DMarley83
DMARLEY83
Iowa will recover but it doesn't come without work. More hunters need educated on how these laws that make hunting easier m
Thoughts on deer prospects this year?
- Thread starter IowaBowHunter1983
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Iowa will recover but it doesn't come without work. More hunters need educated on how these laws that make hunting easier m
Copenhagen Tob
PMA Member
I agree, collective trigger control would increase age structure in most areas
Trapshooter1
Well-Known Member
I was about to come on here and start a thread identical to this thread. I've talked to a well known taxidermist and he s 20-30 deer mounts behind the same time as last year.(Many reports of the deer just not being there) Also talked to some sanctuary owners(in this county the rec land is held in very few hands) and their seeing the same thing. Biggest deer they can find is 150s type buck, when they normally kill some Megas.
As for me, I haven't seen many mature deer. Think the biggest I seen was probably 160s. And that was on a gravel travel trip.
I had a couple of the deer I was hunting last year. Never show up this year.(they would have been nice)
So I guess for me, I'll dedicate my season to hunting a couple management deer, have a heavy 7 point that should take a dirt nap. And a few 4 year old 8s around, that I have mixed feelings about culling. I have seen some mega 8 pointers in my day. So I might just leave them alone.
As for me, I haven't seen many mature deer. Think the biggest I seen was probably 160s. And that was on a gravel travel trip.
I had a couple of the deer I was hunting last year. Never show up this year.(they would have been nice)
So I guess for me, I'll dedicate my season to hunting a couple management deer, have a heavy 7 point that should take a dirt nap. And a few 4 year old 8s around, that I have mixed feelings about culling. I have seen some mega 8 pointers in my day. So I might just leave them alone.
Truly believe EVERY POINT on here has some merit.
EHD is an unmitigated DISASTER!! Hits bucks harder than does. Our first bad outbreak was actually in 2008 (& some other ones that didn’t get the attention earlier than that). Many in 2008 didn’t even realize what it was. 2012 was the great awakening to how bad it gets & educated everyone to how devastating it is. Several horrible outbreaks since then & different strains. It’ll get better (if u look at a graph the trajectory will be down little by little) as they build resistance but u will for sure continue to see it every year. Without a new strain thrown in, with light to bad years, the trajectory should be down.
Deer populations are also right up there…. While EHD is destroying herds- tag allocations, seasons & weapons are equally added to the devastation. All at same time!!! Hence, our harvest is HALF what it used to be and some areas it’s down 75-90% in harvest. Less does, less bucks & less habitat are a big theme. While we add more tags, seasons & weapons.
Seems almost unanimous across the state we have frustrations & big issues. If we use COMMON SENSE…. One would reduce some or all of these: deer killing, season lengths, technology involved / weapons, amount of bucks each person may shoot, etc.
IMHO- it’s complete insanity I can kill 3 bucks on my tags, then shoot an urban buck & then unlimited with party tags. Is that the biggest problem of above? NO! Is that done often? NO. But why have a policy that allows for 2, 3, 5 bucks per person? Part of that is mental “I’ll shoot this smaller buck cause I have all these other tags”. VS “I’ll be picky cause when I shoot, I’m done”. Our saving grace is, R’s get a bow tag- then DONE. Pick a gun season. That’s a critical positive. This floating LO tag- does zero good on the impact to the herd. ZERO. Not a huge deal but not a +.
SOLUTIONS….
Iowa legislators & dnr are very much aware of this problem!!!!! EHD to low deer #’s. Far more to come on this. Action has or will follow.
late shed buck season needs to go.
IMHO- vast majority of research & funding for disease needs to go to EHD vs CWD.
Antlerless quotas in MOST counties need trimmed. Hunters need to publicly voice when they are in low density areas “guys, we are the stewards, STOP shooting too many does!!! Self regulate!”
Coyote control in western 2/3rd’s of state needs major effort & killing needs to increase substantially over a wide area.
NR quotas- left the way they are- no change needed. No to the outfitters. No special privileges to xyz special interest wanting their “perk” on killing our deer herd. NO MORE!!!! Hold the line & TOP 2 things will resolve…. 1 is faster than 2nd….
#1 fix is killing less deer PERIOD.
#2 is resistance to ehd. This is likely already happening. We are 10-15 years away, IMO from saying “I don’t notice it”… as long as we don’t get a new strain!!!
Those are the top 2 issues for immediate relief. Don’t mess with the rest or make anything else worse. When we make progress on all this, & we will….. 3-5 years for noticeable recovery. Changes are needed & they are coming.
Other challenges…. “All the good up and comers getting shot”. “Ground is pounded by dudes & more time afield”. On & on…. Totally get it. Agree & part of that gets some relief from above fixes. A lot to unpack there & u all know the scoop so that shortens my rant!
EHD is an unmitigated DISASTER!! Hits bucks harder than does. Our first bad outbreak was actually in 2008 (& some other ones that didn’t get the attention earlier than that). Many in 2008 didn’t even realize what it was. 2012 was the great awakening to how bad it gets & educated everyone to how devastating it is. Several horrible outbreaks since then & different strains. It’ll get better (if u look at a graph the trajectory will be down little by little) as they build resistance but u will for sure continue to see it every year. Without a new strain thrown in, with light to bad years, the trajectory should be down.
Deer populations are also right up there…. While EHD is destroying herds- tag allocations, seasons & weapons are equally added to the devastation. All at same time!!! Hence, our harvest is HALF what it used to be and some areas it’s down 75-90% in harvest. Less does, less bucks & less habitat are a big theme. While we add more tags, seasons & weapons.
Seems almost unanimous across the state we have frustrations & big issues. If we use COMMON SENSE…. One would reduce some or all of these: deer killing, season lengths, technology involved / weapons, amount of bucks each person may shoot, etc.
IMHO- it’s complete insanity I can kill 3 bucks on my tags, then shoot an urban buck & then unlimited with party tags. Is that the biggest problem of above? NO! Is that done often? NO. But why have a policy that allows for 2, 3, 5 bucks per person? Part of that is mental “I’ll shoot this smaller buck cause I have all these other tags”. VS “I’ll be picky cause when I shoot, I’m done”. Our saving grace is, R’s get a bow tag- then DONE. Pick a gun season. That’s a critical positive. This floating LO tag- does zero good on the impact to the herd. ZERO. Not a huge deal but not a +.
SOLUTIONS….
Iowa legislators & dnr are very much aware of this problem!!!!! EHD to low deer #’s. Far more to come on this. Action has or will follow.
late shed buck season needs to go.
IMHO- vast majority of research & funding for disease needs to go to EHD vs CWD.
Antlerless quotas in MOST counties need trimmed. Hunters need to publicly voice when they are in low density areas “guys, we are the stewards, STOP shooting too many does!!! Self regulate!”
Coyote control in western 2/3rd’s of state needs major effort & killing needs to increase substantially over a wide area.
NR quotas- left the way they are- no change needed. No to the outfitters. No special privileges to xyz special interest wanting their “perk” on killing our deer herd. NO MORE!!!! Hold the line & TOP 2 things will resolve…. 1 is faster than 2nd….
#1 fix is killing less deer PERIOD.
#2 is resistance to ehd. This is likely already happening. We are 10-15 years away, IMO from saying “I don’t notice it”… as long as we don’t get a new strain!!!
Those are the top 2 issues for immediate relief. Don’t mess with the rest or make anything else worse. When we make progress on all this, & we will….. 3-5 years for noticeable recovery. Changes are needed & they are coming.
Other challenges…. “All the good up and comers getting shot”. “Ground is pounded by dudes & more time afield”. On & on…. Totally get it. Agree & part of that gets some relief from above fixes. A lot to unpack there & u all know the scoop so that shortens my rant!
Bucksnbears
Well-Known Member
Skippy for head of Iowa DNR.