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Legislative update - current status- all bills

Sligh1

Administrator
Staff member
Sent by IBA. Folks - they need to hear from hunters. & they are not. This NR outfitting tag deal- this is moving through & needs to be stopped. Only way is if they hear from u. Advancement for Crossbows, reducing forest reserve program- all this garbage is gonna go through if folks don’t take a few minutes to write in. Simple. Please do it. Please share this by email, text, Facebook, whatever- other folks need to spend a few minutes to understand and write in. Here’s all updates sent by IBA...


IBA Legislative Update
Week 9


We have been getting calls and emails from our members asking what the IBA is doing to counter some of this legislation. We have one lobbyist, who works extremely hard for us and five people on the legislative committee who work extremely hard for you. Unfortunately, our effectiveness is limited. It is limited because we are told by legislators over and over that they do not hear from their constituents on the bills in question.
If you want these bills stopped, and we are gauging by the number of calls and emails we are receiving that you do, you must help us help you. It is imperative that you contact your legislators. By contacting your legislators you are reinforcing the message we have been trying to convey: these are bad bills, and they need to go away.
For those of you making those contacts we appreciate it. We have one more ask of you though. Talk to your hunting buddies, talk to your friends that do not hunt, talk to whomever you can and encourage them to contact their legislators. If each of you could get five more people to make legislative contacts, just an email will do, we could have a voice that would compel the legislators to listen and act accordingly.
If we, the IBA, could convert angst into energy there is not a legislator who could ignore their constituents over their corporate sponsors.
Again, your committee and our lobbyist are doing all that we can to bring your message to the Capitol, but we need help now more than ever. Please use the forms below and take a few minutes to contact your legislators.

Senator/Representative _________
I am one of your constituents and I am strongly oppose (or support) SF/HF ___. The reason I cannot support this legislation is I cannot support any legislation that curtails or limits Iowa residents to any natural resources opportunities.

Or this
I cannot support any legislation that will limit legal access to Iowa residents to any natural resources, whether it happens to be hunting, fishing, or trapping. I am primarily a bowhunter but cross over and enjoy all forms of the great outdoors.

Bills of interest (eligible for further consideration):

HF 60 - Nonresident Licenses for Outfitters (A) - The bill requires the natural resources commission to reserve 500 of the nonresident antlered or any sex deer hunting licenses for nonresidents who have made a reservation with a hunting guide company which company is currently registered as a business entity with the secretary of state and has maintained registration since prior to July 1, 2020. If fewer than 500 nonresidents apply for a reserved license by the application deadline set by the commission, the excess reserved licenses shall be available for purchase in the same manner as other excess nonresident antlered or any sex deer hunting licenses.
A nonresident shall include with the license application evidence that the reservation is scheduled for a time during which the license is valid. Not more than 35 percent of the issued reserved licenses and not more than 35 percent of the remaining licenses shall be bow season licenses.
Approved by committee

SF 464 (formerly SF 427) –
Deer Population - Under current law, deer hunting licenses are allocated by zones and counties. The bill establishes a January antlerless deer hunting season in a county whenever that county has unsold antlerless deer hunting licenses available in its county quota set by the natural resource commission. The commission will establish the season dates. The bill sets the time when a person may purchase a license for the January season and states that the license is valid only in the county identified on the license.
The bill makes a rifle with a barrel length of at least 16 inches and firing centerfire ammunition propelling an expanding-type bullet with a maximum diameter of no less than 0.233 inches and no larger than 0.500 inches and with a published or calculated muzzle energy of 500 foot pounds or higher the approved method of take for the January antlerless deer hunting season.
The bill requires DNR to conduct a study to determine the estimated deer population in each county in this state.
The bill also reduces the fine for taking an antlerless deer out of season from the current fine of $1500 down to $50.
Approved by Senate Natural Resources.

This bill goes Ways and Means subcommittee:
These three Senators must be contacted

Sen. Sweeney
annette.sweeney@legis.iowa.gov
Sen. Dotzler
bill.dotzler@legis.iowa.gov
Sen. Green
jesse.green@legis.iowa.gov


SF 352 (formerly SF 112)
Forest Tax Exemption Cut - The bill provides that for assessment years beginning on or after January 1, 2022, the exemption for forest reservations and fruit-tree reservations is 75 percent of the actual value of the property comprising the forest or fruit-tree reservation.
Current law requires each forest reservation to be not less than two acres of continuous area. For assessment years beginning on or after January 1, 2022, each forest reservation must be not less than 10 acres in continuous area and the period of the exemption is for a period of five years.
Approved by committee. Ways and Means Subcommittee: Sinclair, Bolkcom and Dawson
 
SJR 16

-Hunting, Fishing and Trapping - This joint resolution proposes an amendment to the Constitution of the State of Iowa providing that hunting, trapping, fishing, and the taking of game and fish, including by use of traditional methods, are a valuable part of our heritage that shall be forever preserved for the people and shall be managed by law and regulation for the public good.

On Senate debate calendar



SF 457 (formerly SF 311)

Dogs For Deer Tracking Clean-Up The bill strikes a provision in current law that requires the dog used for tracking a wounded deer and a person using a dog for tracking a wounded deer to both be trained in deer blood tracking. The bill states that an unarmed dog handler assisting in the recovery of a wounded deer is exempt from licensing requirements as long as the handler is associated with the licensed hunter who wounded the deer. The bill specifies that the licensed hunter who wounded the deermay dispatch the deer using a legal method of take authorized by the person's deer hunting license and consistent with all rules and regulations for that season.

On Senate debate calendar



HF 550 (formerly HF 406)

Antlerless Methods of Take - The bill requires the natural resource commission to authorize a nonresident hunting deer with a license valid for the nonresident antlerless deer holiday season to hunt with a bow, muzzleloader, handgun, shotgun, or rifle firing straight wall ammunition, in addition to any other methods of take that the commission authorizes for the season.

On House debate calendar



SF 465 (formerly SF 375)

Expanded Littering Penalties - Current law prohibits littering on highway rights-of-way, highways, waters and lands of the state, and areas under control of the natural resource commission. Punishment for a littering violation is specific to where the littering occurred. In addition to any punishment imposed by law, the bill provides that the natural resources commission may immediately suspend any hunting, fishing, or trapping license, tag, permit, or stamp issued to a person convicted of a littering offense for a period of up to one year from the date of the conviction. The bill also authorizes the commission to prohibit the person convicted of a littering offense from camping or using rental facilities or other special privileges at state parks and recreation areas under the jurisdiction of the department of natural resources for a period of up to one year from the date of conviction. A person who is prohibited from camping or using rental facilities or other special privileges pursuant to the bill who violates the prohibition is guilty of a simple misdemeanor under Code section 461A.57.

Approved by the Natural Resources Committee. Referred to Ways and Means



SF 458 (formerly SF 369)

Preserve Bird Hunting - The bill allows a game bird hunting preserve operator to apply for a variance to extend the season beyond March 31 if the monthly precipitation is above average for the county in which the preserve is located for at least two months out of the months of January, February, and March of that season. The bill requires the state climatologist to provide official national weather service and community collaborative rain, hail and snow network data to the department of natural resources to determine whether a variance to the established season shall be granted. The bill prohibits the department from granting a variance that extends the season beyond April 15 of the year for which the variance is requested. A person hunting on a game bird hunting preserve on a date after March 31pursuant to an extension granted pursuant to the bill shall only hunt for and take chukars, quail, or rooster pheasants.

On Senate debate calendar



HF 747 (formerly HSB 216)

Bird Hunting Preserve Seasons - This bill relates to the established season for hunting game birds on a preserve. The bill allows a game bird hunting preserve operator to apply for a variance to extend the season beyond March 31 if the monthly precipitation is above average for the county in which the preserve is located for at least two months out of the months of January, February, and March of that season. The bill requires the state climatologist to provide official national weather service and community collaborative rain, hail and snow network data to the department of natural resources to determine whether a variance to the established season shall be granted.

On House debate calendar



HF 647

Restore The Outdoors Fund - The bill appropriates $3 million from the rebuild Iowa infrastructure fund to the DNR each fiscal year for a three year period beginning July 1, 2021, and ending June 30, 2024, to support the program. As used in the bill, infrastructure refers to vertical infrastructure which includes items such as land, structures, utilities, and recreational trails, but excludes operational expenses.

Approved by Natural Resources. Referred to Appropriations



HF 557 (formerly HSB 157)

Fur-Bearer Restrictions - The bill provides that trespass does not include the unarmed pursuit on foot of game or fur-bearing animals by a person who lawfully injured or killed the game or fur-bearing animal that comes to rest on or escapes to the property of another. The bill provides that trespass includes the free casting of a dog or dogs from the road right-of-way or from an adjacent property onto adjoining property without the permission of the adjoining property landowner or tenant in the pursuit of coyote. "Free casting" means the intentional release of an unleashed dog to trail or track game.

A person who commits trespass commits a simple misdemeanor, aggravated misdemeanor, serious misdemeanor, or class "D" felony depending on the circumstances of the offense. In addition, a person who violates the provisions of the bill is subject to existing civil damages in Code chapter 481A relating to unlawfully taking an animal. A coyote taken by a person while the person is violating the provisions of the bill is subject to seizure by the director of the department of natural resources or a peace officer.

On House debate calendar



HF 552 (formerly HF 23)

Dogs For Deer Tracking Clean-Up - The bill strikes a provision in current law that requires the dog used for tracking a wounded deer and a person using a dog for tracking a wounded deer to both be trained in deer blood tracking. The bill states that an unarmed dog handler assisting in the recovery of a wounded deer is exempt from licensing requirements as long as the handler is associated with the licensed hunter who wounded the deer. The bill specifies that the licensed hunter who wounded the deermay dispatch the deer using a legal method of take authorized by the person's deer hunting license and consistent with all rules and regulations for that season.

Approved by the House 93-0.



HF 551 (formerly HF 147)

Non Ambulatory Hunters - Current law allows a nonambulatory resident to receive one any sex deer hunting license to hunt deer during any established deer hunting season using the method of take authorized by rule for the season being hunted. Under the bill, a nonambulatory resident receiving an any sex deer hunting license under this provision may use a shotgun, muzzleloading rifle, or straight wall cartridge rifle during any established deer hunting season except during a bow-only season as established by rule by the natural resource commission.

On House debate calendar



HF 234 (formerly HSB 49)

Lifetime Trout License - This bill creates a lifetime trout fishing license available for purchase to a person who is at least 65 years old. The bill directs the department of natural resources to prepare an application for a lifetime trout fishing license.

Approved by the House 91-0. Subcommittee: J Tayor, Green and Lykam
 
HF 94

No Hunting From the Bed of a Pick-Up Truck - This bill prohibits the discharge of a firearm from within or on a motor vehicle on a public highway. A violation of the bill is punishable by a scheduled fine of $30. In addition, a person who violates the bill is subject to existing civil damages in Code chapter 481A relating to unlawfully taking an animal. An animal taken by a person while the person is violating the bill is subject to seizure by the director of the department of natural resources or a peace officer.

Approved by committee



Bills of interest (NOT eligible for further consideration):



SF 396

State Conservation Officers - This bill requires the department of natural resources (DNR) to increase the number of full-time equivalent positions (FTEs) classified as state park rangers assigned to state parks, recreation areas, and facilities within the area known as the Gull Point complex. The DNR must conduct an evaluation of the optimal number of such FTEs assigned to the Gull Point complex and submit a report of its findings and recommendations to the 2 governor and general assembly by March 1, 2022.

Subcommittee: Green, J Taylor and Garriott



HSB 158 - More Crossbow (A) - Under current law, a crossbow is a legal method of take when hunting deer during the late muzzleloader season, during bow season if the hunter is over the age of 70, or by certain individuals who are incapable of using a bow and arrow under the conditions in which a bow and arrow is permitted, with the applicable license depending on the situation. This bill allows a person hunting with a bow license during the late split archery season to use a crossbow.

Approved by subcommittee



SF 40

Disabled Veterans Hunting and Fishing - Under the bill, a resident who is a disabled veteran may hunt without acquiring a hunting license or fish without acquiring a fishing license if the veteran's disability is rated at 100 percent. A resident hunting in such manner shall, upon request of an officer of the department of natural resources, display proof of the veteran's age, residency, veteran status, and disability status.

Approved by subcommittee



SF 39

Lifetime Veterans Licenses Changes - Under the bill, a resident disabled veteran may apply for and receive a lifetime fishing license or a lifetime hunting and fishing combined license without fee. A person applying for a license under the bill shall provide proof of service in the armed forces of the United States on federal active duty, proof of disability resulting from that service, a disability rating of at least 0 percent determined by the department of veterans affairs, and proof of Iowa residency at the time of application. The bill requires the department of veterans affairs to assist the department of natural resources in verifying the status or claims of applicants under the bill.

Subcommittee: Dawson, Lofgren and Mathis



SSS 1067

Duck and Teal Hunting - Currently, the natural resource commission determines seasons for teal and duck hunting by administrative rule. The bill requires the commission to establish one or more seasons for teal and duck hunting. The bill prohibits the commission from establishing any seasons for hunting teal exclusively or any seasons for hunting ducks but not teal.

Subcommittee: Green, Lykam and Rozenboom



HF 290

Trespass Regulations - The bill provides that trespass does not include the unarmed pursuit on foot of game or fur-bearing animals by a person who lawfully injured or killed the game or fur-bearing animal which comes to rest on or escapes to the property of another. The bill provides that trespass includes the free casting of a dog or dogs from the road right-of-way or from an adjacent property onto adjoining property without the permission of the adjoining property landowner or tenant in the pursuit of coyote. "Free casting" means the intentional release of an unleashed dog to trail or track game. A person who commits trespass commits a simple misdemeanor, aggravated misdemeanor, serious misdemeanor, or class "D" felony depending on the circumstances of the offense.

Referred to Natural Resources



HF 95

Weapons Discharge - Current law generally prohibits discharging a firearm from a snowmobile or all-terrain vehicle. The bill prohibits a person from discharging a weapon from a snowmobile, all-terrain vehicle, or any other motor vehicle except that a non ambulatory person may discharge a firearm from a snowmobile or all-terrain vehicle while lawfully hunting if the person is not operating or riding a moving snowmobile or all-terrain vehicle. The bill does not prohibit a person who uses a stationary motor-driven land conveyance intended to accommodate that person's disability from hunting from the conveyance.
 
My quick 2 cents & take aways.....
the crossbow stuff & the NR outfitting stuff - this all starts out incrementally & is meant to grow step by step. It’s all about $ - period. Crossbow folks & groups of outfitting Types hire the lobbyists & they plan this stuff to go in increments. All by design.
All this garbage will: hurt the average hunter- access depleted, quality degraded. This is all around bad news except to the few that will profit from it.
NOW: 4 months of deer hunting, 6 seasons, 7 weapon choices & 6% of the state is timber/forest! Opportunity is not the issue!!!! Access & quality hunting for the everyday hunter is the issue. Keep iowa great!!!
 
Here is emails for all 100 members of the house. Email them ALL!!!!!!!! COPY AND PASTE.


ako.abdul-samad@legis.iowa.gov

marti.anderson@legis.iowa.gov

eddie.andrews@legis.iowa.gov

rob.bacon@legis.iowa.gov

terry.baxter@legis.iowa.gov

liz.bennett@legis.iowa.gov

michael.bergan@legis.iowa.gov

brian.best@legis.iowa.gov

jane.bloomingdale@legis.iowa.gov

brooke.boden@legis.iowa.gov

christina.bohannan@legis.iowa.gov

jacob.bossman@legis.iowa.gov

steven.bradley@legis.iowa.gov

wes.breckenridge@legis.iowa.gov

holly.brink@legis.iowa.gov

timi.brown-powers@legis.iowa.gov

dennis.bush@legis.iowa.gov

sue.cahill@legis.iowa.gov

mark.cisneros@legis.iowa.gov

dennis.cohoon@legis.iowa.gov

dave.deyoe@legis.iowa.gov

cecil.dolecheck@legis.iowa.gov

molly.donahue@legis.iowa.gov

tracy.ehlert@legis.iowa.gov

dean.fisher@legis.iowa.gov

john.forbes@legis.iowa.gov

joel.fry@legis.iowa.gov

ruthann.gaines@legis.iowa.gov

thomas.gerhold@legis.iowa.gov

eric.gjerde@legis.iowa.gov

garrett.gobble@legis.iowa.gov

martin.graber@legis.iowa.gov

pat.grassley@legis.iowa.gov

stan.gustafson@legis.iowa.gov

chris.hall@legis.iowa.gov

steve.hansen@legis.iowa.gov

lee.hein@legis.iowa.gov

dustin.hite@legis.iowa.gov

steven.holt@legis.iowa.gov

bruce.hunter@legis.iowa.gov

chad.ingels@legis.iowa.gov

charles.isenhart@legis.iowa.gov

jon.jacobsen@legis.iowa.gov

david.jacoby@legis.iowa.gov

lindsay.james@legis.iowa.gov

tom.jeneary@legis.iowa.gov

megan.jones@legis.iowa.gov

kenan.judge@legis.iowa.gov

bobby.kaufmann@legis.iowa.gov

david.kerr@legis.iowa.gov

jarad.klein@legis.iowa.gov

jennifer.konfrst@legis.iowa.gov

bob.kressig@legis.iowa.gov

monica.kurth@legis.iowa.gov

john.landon@legis.iowa.gov

shannon.latham@legis.iowa.gov

brian.lohse@legis.iowa.gov

shannon.lundgren@legis.iowa.gov

mary.mascher@legis.iowa.gov

dave.maxwell@legis.iowa.gov

charlie.mcclintock@legis.iowa.gov

charlie.mcconkey@legis.iowa.gov

ann.meyer@legis.iowa.gov

brian.meyer@legis.iowa.gov

joe.mitchell@legis.iowa.gov

gary.mohr@legis.iowa.gov

norlin.mommsen@legis.iowa.gov

tom.moore@legis.iowa.gov

amy.nielsen@legis.iowa.gov

carter.nordman@legis.iowa.gov

jo.oldson@legis.iowa.gov

rick.olson@legis.iowa.gov

anne.osmundson@legis.iowa.gov

ross.paustian@legis.iowa.gov

todd.prichard@legis.iowa.gov

kirsten.running-marquardt@legis.iowa.gov

sandy.salmon@legis.iowa.gov

mike.sexton@legis.iowa.gov

jeff.shipley@legis.iowa.gov

david.sieck@legis.iowa.gov

brent.siegrist@legis.iowa.gov

ras.smith@legis.iowa.gov

ray.sorensen@legis.iowa.gov

art.staed@legis.iowa.gov

sharon.steckman@legis.iowa.gov

henry.stone@legis.iowa.gov

kristin.sunde@legis.iowa.gov

phyllis.thede@legis.iowa.gov

phil.thompson@legis.iowa.gov

jon.thorup@legis.iowa.gov

beth.wessel-kroeschell@legis.iowa.gov

cherielynn.westrich@legis.iowa.gov

skyler.wheeler@legis.iowa.gov

ross.wilburn@legis.iowa.gov

dave.williams@legis.iowa.gov

john.wills@legis.iowa.gov

cindy.winckler@legis.iowa.gov

matt.windschitl@legis.iowa.gov

mary.wolfe@legis.iowa.gov

gary.worthan@legis.iowa.gov
 
Emails sent today. Rozenboom is the writer of 464 and my rep as well. In a not so polite and not so subtle way I said I will be voting across party lines for the first time ever next year because of this stupidity.
 
This is a bad bill for all Iowa deerhunters! As a NRLO and all NR hunters, it is really bad since it will take 500 licenses out of the pool that is available! This will add another year of waiting for a bow licenses and cost you another $50 preference point, Not to mention bring in hunters that just want to shoot a big Iowa buck and not put much work onto it.
 
If you care to copy and paste my email please feel free to.

Good afternoon all. I’m writing to all of you today in an effort to voice my concern for the following legislative items. I’m a hunter and conservationist and own 240 acres in Guthrie County. My family and I manage our acres for wildlife and our small cow/calf operation.



Neither of these pieces of legislation help the Iowa resident and landowner. Our great state of Iowa is known for its superb hunting heritage and our current non resident policy is not broken. Compared to other Western states, our NR programs are comparable if not better to allow NR’s the ability to hunt more often than Western states and as affordable. Please vote NO and do not reserve the 500 licenses as proposed in HR 60.



As for SF 464, if we want to decimate Iowa’s deer population this will be the legislative piece that will do it. January antlerless seasons have proven ineffective, dangerous and not in the interest of herd management. On top of that, to lower the fine to a mere $50 down from $1500 will give the green light to trespassers and poachers. Our DNR officers are stretched thin enough – Imagine the additional calls and issues they’ll have to deal with. Lastly, our topography and land structure is not conducive to centerfire rifles. Our rural areas are too populated with homeowners and livestock. Please vote note NO to the January antlerless season, decrease in fines and to the use of centerfire rifles.



HF 60 - Nonresident Licenses for Outfitters (A) - The bill requires the natural resources commission to reserve 500 of the nonresident antlered or any sex deer hunting licenses for nonresidents who have made a reservation with a hunting guide company which company is currently registered as a business entity with the secretary of state and has maintained registration since prior to July 1, 2020. If fewer than 500 nonresidents apply for a reserved license by the application deadline set by the commission, the excess reserved licenses shall be available for purchase in the same manner as other excess nonresident antlered or any sex deer hunting licenses.
A nonresident shall include with the license application evidence that the reservation is scheduled for a time during which the license is valid. Not more than 35 percent of the issued reserved licenses and not more than 35 percent of the remaining licenses shall be bow season licenses.


SF 464 (formerly SF 427) –
Deer Population - Under current law, deer hunting licenses are allocated by zones and counties. The bill establishes a January antlerless deer hunting season in a county whenever that county has unsold antlerless deer hunting licenses available in its county quota set by the natural resource commission. The commission will establish the season dates. The bill sets the time when a person may purchase a license for the January season and states that the license is valid only in the county identified on the license.
The bill makes a rifle with a barrel length of at least 16 inches and firing centerfire ammunition propelling an expanding-type bullet with a maximum diameter of no less than 0.233 inches and no larger than 0.500 inches and with a published or calculated muzzle energy of 500 foot pounds or higher the approved method of take for the January antlerless deer hunting season.
The bill requires DNR to conduct a study to determine the estimated deer population in each county in this state.
The bill also reduces the fine for taking an antlerless deer out of season from the current fine of $1500 down to $50.


Respectfully,
 
So some responses we received they mentioned that outfitters are registered with the department of natural resources? I thought I read in an earlier post that outfitters aren’t required to register or recognized by the state? Anyone wanna clear that up? Also for the non-resident landowners who wait in line like everyone else to draw a tag every four years and put lots more money into Iowa’s economy then guides or outfitters They will now suffer by having 500 less nonresident tags available in the lottery as well which I don’t think is very fair.
 
There currently isn't any mechanism for the DNR to register guides. From the business side I don't know of any category in Iowa business code administered by the Iowa Secretary of State that is called "Guides and Outfitters". As I understand it, and it is my understanding only, you could register a business as Al Bundy Inc. and be a guide/outfitter.

Which begs the question, who is going to administer this proposed change? I want the Conservation Officers in the field, not the office doing paper work for regulating guides and outfitters.

The section this bill is listed as affecting is 483A.8, subsection3 ,paragraph c linked here: LINKTO THE AFFECTED CODE As you can see this section of code is about non residents only.
 
  • Deleted by Sligh1
  • Reason: Holding on one update.
Show…
Here is what I sent - hopefully they’re hearing from a lot of us...


Good morning. I am writing to ask that you vote against both of the referenced bills. I grew up in Iowa, moved away for 11 years for work and have now been back in Iowa for about five. Having lived in Missouri and Wisconsin, I can say without reservation that deer hunting in Iowa is world-renowned for a reason. We need to leave our season structure, tag allocations, weapon options and non-resident tag processes unchanged. Looking at our neighbor to the east, we have seen how their changes have downgraded the quality of the deer herd in Illinois (once considered on par with Iowa) and we’re trending their direction if changes such as this are implemented.

There is a reason that celebrity hunters want a coveted Governor’s tag for our state (that doesn’t really need additional promotion) - we are the best in the world. If there is a change to consider, auction all of the Governor tags and create revenue for the DNR/State or non-profit organizations. The celebrities could easily afford the tag and most likely, their sponsors would pay for it.

To address the bills at hand, outfitters who run a successful business do not need tags allocated to them. They book and work with hunters who are going to draw a tag for the upcoming season. This bill will result in requests for additional non-resident tags, requests for non-resident landowners to receive tags and other changes that will hurt Iowa residents’ ability to access land and have a quality hunt. Additionally, this bill will result in more outfitters being formed and more land being leased for the outfitters’ business - again impacting the average Iowan’s access to land. Even if the proposal limits outfitters to those currently formed, we know that they will lobby to change that in short order. Out of state hunters do not overrun public land so this bill doesn’t help with that phantom problem either. Further, our non-resident tag preference point system is more favorable than most other highly desired states for big game. Again, it’s currently working well.

Hunting is already inching towards turning into a ‘rich person’s’ sport and that shouldn’t be the case - this bill will exacerbate that and further hurt land access for residents.

As it relates to the deer population management issue, please leave that to the DNR biologists and do not make changes to antlerless deer tags or the methods of take that are available. Although rifles are already (unfortunately) in play, we do not need changes to allow more calibers or rifles for doe management. This will further degrade the age structure of the deer herd that residents and non-residents alike come to Iowa to hunt and hurt overall population numbers. Long-term, there is a revenue impact here that will decrease non-resident interest and all of the tag and preference point fees. There is also a safety component too - Iowa’s topography is much more flat than other states who allow rifles. Regarding the fine decrease, that doesn’t make sense unless the intent is to encourage poaching - if anything, increase the fine to deter the behavior and cover the State’s cost in recovering the fine — and create more revenue for the State of Iowa.

Both of these bills are counterproductive to maintaining Iowa as a destination state for the long-term and more importantly, are bad for Iowa residents’ land access and quality hunting opportunities.

Please vote against these changes for your fellow Iowans.

Thanks,

Nick
 
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