teeroy
Life Member
i just recieved this email from richard leopold, DNR director
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Managing Iowa’s deer herd is a complex issue with many elements to consider and balance. One is the various hunting constituencies, including shotgun, bow and muzzleloader hunters. Another consideration is depredation – deer - caused damage to agriculture, tree farms, residential landscaping and native ecosystems. Still another is vehicular traffic accidents. Add to this balance the different traditions and approaches to hunting; deer numbers that vary across the state; and unpredictable weather, and you have a delicate balance.
It is not possible to please all of the people all of the time. Deer management focuses on maintaining a healthy statewide herd while minimizing depredation and vehicular accidents. This year, population trends, especially in eastern and southern Iowa, show we have work to do in downsizing the deer herd. Iowa’s early shotgun season, due to unusually inclement weather, has fallen far short of its projected harvest of 95,000.
Hunting pressure is the primary means of herd reduction and unsuccessful programs translate to problems for all involved.
We fully realize the impact the three-day emergency shotgun season may have on the planned muzzleloading and bowhunting seasons, but this has been decided by DNR wildlife biologists and the Natural Resources Commission to be the most effective way to reduce the herd.
If we continue the planned seasons, we would likely not achieve our heard reduction targets and would face a challenge to meet our management goals. The option of an extended antlerless hunt in January was considered, but the longer we wait, the more bucks that would shed their antlers, reducing the effectiveness of our antlerless kill.
Other points:
We understand safety concerns, and encourage hunters to act responsibly and respectfully toward others on public lands.
This is not about selling more licenses. This is a decision based on sound science, balancing different interests.
This does not set a precedent. This is an emergency rule within a dynamic management program.
For individual concerns, such as licensing requirements, purchasing or refund questions, please contact the DNR Phone Center at (515) 281-5918 or e-mail at webmaster@dnr.iowa.gov
We understood there are concerns, and your concerns have been heard. Deer management in Iowa is a delicate balance weighing different needs and interests of all involved.
</div></div>
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Managing Iowa’s deer herd is a complex issue with many elements to consider and balance. One is the various hunting constituencies, including shotgun, bow and muzzleloader hunters. Another consideration is depredation – deer - caused damage to agriculture, tree farms, residential landscaping and native ecosystems. Still another is vehicular traffic accidents. Add to this balance the different traditions and approaches to hunting; deer numbers that vary across the state; and unpredictable weather, and you have a delicate balance.
It is not possible to please all of the people all of the time. Deer management focuses on maintaining a healthy statewide herd while minimizing depredation and vehicular accidents. This year, population trends, especially in eastern and southern Iowa, show we have work to do in downsizing the deer herd. Iowa’s early shotgun season, due to unusually inclement weather, has fallen far short of its projected harvest of 95,000.
Hunting pressure is the primary means of herd reduction and unsuccessful programs translate to problems for all involved.
We fully realize the impact the three-day emergency shotgun season may have on the planned muzzleloading and bowhunting seasons, but this has been decided by DNR wildlife biologists and the Natural Resources Commission to be the most effective way to reduce the herd.
If we continue the planned seasons, we would likely not achieve our heard reduction targets and would face a challenge to meet our management goals. The option of an extended antlerless hunt in January was considered, but the longer we wait, the more bucks that would shed their antlers, reducing the effectiveness of our antlerless kill.
Other points:
We understand safety concerns, and encourage hunters to act responsibly and respectfully toward others on public lands.
This is not about selling more licenses. This is a decision based on sound science, balancing different interests.
This does not set a precedent. This is an emergency rule within a dynamic management program.
For individual concerns, such as licensing requirements, purchasing or refund questions, please contact the DNR Phone Center at (515) 281-5918 or e-mail at webmaster@dnr.iowa.gov
We understood there are concerns, and your concerns have been heard. Deer management in Iowa is a delicate balance weighing different needs and interests of all involved.
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