fishorhunt
New Member
I rec'd this email from our regional PF biologist today. Looks like a vote is coming soon. Call your rep today.
LEGISLATIVE ALERT—1/27/06
Subject: House Study Bill (HSB) 556---Increasing the number non-resident deer and turkey licenses
PF FOLKS—PLEASE CALL THESE LEGISLATORS LISTED BELOW AT HOME THIS WEEKEND, AND PLEASE CALL YOUR OWN LEGISLATORS AS WELL, EXPRESSING YOUR OPPOSITION TO THE BILL BELOW. CALLS ARE BEST—HOWEVER, IF YOU CANNOT CALL, THEN PLEASE EMAIL SO THAT IT IS WAITING FOR LEGISLATORS ON MONDAY WHEN THEY ARRIVE AT THE CAPITOL. The Subcommittee vote on this legislation is scheduled for Monday Jan. 30th. Don’t wait to act.
Pheasants Forever and the Iowa Conservation Alliance oppose this bill. Please call your own Legislator, and particularly call those listed below:
This bill would increase the number of wild turkey and doubles the number of nonresident antlered or any-sex deer hunting licenses. The bill increases the number of nonresident antlered or any sex deer hunting licenses available from 6,000 to 12,000. The bill increases the number of nonresident wild turkey hunting licenses available from 2,300 to 3,300. This is the DNR bill to expand the number of non-resident deer any sex licenses by 6,000 and non-resident spring turkey licenses by 1,000.
This is the standard DNR bill that PF chapters and members have opposed in previous Sessions. The only thing different this year is that the DNR is suggesting that it will use these funds to create an access program. It is our position that there are better alternatives to create that funding if needed.
The Iowa Conservation Alliance voted in January to oppose this legislation. This bill has been assigned to a House Natural Resources subcommittee and now is the time to contact this subcommittee and let them know Iowa Conservation Alliance and Pheasants Forever oppose the bill.
The phone number to reach your Representative in Des Moines is 515/281-3221. To access bills, Legislators e-mail & other info by internet go to http://www.legis.state.ia.us. You can generally get your personal Legislator’s home contact information at this same website, as well. SEE the SUBCOMMITTEE CONTACTS BELOW the Talking Points.
TALKING POINTS ON HSB 556:
PF agrees with the Iowa Conservation Alliance which opposes increasing the number of deer and turkey permits for non-residents. The ICA is an affiliate organization comprised of nearly all major conservation organizations in Iowa and 60,000 members.
Hunting Access is a growing problem:
Recent surveys of PF leaders and members found the average respondent had lost access on over 5 farms totaling 1274 acres in the past several years. Among the causes of loss--32% were to non-resident recreational land purchase, and 39% to hunting leases that catered mostly to nonresidents. Surveys of leadership, members and Iowa PF website subscribers found 70% of respondents favor no basic increase in non-resident permits over present. They believe that expanding the number of non-resident any-sex deer & turkey permits will increase recreational access problems for resident Iowans and complicates deer management.
Resident Iowans are Important:
Iowa deer hunting (a $100+ million industry) and harvest depend on resident Iowans finding recreational access to control our expanding deer population.
Among Iowans who hunt only 14% travel to hunt in other states. Fully 93% of Iowan’s total hunting days, anywhere, occur within the borders of Iowa.
Almost all Iowa sportsmen choose to or have no choice except to hunt within our own borders. They are finding it increasingly difficult to secure access.
There are Better Funding Alternatives that do not impact Iowan’s hunting access
PF supports the DNR’s need for expanded funding—however, we suggest that there are better alternatives to create the funding the DNR seeks.
The DNR suggests that it wants to create an access and land acquisition program with the funding generated from selling additional nonresident permits. However, increasing the Habitat Stamp by $10, or creating a $10 Access Fee for all hunters creates more funding than the proposed increase in nonresident permits.
In addition, increasing general license fees for all nonresidents and increasing the cost of the current numbers of nonresident deer and turkey permits could add an additional $1.5 million annually to the DNR’s programs.
There is also much support for a permanent, dedicated, Missouri-style, public funding initiative for Natural Resources among our PF chapter leaders and members (this is an earmarked % of a sales tax increase, or similar vehicle that is dedicated to natural resources). Legislators should give this serious consideration.
Please contact:
--Rep. Henry Rayhons--Chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee, Subcommittee chair for the study bill—He is a Republican from around Hayfield-Garner area in Hancock county. He represents Winnebago, Hancock, and Worth Counties.
Email: [email protected]
Home Telephone: 641-923-2979
Capitol Telephone: 515-281-3221
--Representative Steve Lukan--a Republican from the New Vienna, Luxemburg, Holy Cross area. Represents parts of Dubuque and Delaware Counties.
E-mail: [email protected]
Home Telephone: 563-921-3725
Capitol Telephone: 515-281-3221
--Representative Mary Lou Freeman--a Republican from the Alta-Storm Lake area. Represents parts of Buena Vista and Sac Counties.
E-mail: [email protected]
Home Telephone: 712-732-3781
Capitol Telephone: 515-281-3221
--Representative Paul Bell--a Democrat from Newton. Represents parts of Jasper County.
E-mail: [email protected]
Home Telephone: 641-792-9514
Capitol Telephone: 515-281-3221
--Representative John Whitaker--a Democrat from southeast Iowa. Represents parts of Wapello, Jefferson and VanBuren Counties.
E-mail: [email protected]
Home Telephone: 319-796-4618
Capitol Telephone: 515-281-3221
These are the primary folks who need to hear our opposition to the bill--HOWEVER, it never hurts to let the other 95 members of the House know of our opposition also. So please—even if your own Representative or Senator is not on this list…………..call them and express your opposition.
LEGISLATIVE ALERT—1/27/06
Subject: House Study Bill (HSB) 556---Increasing the number non-resident deer and turkey licenses
PF FOLKS—PLEASE CALL THESE LEGISLATORS LISTED BELOW AT HOME THIS WEEKEND, AND PLEASE CALL YOUR OWN LEGISLATORS AS WELL, EXPRESSING YOUR OPPOSITION TO THE BILL BELOW. CALLS ARE BEST—HOWEVER, IF YOU CANNOT CALL, THEN PLEASE EMAIL SO THAT IT IS WAITING FOR LEGISLATORS ON MONDAY WHEN THEY ARRIVE AT THE CAPITOL. The Subcommittee vote on this legislation is scheduled for Monday Jan. 30th. Don’t wait to act.
Pheasants Forever and the Iowa Conservation Alliance oppose this bill. Please call your own Legislator, and particularly call those listed below:
This bill would increase the number of wild turkey and doubles the number of nonresident antlered or any-sex deer hunting licenses. The bill increases the number of nonresident antlered or any sex deer hunting licenses available from 6,000 to 12,000. The bill increases the number of nonresident wild turkey hunting licenses available from 2,300 to 3,300. This is the DNR bill to expand the number of non-resident deer any sex licenses by 6,000 and non-resident spring turkey licenses by 1,000.
This is the standard DNR bill that PF chapters and members have opposed in previous Sessions. The only thing different this year is that the DNR is suggesting that it will use these funds to create an access program. It is our position that there are better alternatives to create that funding if needed.
The Iowa Conservation Alliance voted in January to oppose this legislation. This bill has been assigned to a House Natural Resources subcommittee and now is the time to contact this subcommittee and let them know Iowa Conservation Alliance and Pheasants Forever oppose the bill.
The phone number to reach your Representative in Des Moines is 515/281-3221. To access bills, Legislators e-mail & other info by internet go to http://www.legis.state.ia.us. You can generally get your personal Legislator’s home contact information at this same website, as well. SEE the SUBCOMMITTEE CONTACTS BELOW the Talking Points.
TALKING POINTS ON HSB 556:
PF agrees with the Iowa Conservation Alliance which opposes increasing the number of deer and turkey permits for non-residents. The ICA is an affiliate organization comprised of nearly all major conservation organizations in Iowa and 60,000 members.
Hunting Access is a growing problem:
Recent surveys of PF leaders and members found the average respondent had lost access on over 5 farms totaling 1274 acres in the past several years. Among the causes of loss--32% were to non-resident recreational land purchase, and 39% to hunting leases that catered mostly to nonresidents. Surveys of leadership, members and Iowa PF website subscribers found 70% of respondents favor no basic increase in non-resident permits over present. They believe that expanding the number of non-resident any-sex deer & turkey permits will increase recreational access problems for resident Iowans and complicates deer management.
Resident Iowans are Important:
Iowa deer hunting (a $100+ million industry) and harvest depend on resident Iowans finding recreational access to control our expanding deer population.
Among Iowans who hunt only 14% travel to hunt in other states. Fully 93% of Iowan’s total hunting days, anywhere, occur within the borders of Iowa.
Almost all Iowa sportsmen choose to or have no choice except to hunt within our own borders. They are finding it increasingly difficult to secure access.
There are Better Funding Alternatives that do not impact Iowan’s hunting access
PF supports the DNR’s need for expanded funding—however, we suggest that there are better alternatives to create the funding the DNR seeks.
The DNR suggests that it wants to create an access and land acquisition program with the funding generated from selling additional nonresident permits. However, increasing the Habitat Stamp by $10, or creating a $10 Access Fee for all hunters creates more funding than the proposed increase in nonresident permits.
In addition, increasing general license fees for all nonresidents and increasing the cost of the current numbers of nonresident deer and turkey permits could add an additional $1.5 million annually to the DNR’s programs.
There is also much support for a permanent, dedicated, Missouri-style, public funding initiative for Natural Resources among our PF chapter leaders and members (this is an earmarked % of a sales tax increase, or similar vehicle that is dedicated to natural resources). Legislators should give this serious consideration.
Please contact:
--Rep. Henry Rayhons--Chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee, Subcommittee chair for the study bill—He is a Republican from around Hayfield-Garner area in Hancock county. He represents Winnebago, Hancock, and Worth Counties.
Email: [email protected]
Home Telephone: 641-923-2979
Capitol Telephone: 515-281-3221
--Representative Steve Lukan--a Republican from the New Vienna, Luxemburg, Holy Cross area. Represents parts of Dubuque and Delaware Counties.
E-mail: [email protected]
Home Telephone: 563-921-3725
Capitol Telephone: 515-281-3221
--Representative Mary Lou Freeman--a Republican from the Alta-Storm Lake area. Represents parts of Buena Vista and Sac Counties.
E-mail: [email protected]
Home Telephone: 712-732-3781
Capitol Telephone: 515-281-3221
--Representative Paul Bell--a Democrat from Newton. Represents parts of Jasper County.
E-mail: [email protected]
Home Telephone: 641-792-9514
Capitol Telephone: 515-281-3221
--Representative John Whitaker--a Democrat from southeast Iowa. Represents parts of Wapello, Jefferson and VanBuren Counties.
E-mail: [email protected]
Home Telephone: 319-796-4618
Capitol Telephone: 515-281-3221
These are the primary folks who need to hear our opposition to the bill--HOWEVER, it never hurts to let the other 95 members of the House know of our opposition also. So please—even if your own Representative or Senator is not on this list…………..call them and express your opposition.
