Proposed changes for the 2006 deer season.

[wjs]

On March 9th the Natural Resources Commission approved the Notice of Intended Action for the 2006/2007 deer season. The basic season dates and regulations stayed the same except as noted below.

Highlighted changes.

1. Removes some counties in north central and northwestern Iowa from the January season and reduces the county antlerless quota in some of these counties. The antlerless quotas may change in other counties if surveys indicate the deer harvest must be substantially increased or reduced in some regions to meet the department's goals for herd management.

2. Removes the week extension of the January season in southern Iowa. The proposed season dates are from Jan 11th - 21st. In the bottom two tiers of counties centerfire rifles will be legal during the last week of the January antlerless season, Jan 15th - 21st.

3. Removes restrictions on who can buy antlerless licenses for the early muzzleloader season. Also removes restrictions on the antlerless licenses someone who hunts in the early muzzleloader season can obtain.

4. Proposed rule would allow hunters to buy November antlerless season licenses beginning on August 15th rather than making them wait until November 11th.

5. Removes lower age restriction for special youth season. Currently they must be 12 – 15. The change would just require that they be 15 or under. Also allows youth and disabled hunters to hunt in any other season.

6. Requires landowners/tenants to register and prove eligibility before they can obtain landowner/tenant licenses.

7. Requires a hunter to report their kill within 24 hours or before the deer is processed or taken to a locker. Reporting will be done through a toll free 800 number, the internet or at ELSI vendors.

The DNR will accept comments on these changes. The proposed changes should be posted on the web in a few days and a place will be available for comments.

Any interested person may make written suggestions or comments on the proposed amendments on or before April 18, 2006. There will also be a public meeting on the ICN, the date and locations of meeting rooms will be posted on the web as well.

Written comments may be sent to the Wildlife Bureau Chief, Department of Natural Resources, Wallace State Office Building, Des Moines, Iowa 50319-0034; fax (515)281-6794. Persons who wish to convey their views orally should contact the Wildlife Bureau at (515)281-6156 or at the Wildlife Bureau offices on the fourth floor of the Wallace State Office Building.

 

[dbltree]

Thanks for the update Willie. Still not crazy about more muzzy tags during bowseason so I guess I'll post my comments when it's possible to do so.

 

[ElkHunter]

I was at that meeting, never have I seen a group so eager to rubber stamp whatever the DNR wants.Kim Francisco was the only person to question some of proposals.
The two items Willie talked about are being pushed by 2 members of DNR for a very self serving purpose.
I don't gun hunt so I'm a little biased .Nothing against the gun hunters just prefer the feel of a bow. IMO anything that puts more gun hunters in the bow season can't be a good thing.I know where these 2 individuals are headed with this liberaled ML season. Once it becomes a main stream season it will move closer to the rut. That I can promise. I've had arguments with these two and they make no bones about what they want.

We need to make 1 on 1 contacts with the NRC members and let them know what a poor idea the ML changes would be.When the comments open on the website we need make some noise.Then at Apr meeting we need to fill all the meeting sites with our people.

 

[Handcannon]

All looks to be improvements, except the Nov. season tags. I think that season needs to be done away with. The landowner verification & harvest reporting are good things to have.

 

[TimberPig]

Thanks for the notice Willie.

My opinions: I like #5, #6, and #7. Especially #6 and I am a landowner.

I dislike #3 and #4, especially #3 I agree with Randy.

 

[teeroy]

i talked to willie about #3 at the classic, and he changed my feelings on it. if the early muzzle season is opened up to all that want to hunt it, soon there will be FAR too many people hunting that season. it will lead to big trouble down the road.


#4 is a total slap in the face of the original intent of the season. originally, the november season was to sell additional tags, in the counties where antlerless tags sales were slow, or tag quotas were high. if your county only was allotted 500 tags, and they were sold out on november 12th, then your county did not get a nevember season. if they start to sell november season tags from the "get go" then your counties entire allottment of antlerless tags could be purchased for the november season. if this passes, the number of antlerless hunters (and poachers) that are out durring this time could increase imensely

 

[dbltree]

[ QUOTE ]

2. In the bottom two tiers of counties centerfire rifles will be legal during the last week of the January antlerless season, Jan 15th - 21st.

3. Removes restrictions on who can buy antlerless licenses for the early muzzleloader season. Also removes restrictions on the antlerless licenses someone who hunts in the early muzzleloader season can obtain.

4. Proposed rule would allow hunters to buy November antlerless season licenses beginning on August 15th rather than making them wait until November 11th.


[/ QUOTE ]

Willie could you explain the DNR's motive behind these changes?

Last summer Mr Garner specifically said the use of rifles and the Thanksgiving season would only be temporary...so you can see why we are skeptical of a situation that leads to even more "permanence" to those seasons...and now allowing muzzleloaders virtually unlimited antlerless tags in October. Is it still pressure to control the deer herd? Just wondering if you can enlighten us a little?

 

[WKP - Todd]

Does anyone know if any changes are going to happen regarding NR's? Any increases known at this time? Just curious...

 

[wjs]

[ QUOTE ]
Willie could you explain the DNR's motive behind these changes?

[/ QUOTE ]

#2. This reduces the length of the Janaury antlerless season but still uses the option of using centerfire rifles to attract hunters back out for antlerless deer. This year there were about 8,000 extra licenses issued for the January season, mostly in the southern 2 tiers of counties. So we are trying to get more antlerless deer killed in the southern counties but not run the season as long.

3. The reason I was given is that it is simpler for hunters and we (the DNR) should let hunters hunt when they want to hunt.

4. Again the reason was that it is simpler and we should let hunters hunt when they want.

(I oppose opening the early muzzleloader season up to everyone and think that the November season licenses should go on sale on Nov 11th.)

As was stated these are just the proposed changes for 2006. You all have a chance to comment on these changes. Please let the DNR know what you think.

I think I mentioned in an earlier post that the only change for nonresidents for 2006 is that if they are successful in drawing and any-sex tag then they will also have to buy an antlerless license for $100. The quota stays at 6,000 anysex and 3,500 antlerless.

 

[dbltree]

[ QUOTE ]
3. The reason I was given is that it is simpler for hunters and we (the DNR) should let hunters hunt when they want to hunt.

4. Again the reason was that it is simpler and we should let hunters hunt when they want.

[/ QUOTE ]

That really blows my mind...where do we draw the line? I'm sure plenty of hunters would love to hunt with a firearm in early Nov.
We should let hunters hunt when they want to???

Things are headed down hill and I can see it picking up speed each year. Everyone who thinks each little change doesn't matter...will eventually be sadly mistaken.......

 

[jkratz5]

I agree, the early Nov. shotgun is bogus, just stirs the deer up that much earlier and for those who like to bow hunt that time of the year get your armour on.

As far as the muzzy seasons and everything else they need to leave them be, everything has been fine the last few years despite the intro. of the rifle and Nov. gun season.

 

[bowmaker]

WJS

Well this just proves that when a door is cracked a bit it isn't long before it is forced open more and more. I really do just hate it when dire predictions come true. As several of us predictided these temperary season changes are not only still here they are being expanded. With the perceived "success" of the late rifle season it is being maintained with an even larger safty issue. Not only will there still be rifles but now there will be more hunters crammed into smaller areas for shorter times. Maybe not this year but sooner or later a recipe for disaster. How much longer until until the predictions of rifles in the December gun seasons come true?

The intent of the November season, as explained to us , was to help sell the antlerless tags that were going unused in some areas. That was why they weren't to be sold until Nov 11th to see how many were left. Now by putting them on sale at the same time as regular licenses all you will do is effectively create another permanent gun season with little or no selective management. This season was not created to "let hunters hunt when they want to hunt" but as a management tool, wasn't it?

On the matter of expanding the early muzzle loading season to basicly unlimited antlerless tags as long as the quotas arent exceded, another very bad idea. From a selfish view point, I live and hunt in Davis, Van Buren, and Jefferson counties where I believe there were about 9000 antlerless tags available. With the current system of 7500 ML tags spread over the state it isn't very crowded during this season, but throw several thousand more antlerless only hunters into the woods and it will get real crowded as well as changing the whole intended aspect of the hunt in the first place. The second thing is that this would also create a defacto party hunting season. You know as well as I do that many groups of hunters used to shotgun party hunting will purchase antlerless and some regular any sex tags and use them as fits the sittuation. There will be many bucks killed by hunters holding an anterless tag because they know that their buddy has a buck tag, or a landowner can supply them with a buck tag. If the antlerless tags are viewed as "temptation tags" for some NR hunters who have already shown their willingness and stupidity to tag a buck with a doe tag because they just couldn't resist when Mr. Big walked by, what will our resident hunters do with these same temptation tags? I know, don't you?

So far the only temporary thing about these seasons and rule changes has been that they keep expanding and in many opinions not for the betterment of our hunting. I very much hope that our DNR and the NRC committe can resist some of the outside pressures, and have the intestineal fortitude to allow the biologists and game managers to manage our deer herd and maintain the level of hunting that we enjoy. Other states arround us have bent under group and money pressures and their hunting has gone down the crapper, and so can ours if we aren't very carefull. All of the tinkering with the deer management has done nothing to better the hunting and none shows any signs of going away either. We all want to do something to improve our hunting and don't know exactly what that is, but I do know that killing every doe in sight is not the answer nor is killing 3/4 of our existing herd. The real game managers can find the answers not the insurance companies or special intrest groups, so let's let them.

 

[Ghost]

I'm just wondering if there will ever be another time when the regulations stay the same for two years in a row. I'm getting really sick of it.

I'm starting to realize that the ultimate goal is to totally wipe out the deer herd. I think that is the only way these people pushing this crap would be happy.

The insurance companies are probably planning on releasing a herd of CWD infected deer throughout the state. Then they can have a year round season with rifles and turn Iowa into a state wide erradication zone.

Yeah, that would make them happy.

 

[Critter]

To be honest with ya Ghostie, I'm not so sure the Insurance Companies are the ones we should be worrying about. It seems to me as if our hunting season's are being regulated by individuals that have no business making the decisions that are being made. I get the feeling these folks are making rapid fire decisions just because they can. I think what we really need to focus on is making sure that some of these people don't remain in the current positions they are in. The insurance companies don't make the ultimate decisions, only the recommendations. It's up to all of us to make sure the decision makers are looking at the big picture, not just what looks good to them or their own agendas.

 

[blake]

[ QUOTE ]
It seems to me as if our hunting season's are being regulated by individuals that have no business making the decisions that are being made. I get the feeling these folks are making rapid fire decisions just because they can. I think what we really need to focus on is making sure that some of these people don't remain in the current positions they are in.

[/ QUOTE ] [ QUOTE ]
It's up to all of us to make sure the decision makers are looking at the big picture, not just what looks good to them or their own agendas.

[/ QUOTE ]

One of the problems is the NRC is picked by Governor Tom Vilsack.

Most of time NRC Committee members are appointed as a thank you for being one of Mr. Vilsack’s loyal supporters.

NRC committee members are group of individuals that are a rubber stamp for DNR. And unfortunately, there are two members of DNR who have a personal agenda that that is not in the best interest of the average Iowa resident deer hunter or DNR biologist.

 

[Limb Chicken]

The governor is on his way out.

 

[dbltree]

[ QUOTE ]
I'm just wondering if there will ever be another time when the regulations stay the same for two years in a row. I'm getting really sick of it.


[/ QUOTE ]
I'm with you Ghost...this is really getting tiresome! In this case it's not really about controlling the herd...if that remains a problem, then many possible points have been made last fall by WJS.
In this case it seems we are getting hit with "not so friendly fire"...think you know who the "enemy" is only to be blind sided by people who should be on our side

Just to paint a little "tongue in cheek" picture spiced with just a hint of sarcasm....

Gov. appoints "Joe" to the NRC commission. Joes thinks "cool" I've got 6 years to change things to my own personal benefit! What Joe wants is to be able to hunt during the rut with his muzzleloader...so he figures lets work into this from every direction using the antlerless (kill every deer possible) avenue. Under the guise of controlling the deer herd...Joe reccomends more and more days of what is now archery season, being opened to muzzleloaders and shotgunners. Joe is well aware that there is no sound biological reason for these changes, nor will it help control the deer...what matters to Joe is that he be able to hunt when HE wants too. Anybody who really wants to take antlerless deer already has ample time and tags to do so...what Joe is aiming for is not antlerless deer...

The quality of the finest deer herd quite possibly in the world, is of no concern to someone like Joe. The quality of our deer is what it is because in the past our DNR has kept firearm hunting out of the rut period. No matter how or what you hunt with, if you want big deer...they must be hunted only by the most challenging methods when they are most vulnerable...otherwise we end up like all the other states...shooting 1 1/2 bucks for the rest of our days.
Joe of course, just wants what Joe wants and he will have plenty of support from the IFB and the ins. lobby. I have no doubt that each year he will try to further his agenda making inroads into the current archery season with longer and more liberal use of firearms (muzzloader, shotgun and rifle)......unless....we fight back, post comments on the DNR web site, write Mr. Garner, attend meetings, etc.
Your darn right....it's the absolute pits that we have to keep fighting tooth and nail to hang on to what we have. It seems never ending, year around someone is trying to destroy our quality deer hunting.
I don't like it, but it's worth the effort because once it's gone...it's gone forever and it isn't ever coming back.............

 

[blake]

TTT