Hardcorehunter
UL Shelter/Stove Geek
50 years ago my Grandpa said that if you saw a deer it was rare and if you did you called your neighbor to report the rare sighting. Other wildlife was abundant though, prairie chickens, ducks, pheasants, rabbits, and fox populations were MUCH more abundant than now.
Vehicle insurance companies, irritated homeowners that complain about bush and flower damage, some farmers and other property owners complain of the financial losses to deer. Not to mention our deer lands are being swallowed up by developers. 5 years ago, a hunter in IA was allowed to take one deer with a bow and one with a gun. Now we are allowed to take as many as we want until each county is sold out. Most guys are taking 3-6 deer per year that I know. Pressure from the above groups is causing the IA DNR to take these actions.
Deer hunting is big business for the states and brings in a lot of revenue. Our pheasant population in IA has steadily gone downhill over the years due to lack of cover, modern farming practices, and overhunting. It used to be nothing for me to drive down a gravel road and see 10 roosters in a mile. You would have to drive all day now to see 10 rooster pheasants. The state wouldn't think of closing the pheasant season for a year or limiting the harvest or days afield. Pheasant hunting brings tons of $$ to this state and the state economy depends on it. $$ talks. Could our deer hunting go downhill from the peak it is right now? Some states have chronic wasting disease to contend with too. It is probably only a matter of time until it affects all states with deer. Will our kids or grandkids call up their neighbor to report the rare sighting of a deer?
My Grandpa with a weekend harvest of foxes taken years ago by tracking them in the snow
Vehicle insurance companies, irritated homeowners that complain about bush and flower damage, some farmers and other property owners complain of the financial losses to deer. Not to mention our deer lands are being swallowed up by developers. 5 years ago, a hunter in IA was allowed to take one deer with a bow and one with a gun. Now we are allowed to take as many as we want until each county is sold out. Most guys are taking 3-6 deer per year that I know. Pressure from the above groups is causing the IA DNR to take these actions.
Deer hunting is big business for the states and brings in a lot of revenue. Our pheasant population in IA has steadily gone downhill over the years due to lack of cover, modern farming practices, and overhunting. It used to be nothing for me to drive down a gravel road and see 10 roosters in a mile. You would have to drive all day now to see 10 rooster pheasants. The state wouldn't think of closing the pheasant season for a year or limiting the harvest or days afield. Pheasant hunting brings tons of $$ to this state and the state economy depends on it. $$ talks. Could our deer hunting go downhill from the peak it is right now? Some states have chronic wasting disease to contend with too. It is probably only a matter of time until it affects all states with deer. Will our kids or grandkids call up their neighbor to report the rare sighting of a deer?

My Grandpa with a weekend harvest of foxes taken years ago by tracking them in the snow