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Des Moines Register Governor Tags Article

Jdubs said:
Sligh, my point is the damage is done. Removing Governors tags now will do no good. Iowa has the established rep and that will not change. NR tags will always be difficult to acquire.
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I see. I think much of the damage can be reversed and/or slowed. Who knows how many more NR applicants we could get if we have 10 more years of millions of viewers getting the Iowa promotion from this?? We've been on a hefty increased trajectory over the last 5-10 years. I see no reason the trend won't continue- especially when the economy comes back. I sure don't think that it's just now peaked out. What happens when economy comes back, Iowa gets more promotion to millions and then the NR has a 5 year wait for a tag? Don't think that could happen? I absolutely think it's a possibility. In a SHORT period we've gone from zero to 1 year wait to 2-3 year wait- and that didn't take long. What will happen is NR's will rightfully being complaining when it's 4-5 years (heck, they are complaining NOW) and raising heck OR the state will just double or triple the NR tags- increasing pressure, more folks, less access, less quality deer, etc, etc. Why wait til things get really bad?

*If I read it right, there's 6,000 tags available to NR's. I sure don't think it's crazy to think 30,000 applicants from 49 other states could be applying for them. I don't see that as a "chance" but I see that as inevitable and our near future.
 
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The only way the damage of the governor tags will be reversed is if we keep pounding these shed bucks with rifles until there are no more big bucks left in this state!! Skip needs to promote his shed buck contest like these governor tags are promoting hunting in Iowa!!
 
Thanks Bonker, I truly am an old fart.
One of the first things I learned with trips to the State Capitol, was to pick your battles. While compromise is tough to swallow sometimes it is necessary.

The IBA has gotten one of the conservation tags the last three years. I can tell you with the proceeds we have helped put Archery in School Program in about 10-12 local Ia. schools and that's a good thing.

I would like loved to said more in my short interview but it's better sometimes to say less than too much.

I'm very proud to be a part of the IBA and the people that stand up and are willing to be heard. Our opponents have gotten better organized, so that just means we all have to work a little harder. If you spend much time on this site, you're most likely very passionate about deer hunting in Ia. We all have friends that are willing to put their hands in their pockets and just kick the dirt with their toes and do nothing. These are the guys and gals we need to get involved.

It's an old one but "I you aren't with us you are against us" It's an old saying but then again I'm an Old Fart.
 
I agree we need to pick battles. I think this is a crucial one of course. "Double the NR tags or get rid of Governor tags" - I don't think it's a choice between those 2. I really think this should be a reasonable and easy argument to get rid of these. Where I see the problem - IBA is fighting the doubling of NR tags... What if this program was one of the reasons there's such a fight FOR doubling these tags? What if this publicity has caused the higher demand and created a larger group who wants more tags? What happens when there's 30,000, 40,000 or whatever applicants for NR tags and there's an uproar that there's a 3, 4, 5 or whatever year wait? And all the folks start saying "hey, it's not fair these guys have to wait 4 years for a tag" - we should at least "double the tags", if not triple them. this vast publicity to millions is going to be a key component & goes hand in hand with the argument to come of "doubling the tags". It's a big reason we have such the demand and we've created the army that's gonna fight for more tags. Beyond all that, the Gov Tags are fundamentally unfair, un-needed and hurts the little guy & all the avg Joe NR's.
 
Realisticly I dont think these tags make a difference one way or the other in publicity the state recieves.Were on all the tv shows, were in all the magazines, were in all the record books, and as long as we have good bucks in the state thats not gonna change.Honestly if I asked the majority of the hunters around here theyd have no idea who got one of these tags, and odds are pretty good they wouldnt care.

As far as non resident hunters go it doesnt seem right that celebrities get prefered treatment in these tags when youre average guys waiting years to get drawn to hunt.Up here in NW Iowa when we used to have pheasants the non residents would flood in every season, and they would spend thier money locally, and spend lots of it.Eating at our restuarants, drinking in our bars, gas, lodging, hunting equipment, etc...The celebs arent gonna do this, theyre gonna fly in, hole up in whatever place theyre hunting and fly out again in a few days.Id just as soon compete with your average NR hunter on our over hunted public ground and know they were paying thier way in our communities as gaurantee tags to someone whos not gonna spend a dime outside whatever property thier hunting and give them an unfair advantage in the drawing to boot.
 
Jdubs said:
Sligh, my point is the damage is done. Removing Governors tags now will do no good. Iowa has the established rep and that will not change. NR tags will always be difficult to acquire.
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I agree, the damage is done. The IBA has picked it's battles pretty well IMO.
 
Work with NR

ElkHunter said:
Thanks Bonker, I truly am an old fart.
One of the first things I learned with trips to the State Capitol, was to pick your battles. While compromise is tough to swallow sometimes it is necessary.
.

I'm very proud to be a part of the IBA and the people that stand up and are willing to be heard. Our opponents have gotten better organized, so that just means we all have to work a little harder. If you spend much time on this site, you're most likely very passionate about deer hunting in Ia. We all have friends that are willing to put their hands in their pockets and just kick the dirt with their toes and do nothing. These are the guys and gals we need to get involved.

Randy: I will admit I don't know exactly how the IBA operates etc...but from an outsider looking in (non-resident landowner)...I think you could really change how you are perceived if you took a stance with NR's. As I mentioned before NR youth tags, landowner doe tags, something in which you are showing support for the NR and their ability to manage the property and at the same time allowing a NR family to hunt together.

Why did an opposition group such as Friends of Iowa form? Think about it.
Learn from the opponent and counter them. I am not saying you have to agree to more NR buck tags (youth tags could be a very small number).

Think about it and you could get several NR members to support your organization. I wish my home state (MN) had an active group like IBA, and after hunting in Iowa this fall, I can see much of your point of view, but a NR still has to an effective system that allows for management of his property.
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As far as I'm concerned keep the governor's tags but start giving them to someone who deserves it. Maybe the wounded warriors, make a wish, anything but some celebrity jackwagon. Heck, there has to be countless charitable organizations out there that these tags could be directed towards. Quite giving them to non-deserving so called celebrities. They can wait their turn like everyone else. Iowa doesn't need anymore publicity for deer hunting.
 
I think from the responses and reading all the article & some feedback I have a little more perspective. Thanks for feedback.

1) I agree with above- give to veterans coming back from war, etc. That MAKES SENSE & the current program does not.

2) Programs like this still have to be justified each year. This program does not accomplish that & can no longer be justified each year. SHOULD be as simple as that BUT this is politics of course.

3) I got a PM- without any names- it is saying there's ONE lawmaker who supports & started this program BUT also supports the no-increase to NR tags. That is why those 2 keep being tied together? I think I understand that right now. My response to that: I think it's a little crappy that a bad program stays in place because of "politics as usual" (If I have this right & correct me if I'm wrong). This politician who won't support the increase in tags will be RUN OVER when it's a 5 year wait for tags and there's an uproar for more NR tags- which we'll all look back and say "should have gotten rid of Gov Tags when we could have, now we were forced to double or triple NR tags anyways". I guess we have a gentlemen's disagreement that the damage has already been done.... I think much has been done but think it'll get worse, you disagree and that's ok. Let me put it like this (analogy)....
I have 200 acres that I continue to shoot 200" deer year after year and brag and show everyone where my land is. 1st year I have 3 other hunters around me- a good reason why I continually have 200" deer. After 5 years of bragging about my constant 200" deer on my 200 acres, I manage to attract & bring in new poachers who drive by my farm every night trying to poach deer off the "good ground". I have 5 new guys hunting my fenceline because they know I have giant deer. My neighbors have gotten more motivated to hunt and they are now out full steam and bringing buddies out to get some of these "giant deer" they've seen me shoot. All of the sudden I'm surrounded by 15 extra guys - all the way from illegal poachers to legit guys hunting my fence. All because I advertized the rare giants on my ground for all to see. I say continuing to do this (if I even have big deer anymore now) will eventually bring 25 new guys around and so on. Now, on the other hand if I shut my mouth for 5 years, didn't say a thing (good or bad) I think some hunters might move on, become distracted with another piece (find something better maybe), new hunters wouldn't hear anything and SOME folks would start to forget to some degree. All 15 new guys? NO But would time reduce this if I shut my mouth? I think so. Especially if 30 miles away some other guy started bragging about all his 200" deer, folks will see opportunity there and check it out. Human nature. I hope another state or many states could pull folks in to hunt there and attract them with their programs.

4) The program is fundamentally flawed, completely unfair and is really hurting the little guy Joe-Hunter. We disagree with what the effects will be in the future BUT, if I'm right, all folks that said "it doesn't matter" and the rest of us that DID care currently- will be kicking ourselves when there's a 5 year wait for tags (even in today's situation I feel really bad for the NR having to wait 2-3 years now, that stinks- wasn't like that before) and it's basically FORCED to double or triple the NR tags. I completely disagree with any that say it won't happen. You wait and see.

With all due respect and I sure appreciate all that IBA does & I say this knowing we're all on the same team here!
 
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Youth tags

Nontypcl1 said:
As far as I'm concerned keep the governor's tags but start giving them to someone who deserves it. Maybe the wounded warriors, make a wish, anything but some celebrity jackwagon. Heck, there has to be countless charitable organizations out there that these tags could be directed towards. Quite giving them to non-deserving so called celebrities. They can wait their turn like everyone else. Iowa doesn't need anymore publicity for deer hunting.
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NR Youth Tags?

75 tags could equal 150 youth tags (charge half the price and the DNR would receive the same amount of $$money)
 
I am personally more worried about our deer population as a whole than 75 'celebrity' tags as they are now being called. I honestly don't see the allure of NR IA deer hunting. Unless you own land, or have access to some private land, I personally wouldnt come to IA to hunt deer. There's not enough public to pay the $500+ to hunt them.
 
Altiman94 said:
I am personally more worried about our deer population as a whole than 75 'celebrity' tags as they are now being called. I honestly don't see the allure of NR IA deer hunting. Unless you own land, or have access to some private land, I personally wouldnt come to IA to hunt deer. There's not enough public to pay the $500+ to hunt them.
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You think all those TV shows hunting in Iowa arer hunting public land? They are getting comp hunts from the outfitters.
 
They are hunting premium & extremely rare and amazing farms. Not the average farms by far. So, they show video with countless "good deer" and "monster bucks" because they are hunting top notch farms- then it's broadcasted to millions of folks on TV & Video and folks think "Iowa really is filled with GIANTS- I need to go there!".
 
Sligh, I hear what your sayin but if Iowa eliminates the Gov tags the likes of the Drurys, Kiskys, Lakoskys, Gregorys, Winke, the HS Strut Primetime guys, Ciancirulos, etc. will keep on making videos and hosting hunting shows continuously highlighting Iowa. I don't think the publicity will be decreased one bit.
 
It will decrease by 75 celebrities and "pro-hunters" multipled by XYZ Million viewers watching those 75 people.
I know I'm ranting on and I sure like the Habitat threads better BUT- with all the reasons I've outlined and others- I can't see the major reasons to keep this program?!?!!? I can think of an EASY Dozen reasons to get rid of it and do it fast- I am really struggling on why we need to keep it so badly?!?!?!
 
This program probably was useful at one time but with a 3 year waiting list it is not any more. It lets celebs move to the head of the line. Where they take the opportunity to promote themselves and their sponsors behind a Iowa buck and put more money in their pocket. Getting to hunt in Iowa means far more to their careers then it does to promoting Iowa's hunting to the general public. Why do you think several of the top celebs moved here? In the grand scheme of things it matters little to me but I do not like the appearance of favoritism. If I was a NR when I heard of this I would say screw Iowa and take my money somewhere else. Not that that would matter one bit.
 
You are exactly right-----But,, we can feel however we want,,,Bottom line, program works for the Celeb-Hunt Indsutry,,works for the Tourism Bureau,works for the Govenor,,,Everyone is Happy! Program STAYS!
 
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