Buck Hollow Sporting Goods - click or touch to visit their website Midwest Habitat Company

Tough Decisions

OneCam

OneCam

Well-Known Member
The Iowa DNR is in a tough spot as increasing pressures from Insurance, Real-estate and special interest groups threaten the deer hunting as we know it. This coupled with the fact that the DNR is severely under funded creates an atmosphere of inevitable change and the DNR is faced with some tough decisions.

We are fortunate to have some incredible leaders in Dale Garner, Willie Suchy and Richard Leopold. I’m not sure about Richard but we know both Dale and Willie are accomplished archery and gun hunters. They are extremely focused on hunter safety, increasing hunter opportunities, hunter recruitment and something we feel is very important for the future of the Iowa deer herd - educating the hunter about quality deer management. Hunter education is key to solving many of our issues and we have seen the DNR step up there message regarding QDM - we certainly hope to see this trend continue.

The most recent decision made by the DNR to extend the shotgun season for 3 days with the goal of killing more does has created some expected controversy.

Here’s a short illustration that might draw some parallels as to why the decision may have been made …

------------------------------------------------------------------

Let’s say you were the CEO of a manufacturing company and 3rd quarter sales were below shareholders expectations because of unexpected 2 week long equipment failure on the production floor. You have a best in class product & workforce yet your company recently went public and stockholders have revenue expectations that have not been met.

The company's board is focused and concerned with the results and there are mounting rumors that your job is on the line. You have a good sense of who your predecessor(s) could be and you know that they would make some major changes to the company operations. They would most likely out source much of the work force from other countries, utilize poorer quality supplies and attempt to sell in the already saturated market of foreign countries.

You now realize you are fighting for your job, the reputation of the product you worked so hard to make “the best” and the future of your overall workforce. You have to make a tough decision on how to increase productivity to meet the needs of your product demand. The time frame to show improvement is short and the only feasible decision is to have to create mandatory OT for your entire workforce during the holiday season. Your workforce is specialized and cannot be replaced with temps. You know your workforce will not like the decision and you may loose a few employees. If this decision is not made the future of the company and the workforce are in jeopardy.

What would you do? If you were on the workforce would you understand?

Maybe just maybe the reaction of the workforce would be influenced by how the decision is communicated.
 
I agree with you Chris and your comparison to a business decision. The DNR NEEDS to up the harvest numbers. we, as hunters are the tool to carry out that job and we need to take advantage of the season if we have tags to do so.....

But i think one of the things over looked in this decision was this. not all the shotgun hunters who have unfilled tags will hunt because either they cannot kill a buck, or their time is already consumed with family obligations, etc.

The number of hunters that go out will prly kill a substantial amount of does, however, i feel that the number of late muzz hunters and late season bow hunters, will dramatically decrease, thus decreasing their season's kill rates. (i have no specific numbers, estimates etc.)



In the end, i feel it will end up being 6 of one and half a dozen of the other.... one group of hunters will take to the field, and the other group will decrease in numbers due to the first group. thus keeping the harvest numbers "generally close" to what was originally anticipated.

it is my feeling that if the shotgun tags were revalidated for the late season antlerless in Jan, the harvest numbers would increase more so in the long run, instead of the way the season currently stand.

I have been in numerous conversations with Mr. Suchy and Mr. Joens, both feel that the "momentum" from shotgun season will carry over and with the holidays more hunters will take advantage. I thnk the above points will take a stronger role than anticipated.

this all may be opinion based, but i know of many, many hunters who feel the same way.

I agree with the decision to make the shotgun tags open to an additional season, but i stronly feel that other options could have been better investigated without forcing the kind of action that was taken, and interfereing with seasons currently in progress.

I feel there are plenty of other options to increase harvest numbers. and i wish the DNR would have taken our opinions more seriously as <div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> Behind the camo, pickup trucks and muddy boots, there are some very intellegent people who know very well how to manage the herd. </div></div>

Like i mentioned, i agree with the Emergency season and reasons behind it, but i think other options would have produced optimal harvest without interfering with other seasons......

The extended Muzz season is appreciated, and if i end up killing a buck during that extended season, i will be pretty dang happy they extended it. and i were bow hunting still, i sure would have liked to have that extension as well......that too may have impacted the harvest numbers???!!

IMO
 
Just to clarify I'm not trying to support or justify the exact decision made ... as any varation of the decision would upset one group or another.

I was really just trying to provide insight as to why a decision had to be made ... as I believe the intent was in favor of all hunters - especially the bowhunter as we have the most to lose if not enough deer are harvested.

THAI - you have some interesting points. I would encourage you to collect the data to support your theory so we can bring quantifiable evidence to assist the DNR in making the best decision next time around.
 
One thing that I think influenced the decision to open the special season now, as opposed to the January antlerless season is that delaying it until Jan. 10 would mean that shotgunners would have to buy a 2008 license. [Late muzzle hunters going out the 11-13 will have to have a 2008 license in their pocket as well].

Many shotgun hunting parties are family groups and the likelihood of them going out over the pre-Christmas weekend is much higher than later in January. Throw in the fact that they'd have to buy a 2008 hunting to go in January and you drop the numbers even further.

One Cam, I like your business analogy and in the case of many businesses, the stockholders don't necessarily care about the quality of the product or the rights/conditions of the workers. It's about the bottom line.

I see the general public and the insurance lobby as the stockholders here, the DNR as management and Iowa's hunters as the workers. And the bottom line is the number of deer taken.
 
Chris et al,

Lets also take the decision a step further if your company leader (DNR leadership)is concerned about protecting local workers (residents), maintaining quality, and maintaining the bottom line to keep shareholders (insurance, FB) happy. If there are people(non residents) waiting in line for your product at the present price and production rate (NR tag quota), there is no good substitute product (other state tags), and your production is constrained by space (state borders)- you would raise the price because you have a monopoly. If demand slows, you lower the price until you are selling the supply.

I have yet to see a good argument for not charging what the market with bear for the current allocation of NR tags. Fund the DNR salaries with more enforcement folks and reduce poaching.

The analogy of the business is pretty good but they are picking and choosing which principles to apply.
 
I've heard many guys complain that the deer numbers are too high. Many of the areas that I hunt are in-check - what about those areas? Seems like the DNR needs to take a break the sections down smaller or something to deal with specific issues in specific areas.
 
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: pharmer</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I have yet to see a good argument for not charging what the market with bear for the current allocation of NR tags. </div></div>

Reciprocity (not like that effects me, though).
 
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: JNRBRONC</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: pharmer</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I have yet to see a good argument for not charging what the market with bear for the current allocation of NR tags. </div></div>

Reciprocity (not like that effects me, though). </div></div>

Randy- I respect the comment but at a "business" level I do not see this as a problem. I am speaking as a NR and as a NR landowner now- Iowa needs to charge what the market will tolerate.
 
You can analagize this to death, but in the end it still sucks for the Archers and the late Muzzleloader gang.

I'm totally selfish on this point as I love to see as many deer as possible every time out. I for one remember very vividly the early 70's when you "hoped" to just see any deer the entire season.

Anyone else remember waiting for the licenses to arrive to see if you got a Doe tag!

If I had a crystal ball, people complaining of not seeing enough deer will be in our near future.......and I know there will be exceptions ..........Just my opinion!
 
I remember those times Bruce!

I wonder what will happen if the bad weather hits again this weekend?

I also wonder how many bucks will be shot and turned in as does or better yet not even turned in.

Chris
 
Iowabruce,

You seem to want it both ways. I too remember the 70's and waiting to see what kind of tag you got. I also only hunt late muzzleloader currently and wasn't pleased by the DNR dropping the special season right in the middle of MY season.

But that's being selfish and short-sighted. I applaud the DNR for taking a proactive approach to get the harvest numbers up. Because if the deer don't get harvested now, the insurance lobby will get the legislature to open the floodgates to get the deer numbers down and they'll do it without regard to QDM, zones, counties, or the wishes of Iowa hunters. If you want to see a return to the deer hunting of the 70's [or worse], then let the legislature start managing the deer herd.

I agree with charging what the market will bear for NR tags, but that won't happen as long as the insurance lobby keeps the focus on keeping deer numbers down. They won't want anything that may limit the number of deer taken, even if it would mean more money for the DNR.

The DNR is not the enemy here.
 
No, I really don't want it both ways....I like alot of deer in my hunting area, period. Being a hunter and saying anything else would be a lie.

I understand all the other aspects of this situation, and appreciate the dilema's the DNR faces.

My farmer neighbors all would disagree with me on this, and I understand that too.......I still don't care for these extra seasons......call me selfish and shortsighted if you want, I like whitetails and a bunch of them!
 
My personal opinion on this whole harvest reporting system is i think its a joke, cause i know a lot of people in my area who harvested a pile of deer and never reported one-not saying its right because we register all of ours-but what im getting at is i dont think its accurate as to how many deer were killed-to some its just a hassle so they just dont do it-opening this season up just opened up a can of worms as far as im concerned-lots of bucks have already lost their horns(ive found 2 sheds and heard of at least 10 bucks who lost their horns when hitting the ground) so how many antlerless bucks will get shot as well? And as far as a revenue stand point maybe the dnr should quit buying up all of this land and they wouldnt have this problem its as simple as that
 
I have to agree that not all the people registered their deer. Talked with a gentleman from Scheels last night and he said numerous people told him they did not even register their deer.

Now lets be honest here how many of those people will register them next year if they might have a chance at an extra season like last year? What is the fine of not registering them?

I actually called in each one of my group's bucks. Noone knew they even had to.

As far as the shed bucks getting shot I know for a fact they will. My cousin shot one. Talked with another guy who picked up two sheds last night. All I can say is be very very careful before you pull the trigger.
 
If you knew for a fact that there were poachers working your area would you call the DNR or just complain about finding headless bucks. The people who don't report their deer are just as much a law breaker as the poachers even though they may have bought a license. Some think that just because they had a license it was ok, but many of the poachers have licenses also but all of us want those scum bags busted and their hunting rights taken away from them. If you know that this is happening call the TIP number that should be in your phone. Same for the guy at Scheels!!
 
I've mentioned this in other posts but I don't think Willie Suchy is using the number of deer reported as the absolute number of deer taken. The reporting system is just one of many tools the DNR has to estimate the number harvested. In spite of those not reporting, it still has to give a better overall picture than they had with no type of reporting system.

I agree with bowmaker that those not reporting are breaking the law, but again, with such a limited number of CO's, how are you ever going to enforce the rule on everyone. By not reporting, those hunters are going to end up screwing it up for everyone!
 
I remember those times to.Last weekend I heard very few shots in the area we were hunting and seen very few hunters.There were still people with out power and I don't know if people were staying home to keep fires and generators going or just did not go out?
 
People are not taking the reporting system seriously. I think the harvest numbers are way off. Too many people on here have posted that they know for a fact others who have not reported their deer. Its terrible to say that I know many people who didn't report also. In all instances I belittled those who didn't report by saying"You might as well not even have the tag on the deer if your not going to call in and get a conf.#". When asked why they didn't call in many replied, "It is too much of a hassle." There are some also that did not report because they don't want the DNR to know the # of deer shot. I think it is very ignorant on their part as responsible hunter's concerned with Iowa's deer hunting future. Part of me would love to turn them in for not reporting. I didn't though because it probably goes back to grade school days, and nobody wants to be a snitch. I know that the DNR has their hands full and are understaffed, and this is hard to enforce, but after reading what others posted here, and what I have seen personally, I think non reporting is a bigger issue than what many think.
 
Well said BigBones- theres more to it than just turning people in when ur living in small communities-people will eventually figure out who did it and prolly make u pay for it in some way- also some of the old school people dont know anything about this recording process- they just go out shoot a deer process it and eat n noone knows the difference-i guess i think theres a difference between poaching a deer for antlers and shooting for meat-i guess as far as im concerned people could shoot deer all year long IF they are doing it for the meat-
 
They are just shooting them and tossing the whole deer in the ditch. Last yr there were 9 in one pile. Thisn't hunting its killing.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Bottom