There was nothing done on the deer management bills last week.The house made a couple changes.
HF 282 has a couple deer issues
HF 282, SF 367 (formerly SSB 1233), DNR OMNIBUS. Strikes the DNR requirement to submit a report every 5 years on the classification of parks, recreation areas and preserves. Allows the DNR Director to execute property leases for 5 years or less with Commission approval. Requires leases in excess of 5 years be advertised. Requires use of cut-off switches for personal watercraft. Requires assistance and identification exchange when a vessel is involved in a boating accident. Requires a report for boat damage of over $2000 or injury. Requires life jackets for those less than 13 years except certain circumstances. Prohibits hunting and fishing privileges until all fines have been paid. Amends date for a required hunter safety certification to those born after 1/1/1972. HF eligible for H debate. HF also removes the requirement to have an administrative rule adopted regarding amending the list of aquatic invasive species, to be then reviewed again by the legislature. The second changes net point scores to gross point scores to determine reimbursement to the State for illegally taken deer antlers. An amendment has been filed to the HF to allow the sale of wild turkey bones (for turkey calls). SF eligible for S debate. SF has the two House amendments, plus the wild turkey bone amendment.
HF 590, SENIOR CROSSBOW HUNTING. Creates a special antlerless deer season for Iowans who are 70 or older using crossbows. Eligible for H debate.
HF 759 (formerly HF 490), PROFESSIONAL HUNTING RANCHES. Defines professional hunting ranches and regulates those hunting ranches which keep whitetail deer. Requires that the ranches be a minimum of 150 acres with some exceptions. Sets a $350 fee and Dept. of Ag. regulation. If at the end of a fiscal year there is at least $50,000 in the regulation fund, no further fees will be collected. Eligible for H debate.
SF 206, HF 750 (formerly HF 304), DEER MANAGEMENT. Transfers regulation of whitetail deer hunting preserves back to the DNR (was given to Dept. of Ag.)(there is opposition to this in the House). Defines farm as 10 or more acres, not necessarily contiguous, which are operated as a single farm. Increases the nonresident anysex deer license fee by $100 by requiring nonresidents to also purchase a $100 antlerless license. Allows the DNR to set the number of nonresident antlerless licenses. Increases a nonresident hunting license from $80 to $100. Requires all deer license buyers to pay a $1 fee for each license for the HUSH (Help Us Stop Hunger) Program. Allows the owner of a farm unit to receive one anysex and one antlerless deer license plus the tenant can received the same. Will require a landowner certification procedure to insure those that request a landowner license qualify. The DNR must establish a deer harvesting report system to collect information from hunters on numbers killed, location, sex, etc. Establishes a $10 charge on a subsequent deer-hunting license for failure to report on the harvest system. Authorizes the establishment of special antlerless deer season in counties where population management is needed. Adds language that gives the DNR direction to administer and enforce deer depredation administrative rules. Eligible for S debate. HWMC.. Here are the differences with the Senate version: 1) leaves regulation of whitetail deer hunting preserves with the Dept. of Ag. 2) maintains the nonresident hunting license at $80; 3) limits the number of nonresident antlerless permits to 2,500; 4) eliminates the definition of a farm as 10 or more acres; 5) eliminates the requirement that landowners must certify they own farmland to obtain the free permit; 6) eliminates the $10 surcharge for failing to report one’s deer harvest; 7) provides detail of what information is to be included in the deer harvest information and the various methods to collect the info (phone, internet, license system, mail); 8) strikes the intent language on the DNR’s administration of the deer depredation management program; and 9) will use the language in HF 467 on special late season deer hunts.
This update was created 3/18/05