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Shining Question

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It is not legal to take just the head/cape off of a road kill deer in Iowa. You need to have a valid hunting license to tag it or be issued a salvage permit. The salvage permit requires that the meat be edible and if you don't take the whole carcass, you can be charged with wanton waste (though some here have found more lenient CO's than I). Just taking the head and leaving a headless body sends the wrong message to everyone who sees that deer on the side of the road, IMO.

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Good point... But leagle or not, people are doing it. And I for one wouldn't want to take the meat from a smelly rotten deer that I do not know how long has been lying around.
My point is, its a misconception that shining deer is poaching, and although on the rare occasion it occurs, for the most part, it is a great past time, and scouting tool. And laws don't stop outlaws, poaching is already illeagle, they stop Guys like us from enjoying deer watching.
 
Here is the big picture on shining. It can alter natural travel, and feeding patterns which in turn stresses deer during their critical time to rebuild. You shine the field of deer and most of the time they run right? Why would they run if they feel safe? Shine a deer in town or in a park and the just walk off. (For the most part). This would be called a conditioned response. They know what happens if they stick around. I would rather not stress deer I am hunting until my arrow is on its way. The biggest reason I appose this activity is the loopholes it creates for illegal activity directly and indirectly. I do understand a majority of “recreational” shiners are stand up people but the small percentage of bad apples that do take advantage of this as a loophole for illegal activity is what takes a toll on our mature buck herd. It doesn’t take many to make a large impact. I for one would welcome this being made illegal to preserve what many of us work hard to achieve through our management efforts. Our conservation and law enforcement officers are spread thin enough. No need to make them investigate every case that is called in. Made illegal you know there is something wrong. You debate it doesn’t happen often. Here is a case a little closer to home Wisconsin Shiners. Wonder how many seen their spotlights and thought they were just having fun. This is my opinion I respect you having some fun but I beleive in this case the bad points out weigh the good.
 
I like to go shining to know whats around the area. Trail cams suck for figuring out whats around the general area right now because deer just don't simply move that far, and alot of times you can't put a camera where the deer are. I also don't think it stresses deer out anymore than sitting there in the daylight looking at them off the road. Either way, they know you are there. I also think most of the poaching goes on in the daylight, I hunted southern Iowa all last fall and right before dark every night, the high powers would start to ring out all around. Then I would turn around and shine for 4 hours every night and not see a single person out shining on the roads, so I believe more happens during the day than anything. Either way whether a deer is standing in a field before dark or after, I will find it just to know its there.
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Whether they make it illegal or not people are still going to do it just like the guys that get the thrill of poaching that monster whitetail that you have worked so hard to grow and chase legally. The one a little closer to home that isnt far from us CENTRAL IOWA is the MASON BROTHERS FROM GRAND RIVER.
No matter what laws there are there are going to be people that want to break them. It would make the CO and DNR's jobs a lot easier though if they would just make it all illegal. Instead of stopping the "legal" guy and missing the guy shooting the bucks.
 
I can't contain myself any more.....shining??? Its SPOTLIGHTING. I must be from the wrong side of the state. Never heard that saying before...carry on.
 
Couple of nice ones Liv...and that's exactly how the "bad guys" are locating them regardless of how and when they actually kill them.

There are far to many negatives involved with shining deer for all of us to allow it for the few that enjoy it legally.
The simple fact that it takes our law enforcements very limited time and resources to keep track of it instead of waiting and watching for the real culprits is enough for me to want changes made.

Not one person can say that shining is a positive in maintaining the quality of Iowas deer. It's unfortunate that some of us may be at odds over this, but the majority clearly are for some type of change. At the very least, limiting shining to the off season would be a huge step in a positive direction towards curtailing illegal activity during season.
This year the IDNR made a positive change in making it illegal to shoot from a roadway. You can rest assured that they are reading this with great interest and I'm sure with a few letters this fall, the IDNR law enforcement arm would be happy to ask for change.
Based on our poll I would say the majority of us on this site would support those changes.
 
I don't go out spotlighting - only because it doesn't interest me. I would rather see what I can see during the evening hours before dark. However, maybe I'm missing something in the argument against spotlighting. It seems to me that those who want it outlawed are using the same arguments that anti-handgun people use in their cases: it can be used for bad, and they see no practical use. I guess I don't see where this is a problem - it's a matter of preference.
 
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I also don't think it stresses deer out anymore than sitting there in the daylight looking at them off the road. Either way, they know you are there.

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They do but they expect to see traffic on the road and are more aware. When dark, they move to areas they wouldn't be seen in during daylight hours- so to come through with a light and bust them will change their patterns or put them on guard differently than if I hit the brakes along the commute home to watch.

It doesn't matter if the deer are taken with the light or at dusk, if the light is how the poacher knew they were in the area, same result.
 
according to that logic, since there are so many cars on the road, and people are speeding, driving without seatbelts, and drinking, we should make cars illegal.

or since people are using spotlighting to poach deer, maybe we should outlaw deer hunting altogether.

if spotlighting was a pastime of mine, i doubt i would get worked up about the DNR stopping me to check that i don't have any weapons. we have plenty of laws on the books. they just need to be enforced. some legislative changes that would pump more money to DNR enforcement would be nice. if you see someone spotlighting, and are suspicious, jot down the plate # and call the law.
 
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It seems to me that those who want it outlawed are using the same arguments that anti-handgun people use in their cases: it can be used for bad, and they see no practical use. I guess I don't see where this is a problem - it's a matter of preference.

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Same arguement is used against party hunting. Many that dont do it believe they should do away with it. Its not illegal for guys to shoot several bucks during shotgun season but for some reason they are looked down upon. There is two ways to party hunt, you can play by the book and take as many deer as you have willing hunters to tag them, or you can work the system. Same logic could be applied here. Like I said before, if they want to outlaw it thats fine, but until then, I dont understand the guilty until proven innocent mindset. I dont think you would see a decrease in poaching by doing away with it.
 
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I dont think you would see a decrease in poaching by doing away with it

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oh hell no. a poacher is going to poach. they are already unconcerned about breaking one law, what's the big deal if they are breaking two? you can make all the laws that you want, but they mean squat, if they can't be enforced. enforce the laws we have, lord knows there are enough of them
 
I honestly don't even know if it is legal here or not. I know that nobody does it b/c of a "guilty by association" mindset. If I was a "shiner", I'd also lose access to some pretty good land b/c that is the mentality of the farmers near me. That alone is reason for me to not care to do it.
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I know that nobody does it b/c of a "guilty by association" mindset. If I was a "shiner", I'd also lose access to some pretty good land b/c that is the mentality of the farmers near me. That alone is reason for me to not care to do it.

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That sums up my thoughts on it to.
 
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It is not legal to take just the head/cape off of a road kill deer in Iowa. You need to have a valid hunting license to tag it or be issued a salvage permit. The salvage permit requires that the meat be edible and if you don't take the whole carcass, you can be charged with wanton waste (though some here have found more lenient CO's than I). Just taking the head and leaving a headless body sends the wrong message to everyone who sees that deer on the side of the road, IMO.

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Good point... But leagle or not, people are doing it. And I for one wouldn't want to take the meat from a smelly rotten deer that I do not know how long has been lying around.
My point is, its a misconception that shining deer is poaching, and although on the rare occasion it occurs, for the most part, it is a great past time, and scouting tool. And laws don't stop outlaws, poaching is already illeagle, they stop Guys like us from enjoying deer watching.

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But you would be willing to just take the cape and horns off that smelly old deer, right? I will go on record as wanting to make spotlighting illegal, for lots of reasons. I don't believe that ths would stop poaching at all but it would make them much more visible. In my neck of the wood we see spot lights quite often and unless we hear shooting we can never tell if it is legal or illegal activity. By making spotlignting illegal we know that anyone shining a light is breaking the law and can inform the law officals. This would also be much better for the COs because now if they stop a vehicle spotlighting they can't tell if the occupents are just " out for some great family fun" or are armed to the teeth looking to score some big cash on a huge set of horns. I know that if I were a CO knowing that I could approach as if it were an illegal sisituation would make me much more aware of possible problems.

Another thing that bugs me about some of the replies are the ones about spot lighting just to see what is available. This ain't Walmart and you aren't shopping for a set of horns, you are hunting! Should you shoot the 140" buck in front of you because it is the biggest on available in the area or let it walk because there is a 160" available. To me that some how deminishes the experience of seeing or shooting the 140, because in either case you had to just "settle for" the 140. To me deer hunting is about a lot more than just shooting the largest buck available.

As far as spotlignting on any land you choose just because there isn't a law against it, I think that is wrong even if it isn't illegal. Just suppose that you buy 60 acres using every spare dollar that you have for the next 30 years. Then you work yourself to death for months putting in several food plots of varing foods that will draw and hold deer clear into winter. Because of the size and lay of your land these food plots are all visible from a road. Someone starts spotlighting your fields all sumer long because of the number and size of deer there. That someone turns out to be an out of state outfitter who then leases up the land all arround you and puts up stands and blinds right on your boader fence lines. Now you have several hunters overlooking you fields for every season and cutting of every travel route from bedding to feeding areas. This sisutation may have happened anyway but how do you think lots of outfitters find areas to try to lease? From spotlighting food sources during the summer to find out what is available!

Sorry I tend to go on sometimes but I really do think that spotlighting should be made illegal and especialy during any hunting season. One last thing how would you legal spotlighters feel if when the CO stopped you he found a shotgun shell that had rolled under the seat, or the hatchet that you were cutting brush with, or the folding knife in your belt sheath that you always wear. All of these become weapons and make you illegal and eligable for a citation. Lets have a show of hands of those who would think the CO was a creep and a jerk for writting the ticket.
 
After reading all the replies to this I have come to the conclusion that I would be in favor of making shining/spotlighting illegal. I used to do this quite a bit when I was younger and had a lot of time on my hands. Ever since I started using trail cams I have pretty much eliminated shining. I actually spend a lot more time looking for deer the last hour of daylight from the road with binoculars. I do believe that a lot of deer get shot under the light when everyone is asleep. I don't think making it illegal would totally eliminate poaching, but it would be a big help.
 
It wouldn't be all that bad if they made it illegal after lets say Aug 15th before the deer shed their velvet. But until then I will spend 15 bucks to go riding around with my buddies looking at Big Deer rather than 50 bucks going to the bar picking up STD's
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I am torn on this one. I have never spotlighted deer since the majority of my hunting was in IL until the last 4 years. In IL spotlighting is illegal, hell even hitting a field with your headlights is illegal and the DNR uses these activities to bust alot of hunter/poachers during the season. I know personally that making spotlighting illegal doesn't eliminate poaching, we find a deer or two every year without a head near the road on or near or property. You know when a deer is poached generally because of course it has been shot so the hit by a car mentality doesn't really hold up.

However, I just recently learned that shining in Iowa is legal, I have never been out doing it but wouldn't be totally opposed to it for a couple of reasons, especially if it was an occasional thing. The first reason being that several of the areas are higher traffic areas and the deer in general do not come out until just before or after dark. Now hitting a field with a spotlight once or twice in Sept. to see what is hanging out in certain areas I don't think would be terrible, however I would hate to have someone shining my ground every night, that is just asking to disturb the travel routes of the deer in the area. Second, I can see it being useful for picking up those deer that are mainly nocturnal. If you happen to see a buck several times while shining and never in the stand it may help you change your strategies or switch areas of hunting until the rut when that buck forgets about his clock.

Anyhow, it is a sticky question. I can see how it helps in scouting when used in moderation, I can see where those are coming from with it aiding in poaching.
 
I would rather have people shine my ground every night, the good guys its no big deal, the bad guys you can't stop them. All I know is educated deer know to start heading to the timber when they hear a car coming, and will make it to the timber if the car stops making it impossible for a poacher to shoot him. If you ever try shining Jkratz, do it before they shed their velvet, otherwise you won't see near as many deer.
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