strong numbers present... well, I have to say there were too many in the first place.

 

[CedarRiverCowboy]

I live in Cedar County and work in Johnson County. I take note of all the deer fauna on I-80 from the 259 exit to the 240 exit in Coralville. There are a minimum of two new splats each morning. On Thursday, Feb 10 my wife and I counted over 100 deer on the way home from work. They were in the cornstalks feeding before the front came thru. Friday and Sat they were not as visible. When driving at night we know where the normal trail crossings are and watch for them ALL the time. Note: this isn't just during the rut and is not just one particular local herd.
I would encourage a two doe requirement before receiving a buck license.
The city of Coralville has a very beneficial program for bow hunting in the city.

Also, I filled one tag down behind our acreage. I should of had 2 more that time. I wasn't able to fill my bow tags this year.

 

[sureshot]

CRcowboy.....I could not disagree with you more about the two doe harvest requirement before you get a buck tag. It's a rediculous idea if you ask me. What if a monster buck comes walking by your stand the first day of bowhunting season? Are you going to let him walk? NO! Many people would be "tempted" to shoot the buck, and ditch the doe tags because they wouldnt want to be caught without a buck tag, but with two doe tags. I also don't think the population is as out of hand as what many people say or are influenced by insurance companies, DNR, etc. Many people may just be looking for bucks, if you buy an any sex tag, then you should be able to shoot any sex at anytime during the season with no restrictions!

Congratulations on harvesting a doe though! I didnt' mean to offend you either, I am just stating my opinion. Good Luck hunting,

-Sureshot

 

[TimberPig]

My personal opinion on all of this "deer population problem" stuff is this:

#1 I think the whole thing suffers greatly from "band wagon syndrome". The more the "problem" gets trumped up, the more people complain.

#2 Timing on this issue is bad. The legislative bills and newspaper articles get started at the one time of the year when deer are most visible and its easy to see large herds bunched up. Uneducated people think the deer do that all year and seem to ignore the many deerless miles they go by between herds.
Also, and I dont mean to pick on the farmers at all since some do have valid complaints (and many of them are friends of mine) but this is their most slack time as well. They arent worrying as much about crop disease, flood, drought, wind storms, etc like they are the rest of the year. Not as much else to talk about at coffee each day. So the bandwagon grows. "kill 'em all becomes the politically correct attitude. Though they surely dont all feel that way, I doubt too many speak up about it around their peers. I also think this kill em all mantra then becomes the excuse for alot of the "thrill killer" poachers that leave deer lay to rot.

#3 As for car deer accidents, many could be prevented by more careful driving as with all accidents. This has been stated before. According to the DNR official I spoke to last year at the Deer Classic (I believe it was Willie Suchy but my memory is terrible, it was the fellow that retired last year), I-80 has more deer accidents than any other road in Iowa. It also happens to have more traffic and at higher speeds. In fact it is one of the busiest roads (24/7) in the nation. The fact that I-80 was named as the highest in accidents surprised me given that it runs through some of the generally most deerless land in the state. Granted, it is the longest road, but I think it demonstrates well that the problem is more about the number and speed of vehicles on the road than it is about the number of deer, atleast at the core of the issue.

#4 It seems obvious that the large numbers of people who live in cities get exposed daily to the large deer herds protected by the city itself. Again, these uneducated people think thats the population everywhere when it isnt.

#4 As for the population reduction, I think the DNR's request of a 25% reduction is about right. I dont care if they drop at all, but I can live with 25%. If that appeases the masses (who apparently are requiring some appeasing) then so be it. That 25% should be aimed at the areas where its needed however, and not thrown over the state like a blanket. If they did there will still be problem areas. Thats the problem with EAB. EAB only addresses overall population statewide, and doesnt necessarily put the pressure where its needed most, and may put too much in areas that dont need it. Not to mention the obvious enforcement issues with EAB.

#5 I killed 4 does this year because its good fun, good eating, and I am hoping to help with the "problem" before drastic measures are taken. However, I am also worried that a sustained heavy doe harvest would be detirmental in the long run.

#6 As for insurance companies, I have little empathy. That idiot from the Des Moines register likes to say that we dont manage deer for the benifit of hunters. Well, then I say why manage deer for the benefit of insurance companies? Isnt hunting supposed to be a valued industry as well? When did the general public become sympathetic to big insurance companies anyway? I know...lobbyists.

It is sort of pointless to talk about all this stuff when I should be asleep, but it is still kind of fun! I wish it wasnt an issue at all...

 

[bowmaker]

Lone ranger

If you are SE of Ottumwa, you must be almost in my front yard. Welcome
As for the deer problem I certainly don't see it arround where I live. I drive 26 miles from my house to Fairfield and back every day at 7 in the morning and 6 at night. Part of this is gravel roads part blacktop and some of HWY 34. It is unusual that I see more than 3 or 4 deer a week and these are almost always in the same fields. I had five deer in my apple orchard in the middle of the night last night and that is more than I have seen together since October. I hunted the 1st shotgun season and missed one doe and killed another and those were the only deer I saw in 3 days of hunting. I then hunted late muzzle loader and the January antlerless season, being out at least a dozen times. I saw only one deer that jumped in some heavy brush while I was scouting arround one morning. I was in stands on hay fields, standing corn, and in heavy timber, and no deer. I also heard very little shooting arround the area showing me that I wasn't the only one not seeing deer.
As for the auto accidents involving deer I have only seen 4 or 5 dead deer on the route I drive to work since early fall, much fewer than in other years. I don't denie that there are places where this is a problem, but maybe I am just lucky because in 15 years of driving these roads I have not hit any deer yet, nor has my wife, and we drive about 40,000 miles a year between us. I hope I don't jinx myself!

 

[Danno]

In my job I travel the State of Iowa extensively. I have never hit a deer with a vehicle. Am I the only one? The only close calls I have had were within a mile of my house.

 

[TallTines]

I would have to agree with the problem with deer in the cities. I lived in some of the best deer areas in SE IA then I go to my parents in the quad cities and I hit a deer in town! How's that for luck. I really do think that the deer population is perfect in most rural parts of the state. Although I went to SW IA this year and noticed about 25% decrease in the population there from the year before. Everyone now has the idea that we can kill as many does as we want and nothing will change. Another reason people think we have too many deer is because in winter when they are all bunched up with 50 deer trying to eat everyone thinks we have 50 deer per square mile. I hope the DNR look at the quota system in each county and respond to the actual deer population accordingly.

 

[locust]

I agree with some of the observations. I drive weekends from the QC to Bonaparte and see very few deer and I don't see great numbers of deer when hunting(8-10 deer in a weekend hunt is pretty good), but around the QC(LeClaire) there are deer bunched up in small areas of timber with a buffet of corn around them and carcasses in the city limits. There are two dead in the ditch across the county road from our house and my dog is making daily trips to snack...the shock collar isn't a big enough detractor I guess vs. air temperature venison. Would like to see more access in and around the city or transplant them down to where I hunt.