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LETTER TO LEGISLATURES & CONTACT- MY DRAFT ON 4 BILLS.....

Sligh1

Sligh1

Administrator
Staff member
MY STARTING ROUGH DRAFT. CONTACT EMAIL LIST IS BELOW!!! I just did this off top of my head in last 20 mins. I wrote this after getting 2nd call & another email from legislature this week. SENDING OUT TOMORROW AFTER CLEANING IT UP.... I have some work to do. Take anything you want from here!!!! This is the SIRENS GOING OFF!!!! SOUNDING THE ALARM!!!!! WRITE IN & GET EVERYONE YOU KNOW TO WRITE IN. The lazy hunters of the past cannot sit idle right now. They have in past- NOT NOW!!! 20 mins to save this state!!!! We need everyone!!!!!! My rough starting draft....

Dear
My name is Skip Sligh, I'm writing in opposition of these 4 bills & Expressing solutions to our deer population issues in the pockets they exist. I am a Resident Farmer of Iowa & own land in ___ counties. My family hunts & we give countless Resident & Non-Resident hunters access each year.
BILLS:
SF 175 - Crossbows & Second Chance Bow Tags
SF 138 - Airbows
SF 145 - Rifles For Turkey Hunting
SF42 - Increases nonresident tag quota from 6,000 to 7,500
  • There is already a system in place to address any overpopulation issues for farmers: 1) Depredation tags any farmer can apply for. 2) A call to your local DNR officer that will pair you with hunters to shoot does on your land. 3) the Walk-In hunting program- allows the public to hunt the land, reduce deer #'s & provides payment/incentive to the landowner.
  • I made 2 videos on KEEPING IOWA GREAT! See link- 1 short, 1 long. I've hunted 11 different States for deer. All except Iowa have fundamentally been ruined for Quality Balanced deer hunting except Iowa. Iowa is the last great state where common sense creates a balanced age structure & opportunities to all types of hunters. Iowa is the last great state that has not been ruined by $ & Special Interests! Please keep it that way.
  • Iowa attracts the hunters of these other states because their hunting has been ruined. Even though they all have a vastly HIGHER deer population.
  • Iowa is 8% timber, ranks 48 out of 50 for public land (thats crowded as it is), we have 4+ months of deer season & 6++ Weapon choices. There's no opportunity issues. There's major access issues that all these bills will accelerate. These bills will create more land buyers who will shut down access to the land. I live in the center of this world & have done so for 30+ years. These bills will have opposite impact than intended - more land will be locked down, access denied & more pockets of no hunting. Vast amounts of residents will have no where to go.
  • All of these Bills are STEPPING STONES! All are designed for: Full Crossbow & Airbow use during Archery Season (Ravin Crossbows who hired the lobbyists have admitted to this), increased rifle use during Deer & Turkey seasons (Which shoot several miles & are used on multi-hunter deer drives shooting at running deer. Marion county was the most recent Hunter Fatality due to this).
  • The last is the opening of floodgates to Non-Residents. If we do, every last farm for sale will be owned by NR's. Ground will be segmented up. Ground will be locked up for access. Resident hunters will be completely displaced. This is exactly what's happened in Illinois- every drop is locked/leased up & the everyday hunter has no where to go. IL also has 3 times the forested area Iowa does. Iowa as we know it will be destroyed for the Residents with any more access to NR hunters.
  • All of these bills are here due to special interest lobbying by these businesses to make $ with no regard for the resource & opportunities for hunters being degraded. The hunters didn't ask for this, the special interests did. We, the residents have to defend our fragile state & we want to protect our resource against these special interests that wish to exploit it for $ alone.
  • I urge you to stand up against these stepping stones that will ruin this last great special place that Iowa is!!! KEEP IOWA GREAT!!!
Thank you,
Skip Sligh

 
annette.sweeney@legis.iowa.gov
tom.shipley@legis.iowa.gov
izaah.knox@legis.iowa.gov
liz.bennett@legis.iowa.gov
claire.celsi@legis.iowa.gov
chris.cournoyer@legis.iowa.gov
rocky.dewitt@legis.iowa.gov
dawn.driscoll@legis.iowa.gov
lynn.evans@legis.iowa.gov
jesse.green@legis.iowa.gov
ken.rozenboom@legis.iowa.gov
dan.zumbach@legis.iowa.gov
tom.jeneary@legis.iowa.gov
ken.carlson@legis.iowa.gov
adam.zabner@legis.iowa.gov
ako.abdul-samad@legis.iowa.gov
timi.brown-powers@legis.iowa.gov
dean.fisher@legis.iowa.gov
dan.gehlbach@legis.iowa.gov
thomas.gerhold@legis.iowa.gov
helena.hayes@legis.iowa.gov
heather.hora@legis.iowa.gov
david.jacoby@legis.iowa.gov
kenan.judge@legis.iowa.gov
shannon.latham@legis.iowa.gov
elinor.levin@legis.iowa.gov
norlin.mommsen@legis.iowa.gov
j.d.scholten@legis.iowa.gov
brad.sherman@legis.iowa.gov
art.staed@legis.iowa.gov
sharon.steckman@legis.iowa.gov
luana.stoltenberg@legis.iowa.gov
mark.thompson@legis.iowa.gov
jeff.taylor@legis.iowa.gov
jim.lykam@legis.iowa.gov
nate.boulton@legis.iowa.gov
sarah.trone.garriott@legis.iowa.gov
todd.taylor@legis.iowa.gov
molly.donahue@legis.iowa.gov
 
I’m also going to address REVENUE!!!!!! Bullet point!!! Examples like: add more auction tags where gov gets revenue. Or increase NR tags that have supply & demand of a FIVE YEAR WAIT!!!!
 
Sligh1 said:
I’m also going to address REVENUE!!!!!! Bullet point!!! Examples like: add more auction tags where gov gets revenue. Or increase NR tags that have supply & demand of a FIVE YEAR WAIT!!!!
Click to expand...
The price is very high. I personally would hate to see every state increase NR hunting and fishing licenses.

It’s just a deer.. not a bear, not an elk or a moose. States will take notice and may issue reciprocal measures (like tariffs) if one state gets crazy .
 
Hardwood11 said:
The price is very high. I personally would hate to see every state increase NR hunting and fishing licenses.

It’s just a deer.. not a bear, not an elk or a moose. States will take notice and may issue reciprocal measures (like tariffs) if one state gets crazy .
Click to expand...
I see your point. But…. How is the price too high when it’s a 5 year wait because so many people are applying? Shouldn’t it be based on economics 101?…. SUPPLY VS DEMAND. These are deer….. Deer that exist in every state these guys are fleeing - in higher #’s to boot. By definition- it’s traveling to shoot a deer- that’s LUXURY pure & simple. Just like me wanting to hunt a Yukon moose & understanding it’s gonna cost me $15-20k to do it.

Run math on other revenue- add “50” auction tags where 50% goes to charity & 50% goes to dnr. Be minimum of $5k++ that goes to DNR x 50. If we wanna get more revenue- I got infinite examples. Other states could increase revenue if they had common sense regs that attract hunters like iowa does.
 
At $1000 to $2000 a tag it would just be rich hunters . I wouldn’t pay it . A deer/buck is not that important.

I’m all in for deer management, but like I said if every state did that . What a huge mess we’d have for the outdoor industry!
 
Done...mail sent. Thanks for creating a great template, Skip. Kept 70% of what you had, deleted some and added my own spin, experiences, examples, anecdotes, etc.

I worked my ass off for 27 years to get back home to Iowa (to get back to the bowhunting I grew up experiencing in the 80's-90's) just a fuzz over two yrs ago. After living in other states, owning a few farms (all to chase deer on) in Nebraska, hunting MO for yrs...it's mind boggling to think that Iowa could go the route of these other piss-poorly managed midwestern states. It's ALL about the almighty dollar in those other states...they dont give a rip about the resource or the residents...money money money. This would be a nightmare to see this garbage get passed...just wait fellow Iowans...wait until the encroachment continues and they say they only want an inch, but they don't stop until they get the mile they're really after. This garbage passes, wait and see how long before there's a 9 day rifle season in November. first an inch, then miles.
 
Hardwood11 said:
The price is very high. I personally would hate to see every state increase NR hunting and fishing licenses.

It’s just a deer.. not a bear, not an elk or a moose. States will take notice and may issue reciprocal measures (like tariffs) if one state gets crazy .
Click to expand...

Personally, I don't put a bear, moose, elk, or anything else above a mature giant whitetail. Iowa is special in that regard. Like other places are special for other things (ie Unit 9 Arizona elk tag)
 
Hardwood11 said:
At $1000 to $2000 a tag it would just be rich hunters . I wouldn’t pay it . A deer/buck is not that important.

I’m all in for deer management, but like I said if every state did that . What a huge mess we’d have for the outdoor industry!
Click to expand...
Interesting point of view. While I certainly don’t agree with the notion of “it’s just a deer” I do respect your right to feel that way. In fact, to me a true statement would be, “it’s just a bear”. I’ve killed a couple bears yrs ago. Have had opportunities since. Won’t do it. No interest…none, they just don’t turn my crank in the slightest.

Here’s my take-away, or what I’m reminded…even as outdoorsmen, we don’t all see things exactly the same way. It’s ok to disagree & hopefully we are able to do it with respect and a spirit of learning something from each other.
 
Hardwood11 said:
What does an Arizona Elk tag cost ?
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Never hunted there, but reading.....

An applicant must purchase a hunting/fishing combo license to apply in the draw. This license is $160 for a non resident & there is a $15 application fee, so a total of $175 is paid to apply in the draw. IF you are drawn, then you are also charged $650 for the elk tag.

So, say you need 5 points for area ABC (as an example, many areas much longer wait) the cost of the elk tag would be $175x5 + $650. Total cost $1,525.
 
Hardwood11 said:
At $1000 to $2000 a tag it would just be rich hunters . I wouldn’t pay it . A deer/buck is not that important.

I’m all in for deer management, but like I said if every state did that . What a huge mess we’d have for the outdoor industry!
Click to expand...
I wish we had 5,000,000 Deer & tags were $10 & everyone shot a 180” buck with over the counter tags. I really do. But we don’t have that. We have one of the smallest deer populations of all of the Midwest with the smallest % of timber & habitat. We can’t open the flood gates. If it’s only rich people that get to enjoy the luxury of hunting the best state but kept hunting great for residents - I’m ok with it if I had to choose between those 2.
DEER hunting will never be a rich man’s sport because all these NR have more deer to hunt in their own state & probably have deer within 5 minutes of them with tags that cost under $50!!!
More deer than iowa!
There’s tons of NR buddies of mine I wish could hunt more. GOVERNMENT shouldn’t care about any of this IF it only cares about revenue.

I truly don’t want tags to be $1,000 to $2,000. But far more so: I don’t want our state ruined like every other!!!!! Love my NR buddies- I do. But they don’t want this last great state ruined and nor do I. Lunatic residents, OUR POLITICIANS & special interests bring hunters enough grief as it is!

No more seasons, no more weapons, no more adding more hunters that don’t live here - NOTHING!!! LEAVE IOWA ALONE!!!!!!
 
I’m a die hard hunter, and trophy buck hunter but would never wish that my fellow sportsman pay more to enjoy their sport .

I agree with 90% of what is said on here, but doubling license costs is ridiculous in my opinion. Unless you agree to pay twice or three times the cost to hunt and fish in other states in which you apply or pay OTC.
 
IowaBowHunter1983 said:
Never hunted there, but reading.....

An applicant must purchase a hunting/fishing combo license to apply in the draw. This license is $160 for a non resident & there is a $15 application fee, so a total of $175 is paid to apply in the draw. IF you are drawn, then you are also charged $650 for the elk tag.

So, say you need 5 points for area ABC (as an example, many areas much longer wait) the cost of the elk tag would be $175x5 + $650. Total cost $1,525.
Click to expand...
So reciprocated you would now have to pay over $4500 for that tag ? You want that ?
 
If u read between the lines on some folks motives… they want more REVENUE. SOME only care about $. Which is the root of what has ruined all the other states. We have to provide counters…. 1) we actually don’t need more revenue!!!! License sales are UP since Covid!! More hunters & fisherman. 2) Make
The resource better & more Residents will pay. Example: increased pheasant population has actually helped bring tons of $ in 3) SOME Politicians & special interests don’t actually care about $!!!! They hate deer. Farm bureau would love to see everyone killed. IF IF IF we cared about tag sales & revenue we would actually want a HIGHER deer population. Contrary to what they want & what’s being done!!! So- u want more $ or less deer? More deer and more tag sales!!!!

More revenue from NR tags is the biggest smoke screen NOTHING-BURGER out there!!!! Next thing they will pull out of their talking points is “more NR’s killing bucks will help fight CWD!!!” Oops…. Too late- they actually did just say that!!!!!!
 
Hardwood11 said:
I’m a die hard hunter, and trophy buck hunter but would never wish that my fellow sportsman pay more to enjoy their sport .

I agree with 90% of what is said on here, but doubling license costs is ridiculous in my opinion. Unless you agree to pay twice or three times the cost to hunt and fish in other states in which you apply or pay OTC.
Click to expand...
I agree to that if it protects my state. I beg Illinois, MN, KS, WI, out west states, etc…. Make it hard for me if it protects your residents!!!! Illinois has made the R’s the losers over the NR’s. As a NR- dont prioritize me!!!!!! I don’t vote for u!!!!’ I can never spend $ year round like R’s can. Any state- I beg of you - put me down your list for priority to the point that residents have ample opportunity in their own state!!!
 
Hardwood11 said:
I’m a die hard hunter, and trophy buck hunter but would never wish that my fellow sportsman pay more to enjoy their sport .

I agree with 90% of what is said on here, but doubling license costs is ridiculous in my opinion. Unless you agree to pay twice or three times the cost to hunt and fish in other states in which you apply or pay OTC.
Click to expand...
I don’t really want to double tags of course. How about we just leave things the way they are? That’s all people are asking….. “please don’t pimp our state & resource out anymore!!” That’s it.
 
Revenue increase goal should include a modest increase in both resident any sex tags and anysex landowner tags. I as a resident landowner, don't get why a resident anysex LOT is such a discount to a standard resident anysex tag. May not move the overall revenue needle much but certainly sends a message to all residents that landowners are willing to contribute to a revenue increase born by ALL resident hunters.

BTW, thx for the template Skipper.

Sent from my SM-G970U using Tapatalk
 
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