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Rifles for Iowas gun seasons

I think an earlier post expressed it perfectly, the old Cliche - "IF IT AIN'T BROKE, DON'T FIX IT!!!!". We have or, possibly HAD, the best managed resource in the country, top tier. (I won't use an example of "2 guys").... COUNTLESS people apply for Iowa across the country because their regulations & Liberalizing of the state & hunting made their home state suck.... The come out in DROVES to Iowa, with the tag demand increasing EVERY YEAR. what used to be an every year or every other year draw is now FOUR YEARS for archery here. why the increase in demand?!?!?! And heck, "we need more hunters" so let's let the tags go wide open, no draw, RIGHT???!?!?!? More than 50% of guys in a 10 mile radius of me bought their land for hunting and did it because their home state got ruined. Why do all these other states get ruined??!?!?!? Regulations, politics, new seasons, Liberalizing and pimping out the resource, etc. So they come here, ONE OF THE LAST GREAT PLACES (and it's a fragile resource). Anything that's great gets EXPLOITED. No, this is not just about SHORT WALL CARTRIDGES, this is a consistent theme we've dealt with for a decade and I strongly fear the next decade could have more attacks than the last. OPPORTUNITY: seriously, I will agree to disagree with ANYONE that if 4 months, 6 weapons and 5 seasons isn't enough for you to put food on your table, it's not the job of the Politicians and other hunters to accommodate your special interest IF you can't put food on the table in 4 months, 6 weapons and 5 seasons to pick from. It's not, we're far too liberal as it is & the trajectory of access for you to even put "meat on the table" will be dwindling further just like it's done for the last decade. The same folks who want "more opportunities for everybody" and support new seasons, regs & liberilizing our seasons will be the 1st ones complaining they have no place to go with any deer.
 
I never thought back in 1970 while carrying my Thompson Center during shotgun season there would be two separate muzzleloader seasons either! And many years you couldn't even shoot a buck with a gun if you filled your tag with the bow!

What's wrong with the muzzy seasons? They seem like a good fit. Also, I'm having a hard time understanding the mentality that IF (let's keep in mind, that's a big IF) the flood gates suddenly open up to all centerfire rounds for deer, there will be a new season just for rifle. The logical thought would be that they would be ok'd for use during the existing gun season(s).
 
I think an earlier post expressed it perfectly, the old Cliche - "IF IT AIN'T BROKE, DON'T FIX IT!!!!". We have or, possibly HAD, the best managed resource in the country, top tier. (I won't use an example of "2 guys").... COUNTLESS people apply for Iowa across the country because their regulations & Liberalizing of the state & hunting made their home state suck.... The come out in DROVES to Iowa, with the tag demand increasing EVERY YEAR. what used to be an every year or every other year draw is now FOUR YEARS for archery here. why the increase in demand?!?!?! And heck, "we need more hunters" so let's let the tags go wide open, no draw, RIGHT???!?!?!? More than 50% of guys in a 10 mile radius of me bought their land for hunting and did it because their home state got ruined. Why do all these other states get ruined??!?!?!? Regulations, politics, new seasons, Liberalizing and pimping out the resource, etc. So they come here, ONE OF THE LAST GREAT PLACES (and it's a fragile resource). Anything that's great gets EXPLOITED. No, this is not just about SHORT WALL CARTRIDGES, this is a consistent theme we've dealt with for a decade and I strongly fear the next decade could have more attacks than the last. OPPORTUNITY: seriously, I will agree to disagree with ANYONE that if 4 months, 6 weapons and 5 seasons isn't enough for you to put food on your table, it's not the job of the Politicians and other hunters to accommodate your special interest. It's not, we're far too liberal as it is & the trajectory of access for you to even put "meat on the table" will be dwindling further just like it's done for the last decade. The same folks who want "more opportunities for everybody" and support new seasons, regs & liberilizing our seasons will be the 1st ones complaining they have no place to go with any deer.

With that mentality we might as well just go back to traditional bows and flintlocks. "If you can't get one with either of those, go to the grocery store and buy a vegan burger you sissy" I still have not heard one logical explanation on how rifles will ruin our deer hunting. All I've heard is personal emotions/thoughts/beliefs.
I personally probably wouldn't hunt with a rifle, and have seriously thought about giving up gun hunting and only hunting the archery season, but I also absolutely cannot see the issue with someone else wanting to use a rifle.
I stand by one of my previous comments, this only is an issue to people that believe certain deer are "their deer".
 
What's wrong with the muzzy seasons? They seem like a good fit. Also, I'm having a hard time understanding the mentality that IF (let's keep in mind, that's a big IF) the flood gates suddenly open up to all centerfire rounds for deer, there will be a new season just for rifle. The logical thought would be that they would be ok'd for use during the existing gun season(s).
Now that we've opened it up to all centerfires; who will bother carrying a shotgun? Since we've finally progressed to centerfire rifles; we'll need to adjust our seasons so more hunters can enjoy them. Maybe the week of Thanksgiving so we can still hunt with family when our kids come home!
 
Now that we've opened it up to all centerfires; who will bother carrying a shotgun? Since we've finally progressed to centerfire rifles; we'll need to adjust our seasons so more hunters can enjoy them. Maybe the week of Thanksgiving so we can still hunt with family when our kids come home!

I have a feeling that tinfoil sales are going to surpass the sales of new rifles in pistol calibers in the next year.
 
With that mentality we might as well just go back to traditional bows and flintlocks. "If you can't get one with either of those, go to the grocery store and buy a vegan burger you sissy" I still have not heard one logical explanation on how rifles will ruin our deer hunting. All I've heard is personal emotions/thoughts/beliefs.
I personally probably wouldn't hunt with a rifle, and have seriously thought about giving up gun hunting and only hunting the archery season, but I also absolutely cannot see the issue with someone else wanting to use a rifle.
I stand by one of my previous comments, this only is an issue to people that believe certain deer are "their deer".
"Our deer hunting".... so everyone would & should have a say at how "our resource is managed". Maybe we agree on ONE THING HERE? "Their deer", yep, it's a resource "we all own" and should have a say in how its regulated, right? We have XYZ regulations in place as of say, "2 weeks ago" or when this next round of changes are put in place. when someone says "if it ain't broken, don't fix it".... that's obviously saying, the regulations, as they sit today, do not change them, quit messing with things, leave it alone. It's NOT saying "we must go to Traditional bows & Flintlocks", so sorry, doesn't work & not what anyone said.

"I still have not heard one logical explanation on how rifles will ruin our deer hunting"
"RUIN" - let's define that.... Is anyone saying it would eradicate all deer? NO. Do a vast array of damages? YES.......
1) Hunters shooting at deer at 300-600 yards does not allow for good identification of deer. For those looking to make ANY kind of management minded decision as to sex, age, whether a buck dropped its antlers, WHATEVER, that position & ability of any type of identification is now dwindled drastically. Like many deer hunts in Iowa, add the fact that the deer are running many times, long range shots are further very hard to closely evaluate exactly what you're shooting at.
2) The cases for going from rifles to shotguns in a variety of states was derived from: higher instances of hunter death & injury & high population of people & buildings. how many folks on here have had slugs wizz past them. I for one have had this multiple times & happened across the fence and relatively close distance. Now, instead of a slug going a few hundred yards, the rifles being shot, often times in GROUPS of guys at RUNNING DEER go 1000 yards +. That's a danger to hunters, houses, livestock, etc. It's just a factual added risk & danger.
3) Effectiveness of killing..... If we lower our deer population, you may think that's a good thing. It's my view & many others hunters, there's many areas that don't need a reduction in deer #'s. By absolute logic & fact, you give a HIGH POWER RIFLE out VS shotguns, more deer will be killed. It's obvious common sense. When I can't kill a deer at 350 yards with my shotgun but it's a chip shot with my .300 mag, obviously far more "OPPORTUNITY" to kill will exist, more deer will be shot. Which, I get it, you think is a good thing. I disagree. Our #'s have decreased steadily vs their peak a decade ago. Enough hunters voiced up that they had "few deer to hunt" that a Shed Buck Season was miraculously removed a few years ago. We have fewer deer, it's somewhat stable but drastically down and for those who want "meat for the freezer" (like you), there's now FEWER pieces of meat running around the woods for you to feed your family with. Put rifles out, fewer yet and apparently, more folks who will go hungry as that's how they put meat on the table.
4) Age structure decimated. Go look at MO line, go talk to ANYONE that lives by it, knows the hunting & deer, go look at what a 2 mile difference makes. Age structure and OPPORTUNITY to shoot deer period is greatly enhanced on the Northern side of that line. Go to the south of it, where again, apparently it's paradise and lots of "OPPORTUNITY" and you'll find the OPPORTUNITY isn't there. HUH?!?!?! "LACK OF OPPORTUNITY IN THE LAND OF OPPORTUNITY" (MO) - how is that possible?!?!?! How could that be the reverse affect happens?!?!?!?! Honestly, as crazy as this sounds, the anology this is kinda like: Opportunity for all!!!... COMMUNISM!!!! Gives everybody the opportunity and chance for anything..... Problem is, the reality, you can't even buy a loaf of bread in most these places & there is not opportunity.
Iowa, with LIMITS that protect our resources has DIRECTLY PRODUCED OPPORTUNITY FOR EVERYONE. It's at a tipping point where we are pushing past that tolerance where now by "increasing opportunity" the REALITY IS: folks will have less opportunity. Like the FACT we've all seen 1st hand over the last 10 years - LESS ACCESS, LOWER POPULATIONS, MORE PRESSURE, MORE FOLKS BUYING LAND TO PROTECT.... All due to more folks wanting to exploit our fragile resource. 6% timber across Iowa, sorry, it's not some unlimited fountain of wildlife & shooting to support the world with, it's FRAGILE.
 
When I say "their" deer, I'm referencing those that feel as though certain deer belong to them and only them, and are genuinely pissed if they are harvested by anyone else.

There is always room for improvement with current regulations. I've spoken with many that feel the same way.

Shooting with a rifle and a scope at 300 yards gives a much better opportunity at deer identification than the current often used shotgun method of shooting at running deer at 200 yards with open sights or a bird barrel.

Land sales are going to keep happening regardless of whether rifles are allowed or not, and will increase in the near future if land prices continue a downward trend.

Still, I have yet to hear a valid argument, only emotions.
 
I have a feeling that tinfoil sales are going to surpass the sales of new rifles in pistol calibers in the next year.

I believe you are dead wrong on this. This was the exact same law that was originally passed in Indiana. The advertising of Deer Legal rifles across the state was huge and the custom ammo that was being built to extend the range of these guns was unreal. I would estimate that within 3 years 30% of the gun hunters had these weapons. 4 more years and the flood gates opened. I will put $100 on it that within 5 years of this passing the rounds loads and weapons are extended. Once those gates are open, it is inevitable that the herd quality will diminish, just ask some of the folks to the North.

Again, I am not only concerned about herd quality, it is also a major safety thing.
The teaching element I mentioned previously did happen and I did comment to the fellas that there was a good chance that if they missed that animal they were putting a bullet in a home or worse. However, how many of those instances happened without folks around is my concern. Call it paranoid but there are too many ignorant folks out there for me to be comfortable with this.

We have 40 days of gun season here in Indiana and I don't think you are far off in Iowa from what I can remember (2008 is along time ago), if you can't get a deer within a 100yds and make a clean shot with a shotgun or muzzleloader in 40 days, maybe you should be getting your meat at the grocery store!
 
Still, I have yet to hear a valid argument, only emotions.
Is this a joke? Will u please read only my last post- points 1-4. Stuff like: "how far a rifle shoots", what lines of rifle areas and shotgun areas look like, danger with long range rounds to people, etc. everything mentioned was far more common sense, statement & fact based over "emotion" so your comment makes zero sense. I'm sure not saying I have all the answers but I kinda think my bullet pointed list DEFINES a "valid argument" that you claim you haven't seen. Ok. ?!??????

"Their deer"... I know what you meant. And the fact is one we agree on.... it's a state resource we all share and all can have a voice to manage and defend with regulation decisions & input. Obviously I take the side on the conservative end that our season is way to long & too many seasons as it sits but I don't want it any worse statewide. Your stance is simply the opposite. Which is fine & you have your right to your views. I realize my stance & conservation minded approach will be fought against by: farm bureau, gun lobby, many politicians (motivated by special interests and $) and the other groups who will take any step possible in the direction of the goal of killing as many deer off as possible. I'll defend our fragile resource any way possible & there's a whole other side of conservationist hunters that want to preserve the quality of our resource and protect the remaining opportunity for everyone to have a chance at "quality hunting" whether it's for meat, age or simply access to land. It's being degraded yearly and some of us want to protect it.
 
I believe you are dead wrong on this. This was the exact same law that was originally passed in Indiana. The advertising of Deer Legal rifles across the state was huge and the custom ammo that was being built to extend the range of these guns was unreal. I would estimate that within 3 years 30% of the gun hunters had these weapons. 4 more years and the flood gates opened. I will put $100 on it that within 5 years of this passing the rounds loads and weapons are extended. Once those gates are open, it is inevitable that the herd quality will diminish, just ask some of the folks to the North.

Again, I am not only concerned about herd quality, it is also a major safety thing.
The teaching element I mentioned previously did happen and I did comment to the fellas that there was a good chance that if they missed that animal they were putting a bullet in a home or worse. However, how many of those instances happened without folks around is my concern. Call it paranoid but there are too many ignorant folks out there for me to be comfortable with this.

We have 40 days of gun season here in Indiana and I don't think you are far off in Iowa from what I can remember (2008 is along time ago), if you can't get a deer within a 100yds and make a clean shot with a shotgun or muzzleloader in 40 days, maybe you should be getting your meat at the grocery store!

Is party hunting allowed during these rifle seasons?

I agree with the concern for safety if we start using 800 yard weapons in Iowa.
 
Is this a joke? Will u please read only my last post- points 1-4. Stuff like: "how far a rifle shoots", what lines of rifle areas and shotgun areas look like, danger with long range rounds to people, etc. everything mentioned was far more common sense, statement & fact based over "emotion" so your comment makes zero sense. I'm sure not saying I have all the answers but I kinda think my bullet pointed list DEFINES a "valid argument" that you claim you haven't seen. Ok.
"Their deer"... I know what you meant. And the fact is one we agree on.... it's a state resource we all share and all can have a voice to manage and defend with regulation decisions & input. Obviously I take the side on the conservative end that our season is way to long & too many seasons as it sits but I don't want it any worse statewide. Your stance is simply the opposite. Which is fine & your right to your views. I realize my stance & conservation minded approach will be fought against by: farm bureau, gun lobby, many politicians (motivated by special interests and $) and the other groups who will take any step possible in the direction of the goal of killing as many deer off as possible. I'll defend our fragile resource any way possible & there's a whole other side of conservatiionust hunters that want to preserve the quality of our resource and protect the remaining opportunity for everyone to have a chance at "quality hunting" whether it's for meat, age or simply access to land. It's being degraded yearly and some of us want to protect it.

My point is, you are skipping right from straight wall rounds to crimped rounds in all of your arguments based on a "gut feeling" that this is what will happen. Don't get me wrong, you make some great points and I admire your passion and concern for the future of hunting in Iowa.

Right now is the time to stop this from getting to that point, if that is truly what the majority of hunters in this state wants. Start lobbying hard and gaining support against crimped cartridges before they are ever introduced. Play the safety aspect alone and you will gain support from non hunters.
 
You all do realize that a majority, if not all, of your concerns with using rifles in Iowa would be a non-issue if the state did away with party hunting.
 
Still, I have yet to hear a valid argument, only emotions.

OK, I'll make this as simple as I can: if a beaver takes a bite out of a big oak tree, what is the harm? Not much... The next bite doesn't hurt much either. But sooner or later what happens? That's what we are worried about! It's what will eventually happen to the mighty oak (Iowa deer hunting) if someone doesn't stop the damned "beaver"!!! Sooner better than later! If the logic in this analogy escapes you then the rest of us are wasting our time arguing with you. :confused:
 
OK, I'll make this as simple as I can: if a beaver takes a bite out of a big oak tree, what is the harm? Not much... The next bite doesn't hurt much either. But sooner or later what happens? That's what we are worried about! It's what will eventually happen to the mighty oak (Iowa deer hunting) if someone doesn't stop the damned "beaver"!!! Sooner better than later! If the logic in this analogy escapes you then the rest of us are wasting our time arguing with you. :confused:

I fully understand why you are opposed, but it is based on speculation and fear. Not facts. We cannot compare other states to ours. Over all regulations and habitats, numbers of hunters, and/or their battles with CWD creates different situations.
The fact is, nobody on this site knows what this will or will not lead to. Nobody can predict the future. We are all posting based off of our hunches and emotions, and some are sprinkling in experiences in other states. That's great, but it's still all guesses.
When I started deer hunting we mailed in our checks and waited to hear back on whether we got to hunt the coveted buck only season. That's almost 30 years ago and deer hunting is nothing like it was then. My bow hunting clothes were a black shirt and jeans, and my tree stand was a 2x12 with notches cut in the ends wedged into the crotch of a tree.
Since then we've seen incredible if not dramatic improvements in every aspect of deer hunting. We are practically invisible now, with amazing shooting equipment.
What's one thing that's been common throughout all that time? Every time there was a change, it was going to be the end of hunting as we know it. Compound bows, extremely fast and lightweight compound bows, inline muzzle loaders, rifled slug barrels, cross bows, food plots, permanent blinds, cover scents, scent lures, on and on and on.
You know what though? Throughout all of these changes the deer didn't disappear, and actually managed at one point to reach a borderline nuisance level population.
Whether we want to admit it or not, the DNR has done an amazing job with managing our deer herd. I fully believe they understand the importance of deer hunting to this state. I'm not ready to throw in the towel because we will be able to use certain straight wall rounds. I might be wrong, it wouldn't be the first time. But my gut feeling is I'm not.
 
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You all do realize that a majority, if not all, of your concerns with using rifles in Iowa would be a non-issue if the state did away with party hunting.

There is some to this. Where I grew up most people hunted alone, sitting in an elevated stand and taking shots at unsuspecting deer that came cruising by below, and while its true that the center fire rifles used were technically capable of sending bullets miles out, this was never a problem since the shot angles resulted in the bullet striking the ground within feet of passing through the target. Here in North Iowa many hunters engage in coordinated "drives" to push deer out of standing corn. The animals come running for their lives and hunters starts blasting away level shots with plenty of other hunter in the vicinity. It is a tricky practice regardless of firearms. Add in irresponsible hunters in the mix and it becomes outright dangerous. Now, using it as an argument against modern rifles is a little like arguing for a 30mph cap on cars because some people drink and drive.

I'd rather see zero tolerance against irresponsible use of firearms. Hunters that sends projectiles "zinging" past fellow hunters belong in prison, not in the field.
 
Now that we've opened it up to all centerfires; who will bother carrying a shotgun? Since we've finally progressed to centerfire rifles; we'll need to adjust our seasons so more hunters can enjoy them. Maybe the week of Thanksgiving so we can still hunt with family when our kids come home!
+1 for me I love my trusty ol' 12 gauge, I own an Ar, Ak, and several other calibers but my Remington 12 gauge is my baby! Don't care what's made legal I'm packing shotgun all season long!
 
The teaching element I mentioned previously did happen and I did comment to the fellas that there was a good chance that if they missed that animal they were putting a bullet in a home or worse. However, how many of those instances happened without folks around is my concern. Call it paranoid but there are too many ignorant folks out there for me to be comfortable with this.

I finally was able to get caught up on this thread. I read this and had to tell a story. Eleven years ago on the first shotgun season a hunter took a shot at a deer. He was shooting up hill and he hit my garage. My family was all home luckily no was hurt. Twenty minutes later and ten feet west I would have been hit.
That would have made a great story a taxidermist shot in the butt skinning deer o_O The slug and shell casing and the piece of siding hangs on the wall in the shop. The slug traveled 350 yards and was still able to penetrate the wall. So yes safety is always a concern.
This bill is only the start of what is probably coming down the pipe. They will start slow with more changes coming ( they are conditioning us).
I've read some crazy excuses on here about people's failures to get a deer.
I'd say the new breed of deer hunters are already here. They all received a participation trophy and they all got to run around the bases and jump on home plate even if they struck out. They want to equal the playing field so they can be successful.
Make no mistake about it this bill sucks cause it's only the beginning.
Iowa has a chance to go from the BEST whitetail state to just another deer state.
To the hunters that want to protect our resources and future let this be a lesson! Get involved and be a voice and be heard for the future generations.
 
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