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Alternative Funds for for Iowa DNR

miff007

miff007

New Member
I think often about DNR plans to increase revenue by increasing non -resident deer permits. I have a few ideas that have crossed my mind for alternative ways to increase revenue rather that flood the state with non-resident hunters, in a few years we could look like Northern Missouri 1,000's of hunters and low population of mature (free roaming) trophy bucks.

1- is to open the state to dove hunting and plant bait fields of sunflowers. Charge a fee of $10-$20 per gun to hunt opening weekend and on a decreasing scale as season slows down.

2- I travel for a living and it always puzzles me why the grass along the right of ways of interstates and highways is not bailed for hay and sold... DNR could use this resource and sell the hay for revenue. Obviously they could not plant crops because it would attract wildlife and increase auto-animal accidents, but the grass is already there just harvest it.

Any other creative ideas? Who knows maybe someday we could put together a proposal to the state.
 
1)
I think the state needs to get it so the dnr gets funds like MO. I believe they get like 1/2 of 1 cent that goes towards the state taxes. Now obviously they haven't done that great with that money to improve the deer herd but from friends who hunt waterfowl down there they claim they do a great job for improving waterfowl habitat with all the money they get from this.
2)
I would say you could increase the habitat stamps or raise the tag prices. I would pay $35 for an anysex tag not my first doe tag though.
3)
This will make NR's mad but economics tells me the supply and demand of the NR tags is quite different with the demand curve much higher than the supply. They could easily get $500 a tag with demand so high.
Now I would actually feel kind of bad if the NR had to pay that price for a deer tag but we are just throwing ideas out.
4)
Get rid of Vilsack, Mr. Little in the DNR and things might start improving as well.
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5)
Appoint "WJS" Willie Suchy as head of the DNR or at least in Mr Little's position since WJS is obviously the most knowledgeable.

That's all I ask!
 
5)
Appoint "WJS" Willie Suchy as head of the DNR or at least in Mr Little's position since WJS is obviously the most knowledgeable.

That's all I ask!

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I actually hunt right next to Willie Suchy and I have known him for some time as I grew up in the same town he is from. He is very knowledable about the deer herd. He is also the type of guy that would be out for the hunters and not the special interest groups that many of the politician's are.

I gotta tell a story about Willie, hope you don't mind. I was hunting this ground that runs up against his and it was dark and I just got to my truck. And all of a sudden I here this voice which is only about 5 feet away. Talk about scaring the crap out of you. Especially when you turn around and there is a man that is 6'4 and 250. Now he tries to scare me every night but I'm on to his ways.

I really like the dove hunting idea. Low costs and could be good revenue for the state.

I also agree with increasing the NR tags for anysex to $500 and you could still have a doe tag for around $150. People will pay the money, if they want a chance at a big ole buck.

How about this. The government could increase the amount of taxes on land which is owned by someone outside of the state of Iowa. Sure it may piss them off and I don't know how exactly that would work. But you could make some decent money with that.
 
The dove season is a wonderful fund raising idea. We just need a governor who will sign the bill!

I feel the supply / demand issue for NR tags would support a much higher fee. I bet if it were $750 or $1000 there would still be a strong demand. My out of state friends won’t agree but we need to charge as much as the market will bear.
 
There are so many alternative options to fund the DNR that it’s mind boggling. Trouble is we need legislators and a Governor that will support these bills.

• Increase price of Resident any-sex tags – which haven’t increased in years
• Increase price of NR any-sex tags – make them closer to actual market value
• Dove season idea is great – need new Governor
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• Increase/tax every park fee – anyone that already pays to enjoy the outdoors should also pay to support the wildlife
• Fee Iowa Auto Insurance policies OR add a small fee to every vehicle registered in Iowa – since deer populations affect Iowa drivers
• Equal registration fees: Charge truck owners the same as car owners (please don’t hate me for this comment, but this special subsidy has encouraged people who don’t actually need trucks to buy them, of course the price of gas my have since changed their mind; my understanding is that it was set at $65/yr way back when, to give farmers a break – last I knew most of the people that may have actually needed this annual savings went out of business in the 80s; and YES I have taken advantage of this handout)
• Either limit wasteful spending on projects such as countryside bike trails, OR increase and make bicycle registration fees mandatory
• Stop giving land owners, that don’t allow anyone to hunt their property, fat checks for projects like quail habitat, marshland, CRP etc… IMHO if you receive a check from the DNR to support conservation efforts on your private piece of ground, you should be required to allow other hunters access. I know this might chap some hides, but this is truly how I feel since my tax dollars are paying to improve – or in some cases actually pay for – someone else’s hunting honey holes, or recreational land. This should also include any and all State Parks.

Just my two cents…
 
I would be in favor of increasing resident tag prices from $25 to $35 for any-sex tags, if not higher. Add'l fees go directly to the IA DNR for public land purchase funds not general fund usage.
 
[ QUOTE ]
Equal registration fees: Charge truck owners the same as car owners (please don’t hate me for this comment, but this special subsidy has encouraged people who don’t actually need trucks to buy them, of course the price of gas my have since changed their mind; my understanding is that it was set at $65/yr way back when, to give farmers a break – last I knew most of the people that may have actually needed this annual savings went out of business in the 80s; and YES I have taken advantage of this handout)

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I assume you are planning on driving your new car deer hunting this fall......or were you planning on helping me pay for the fee hike you are suggesting when using my new truck to hunt?
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I read an article in the Screw-Up-The-Story Des Moines Register, that said the truck registration subsidy was costing the state $70 million a year!
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Figured maybe some of this money could be used to buy more public land, catch more poachers, hire more DNR officers, whatever... but yes, it would cost every truck owner an additional $1-200/year in equal registration fees... soon to once again include me
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