KEEP IOWA HUNTING GREAT, PART 2

[Sligh1]

Got it posted!
Longer one. The last 3-5 minutes is the newest or “passionate points”. I did this with one take so it’s not perfect or meant to be. This is for iowa, the fragile resource, the citizens & new hunters - period. Lemme know what u think ….
*one other idea was when crap legislation comes out- can fire the short or long video to other hunters or even to the legislatures.

 

[tall@wide]

Everyone will watch this video 10-15 years from now and say Skip tried to warn us. I agree with everything you say in the video, but hunters are their own worst enemy. It seems like in Illinois a large % of hunters want to use a crossbow(really a crossgun) now. This one thing has a HUGE impact on buck age structure. People that normally didn't bow hunt, now take their crossgun and plow down the 2 and 3 year old bucks. Everything Skip is warning people about has already happened in Illinois and it is devastating if you are after mature bucks. Hopefully your message gets through and can help save the deer hunting in Iowa.

 

[TheMadCatter]

Here's the thing I've seen with Outfitting, I'm able to lease up ground that used to have 15-20 guys go blasting through it 1st season and then another 15-20 guys go blasting through it 2nd season killing indiscriminately. By leasing up that ground I've now turned 45ish hunters into only 4-6 hunters per year with zero or one doe killed per year since our numbers are still down. I haven't seen any increase of doe numbers in the last three years, but, a guy can hope!

Main issues I've seen in my area are...
We lost our does due to January Antlerless years ago (used to harvest 600-800 does now only 250!) and still giving out 500 Antlerless tags when other counties around us have lowered or eliminated Antlerless tags.
We're seeing more efficient combines harvesting more crop causing less nutrition for the deer.

 

[Sligh1]

Main issues I've seen in my area are...
We lost our does due to January Antlerless years ago (used to harvest 600-800 does now only 250!) and still giving out 500 Antlerless tags when other counties around us have lowered or eliminated Antlerless tags.
We're seeing more efficient combines harvesting more crop causing less nutrition for the deer.

That area u in….. so fragile. If maybe it doubled in crp acres or lower the doe tag # is remedy there. & really do all to make prime whitetail farms - could be good. But it doesn’t take a lot of variables to tank an area. You just explained how 2 negative changes in circumstances swung your whole area.

We can make good moves though too if no regulation threats- other topic: if more guys sign up for crp- area can swing in ur favor in 2-4 years. So- make it better faster than how fast it declined.

 

[TheMadCatter]

That area u in….. so fragile. If maybe it doubled in crp acres or lower the doe tag # is remedy there. & really do all to make prime whitetail farms - could be good. But it doesn’t take a lot of variables to tank an area. You just explained how 2 negative changes in circumstances swung your whole area.

We can make good moves though too if no regulation threats- other topic: if more guys sign up for crp- area can swing in ur favor in 2-4 years. So- make it better faster than how fast it declined.

Try convincing farmers to screw their neighbors out of crop acres in our area, it won't happen. It's hard enough getting people to agree to lease ground let alone take it out of production. I wish they would lower the doe tag number, but, they won't.

 

[Sligh1]

Try convincing farmers to screw their neighbors out of crop acres in our area, it won't happen. It's hard enough getting people to agree to lease ground let alone take it out of production. I wish they would lower the doe tag number, but, they won't.

Need to reduce doe tags. Agree.

Another can of worms but crp is paying really well & commodities will swing down someday: actual price per bushel OR by inputs catching profits to where farmers margins are pinched way down. One of those or something else is fairly likely. High paying crp is smart for those with marginal ground.

 

[whitetail_obsession]

I agree with you Skip. Politics is and always will be the biggest threat to hunting in Iowa. I feel we have already witnessed detrimental impacts with late antlerless seasons and inclusion of straight walled cartridges. The straight walled cartridges are just a stepping stone for inclusion of all rifles. When talking with the county DNR agent he told me the writing is on the wall that they (special interests/politicians) are going to allow all rifles and it's only a matter of time. You talk about politicians in power who are not working in our favor and here's the problem I see. Some of these politicians are Republicans and although we may not agree with their hunting stances people will continue to vote for them because of the R behind their name. Special interest groups (NRA in particular) won't allow a candidate to go against their party norms or they will spend the money to get them out the next election cycle. This is true of both parties and money runs our politicians. A good candidate can't survive in today's politics because they can't compete against the constant attack ads from big money groups.

Here are the biggest threats I see to Iowa in my opinion:
#1-Politics: Extending seasons, New seasons, New weapons. All is garbage as we have plenty of opportunities. Pushed by Farm Bureau, NRA, Gun/XBow manufacturers
#2-Changing Seasons: Really goes with #1. Moving gun season into the rut, Xbows for able hunters and in all seasons, overkill of does
#3-Disease: EHD and CWD have really hurt herd sizes and age structures in some areas.
#4-Access: Hunters being forced to hunt public by lack of private access. Over time these areas get degraded by pressure (overkill of does and younger bucks). Leads to dense pockets of deer in areas that are not hunted much and justifies need for #1 and #2 to have to step in to address "over population"
#5-Hunter attitudes/Greed: Disrespecting other hunters, unwillingness to help other hunters, etc.

Overall, Iowa is still in a good spot but it won't take much to swing it the other way. I'm not against any form of hunting as I participate in both gun and archery seasons but it is a delicate balance on when these seasons should take place. Iowa has it right but I'm worried about what the future will bring. Good post Skip.