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Open letter to the Governor

On my place we only found 2 or 3 ehd victims but we have a spring fed feeder stream that never goes dry and of course feeds a bigger creek on the property. I assume the moving water is the key as ehd is focused around stagnant water?
 
From what I understand it's not the stagnant water but exposed mud ( associated with receeding water line from drough conditions) that provides the ideal habitat for the midges to breed, thrive and then bite deer when they come to drink. Limited water concentrates the deer where the vector waits to bite........steep sided ponds or ones with lots of green dense vegetation around the perimeter can help, but, with all of the mud streams in Iowa EHD will always be a problem when extended dry weather hits.
 
Nice job on the letter Tracy! I don't know if it will get a response but we can hope that it gets read by the right people. This issue needs to be handled by the Iowa and NR sportsmen alike if the Government is not going to fix it. We as Hunters and Conservationists need to unite and get the word out to start managing our deer herd the way it needs to be managed. In this day and age it seems there is always someone looking to blame someone else for their misgivings, take a look in the mirror everyone and see if you are one of those people yourself. I know there are a lot of families out there that supplement their meat bill every year with deer meat and it can be real easy to be selfish and shoot too many deer without thinking about the big picture. Come on guys and gals think back when there was a buck only season and we were building our deer herd to what it was in the good ole days. It has to start with us first and I have already started, how about you? We can work on the Politicians at the same time, that is going to take longer than the time it takes to pull that trigger or release that arrow.
 
If you listen to the local media Radio, TV, Iowa is still crawling with deer. The too many deer idea will take a long time to get out of the heads of the general public.
 
loneranger said:
If you listen to the local media Radio, TV, Iowa is still crawling with deer. The too many deer idea will take a long time to get out of the heads of the general public.
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Agreed, but if we really focus on the task at hand, we have only one person to convince the numbers are critically low and we all know who that is....

It's time to pick up the phone, pick up a pen, click on SEND, etc.
 
My response that I got... sickening

Dear Ryan,

Thank you for contacting the office of Governor Terry E. Branstad regarding the deer population in the state of Iowa. As you know, this is an issue that affects many Iowans whether they hunt, own land, or travel on our roads. Knowing the importance of this issue, the Governor appreciates your input, and input from all Iowans who have an interest in the license totals or other regulations for deer hunting.

The Governor is an avid hunter and has hunted deer during a number of seasons with his son. He understands, and appreciates, the importance of hunting in the state. With that said, the Governor also realizes that the deer population affects Iowans who own property, travel on our roadways, or pay insurance coverage for their vehicles. And, the Governor also understands that many people have lost their lives in accidents involving deer.

Governor Branstad has, and will continue, to work with all Iowans who have an interest in the state's deer population as administrative rules or legislation are reviewed that include this topic.

Again, thank you for taking time to contact our office. We appreciate hearing from you and hope you will not hesitate to contact us again in the future.

Sincerely,

Office of the Governor
Julie Vande Hoef, Policy Advisor
 
Typical Gov-speak,,What would you expect? How can our Recreation, stand up against loss of life!? Ya gotta admit,,good argument.
 
When deer and the Iowa general public meet the deer lose! It looks like Iowa deer numbers hinge on self-restraint and no more EHD!
 
This is a letter I received in the mail today. I scanned it, but for some reason I was unable to get it to copy to this thread so I am typing it just exactly as it is written.

Seen a lettar some fellar on hear writ about deers an I thot I wuld add my to sents.

Deer Guvner
Ben meenin to rite you as to the numbrs of deers we bin sean this yeer. I reelise you getta hunt with tha Dreary's and such but that aint like the spots we hafta hunt. Some peeple say your actin like a dick tater and not lissenin to the game wardens and the peeples thet hunt deers. I took my dauter Fonda huntin in the yuth seeson and she toll me "This aint no fun, I wanna shoot some deers" Well you kant shootem if you don't seum I tells her. Wen we furst mooved heer you culd just shoot em outa the door. It was eesy to git deers back then My neybor gits tags all yeer. Somthin about Prediter tags. He says they got sum programm wherr they give deers to peeple sos they dont hunt no more It wirks kind like pres Obama givin checks to peeple so they wont wirk no more I gess sum of the deers go to fellas that dont get out much I think thets wherr sum of the deers are goin These peeple need to git there own deers. And then I heers about a diseese killin deers. Ahole sheet lowd of em. If this keeps up therr wont be enuff deers for me an my famly to lay up enuff meet for the yeer. We cuont on this meet for ta git bye. Peeples need ta hunt moor in thet Jan seesen wen the deers horns fall off Thet way we aint killing so many does an ya git more meet Makes sents ta me. An iff ya shoot one with horns on acident you kin jus give em a litle kick and tha horns fall off reel eesy (know what Ime saying) Seen a fella do thet on the neybors place a cuple a times. If yew keep actin like a dick tater Im goin ta hafta vott fer a Repubblican next time Us Democrats need ta stic togethr. You kant aford to loose our votts. And thers a lot of peeples like me owt therr. My soninlaw Tom wirks for congres an he sayed you probly wont never sea this lettar. sum aid will probly reed it an send a lettar back sain thanks fer writin. I hope yew get this lettar and not some of the aids If we kant have moor deers in Iowa Im afeared Im goin ta moove back ta Missoura. Wurst dam seesen I ever had. Was goin to have my dauter tipe this lettar on one of them cumputers but she sayed some spelchecky thing jus put lines unerneath my hole lettar. Thanks for lissening Harold Dicks

PS Hop ya git a biggun in the late seeson sos we kin sea it in the newpepper agayn.
 
4evernovember said:
This is a letter I received in the mail today. I scanned it, but for some reason I was unable to get it to copy to this thread so I am typing it just exactly as it is written.

Seen a lettar some fellar on hear writ about deers an I thot I wuld add my to sents.

Deer Guvner
Ben meenin to rite you as to the numbrs of deers we bin sean this yeer. I reelise you getta hunt with tha Dreary's and such but that aint like the spots we hafta hunt. Some peeple say your actin like a dick tater and not lissenin to the game wardens and the peeples thet hunt deers. I took my dauter Fonda huntin in the yuth seeson and she toll me "This aint no fun, I wanna shoot some deers" Well you kant shootem if you don't seum I tells her. Wen we furst mooved heer you culd just shoot em outa the door. It was eesy to git deers back then My neybor gits tags all yeer. Somthin about Prediter tags. He says they got sum programm wherr they give deers to peeple sos they dont hunt no more It wirks kind like pres Obama givin checks to peeple so they wont wirk no more I gess sum of the deers go to fellas that dont get out much I think thets wherr sum of the deers are goin These peeple need to git there own deers. And then I heers about a diseese killin deers. Ahole sheet lowd of em. If this keeps up therr wont be enuff deers for me an my famly to lay up enuff meet for the yeer. We cuont on this meet for ta git bye. Peeples need ta hunt moor in thet Jan seesen wen the deers horns fall off Thet way we aint killing so many does an ya git more meet Makes sents ta me. An iff ya shoot one with horns on acident you kin jus give em a litle kick and tha horns fall off reel eesy (know what Ime saying) Seen a fella do thet on the neybors place a cuple a times. If yew keep actin like a dick tater Im goin ta hafta vott fer a Repubblican next time Us Democrats need ta stic togethr. You kant aford to loose our votts. And thers a lot of peeples like me owt therr. My soninlaw Tom wirks for congres an he sayed you probly wont never sea this lettar. sum aid will probly reed it an send a lettar back sain thanks fer writin. I hope yew get this lettar and not some of the aids If we kant have moor deers in Iowa Im afeared Im goin ta moove back ta Missoura. Wurst dam seesen I ever had. Was goin to have my dauter tipe this lettar on one of them cumputers but she sayed some spelchecky thing jus put lines unerneath my hole lettar. Thanks for lissening Harold Dicks

PS Hop ya git a biggun in the late seeson sos we kin sea it in the newpepper agayn.
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Classic!!

Spelchecky
 
That is what a lot of people think hunters are like, Hick, Hillbillies. Don't mean to offend any Hillbillies now.
 
Tracy is taking action, talking and doing nothing does nothing! I've watched first hand in my home state of Wisc. Our state law makers decide they could run the DNR better! I actually think they are leaning more toward being over run by turkeys and eliminating the deer heard all togeather, a deer causes 5000.00 in car damage a turkey seldom any. My thoughts on our great state of brown goes down!! "sad" Stick togeather Iowa Hunters, you have a state like no other when it comes to Whitetail hunting.
 
You sound like the folfs from A&E they think their sh-t don't stink also!! The man lives in Minnesota and owns a farm in Iowa,,,I wish I woulda been born a HillBillie!!!!!
 
I assume the writing was in jest. I am more of a backwoods, Country person, than the Duck Dynasty crowd. {Off the Subject}- But seems to me the Duck crowd performs hayseed, but lives Large.
 
Harold Dicks? Think about that

Somebody on hear is pulling one over on you (creative I must say)
 
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flugge said:
My response that I got... sickening

The Governor is an avid hunter and has hunted deer during a number of seasons with his son. He understands, and appreciates, the importance of hunting in the state. With that said, the Governor also realizes that the deer population affects Iowans who own property, travel on our roadways, or pay insurance coverage for their vehicles. And, the Governor also understands that many people have lost their lives in accidents involving deer.
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I'm pretty sure raccoons Abd beavers cause more damage to the crops and homes than deer do. Don't you have to pay insurance coverage anyways? The deer don't make us pay it.. many more people have lost their lives in car to car collisions do they need to manage safety features in cars?

All terrible excuses for trying to shrink the herd.. all because the farm bureau and insurance companies have their hands down his pants
 
Right now our governor is having a cocktail with the lindseys and the drurys discussing the state of the deer herd in Iowa. This is insane. 6000 acres of highly managed decatur county ground is not the typical iowa ground. Tmrw the governor is gonna sit in a fancy tower. Probably a ranch king or whatever box company pays the drurys and he is gonna sit on standing beans or freshly mowed corn and 100 bucks are going to walk out And he will shoot a 140 cull buck. Disgusting. Disgusting disgusting. Hey governor. Your drinking with criminals who lie to your face so they suck this state dry of gov tags so they can sell videos. Shame on you
 
Reply from Marcus Branstad

This is the letter I received from Marcus Branstad, word for word. I encourage everyone concerned about the deer numbers to attend the meetings.

Tracy,

Thank you for your letter dated December 26, 2013, regarding Deer numbers and Bowhunting. As a Natural Resource Commissioner and avid bowhunter myself, I understand your concerns about the condition of the deer herd in Iowa. The past few years have been devastating on deer numbers in most areas of the state. EHD, drought, terrible winters, and in some areas, over-harvest, has led to reduced deer numbers. Hunters everywhere are taking notice and so am I.

I will continue to have discussions with DNR staff and fellow commissioners on the deer herd and push for answers on how we can better maintain a balance to provide Iowans with more opportunity to hunt quality whitetail deer.

As always, our meetings are held once per month and are open to the public. I encourage you and anyone else who has similar concerns to come and share them in front of the commission during the public comment period. The schedule of meetings can be found at:

http://www.iowadnr.gov/InsiderDNR/BoardsCommissions/NaturalResourceCommission.aspx

Thank you again for reaching out and please let me know if you need anything in the future.

Sincerely,

Marcus Branstad
Natural Resource Commissioner
 
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