ElkHunter
Life Member
I’d like to thank everyone for contacting their legislators, it is making a difference. The work isn’t done yet, so keep hammering away. Be careful about the terminology we use when contacting our legislators, stay away from inflammatory words or phrases to describe deer numbers; decimated, eradicated, devastated, no deer left or endangered.
I’ll try to paraphrase a conversation I had with a legislator, a self proclaimed non hunter.
Their comment: I need some help understanding the deer population. I’m getting emails from hunters saying the herd as been decimated, devastated, wiped out, no deer left in my county. Then on my way home I see 43 deer in one field ( they actually stopped to count them) I try to explain that with the very cold, tough conditions the deer are herded up, and that field may have the best food source in the area. Like people they eat more and try to conserve energy more in the cold conditions, so they spend more time at the best food source, which at this time of year means being more visible. I tried to explain come spring those 43 deer may be scattered out over 5 or 6 square miles, maybe a larger area. Maybe the landowner doesn’t allow hunting. Deer soon learn where the sanctuaries are. If they were seeing 43 deer in every field we have a problem.
My point is; this legislator is a non hunter, along with about 94 other House members, they don’t understand our passion for deer and deer hunting. When they hear no deer left they take it at face value. We don’t need to be politically correct; we just need to use words and phrases they can relate to and understand.
Next email or phone call try one of the comments below.
1. Deer population down 30 % in the last 4 years (maybe more in your area)
2. From 2006 to today deer tag sales have dropped 17,000 but the harvest has dropped by 50,000.
3. Deer numbers are below the level set by Deer Task Force in most areas of the state. There are areas with too many deer, most of these hotspots are caused by access issues.
4. Deer numbers are below the social carrying capacity in most of the state.
5. Deer depredation tags issued by DNR are way down.
6.The legislature needs to understand there is an economic value to hunting in this state.
7. It’s time to get out of deer reduction mode and into a maintenance mode, The DNR has a quota plan that will maintain herd size, keeping the population at a socially acceptable level. The DNR and hunters have done what the legislature and the people of Iowa demanded; lowered the deer population.
THANK YOU for making the phones calls and sending the emails. We are making progress.
IBA Legislative Committee
I’ll try to paraphrase a conversation I had with a legislator, a self proclaimed non hunter.
Their comment: I need some help understanding the deer population. I’m getting emails from hunters saying the herd as been decimated, devastated, wiped out, no deer left in my county. Then on my way home I see 43 deer in one field ( they actually stopped to count them) I try to explain that with the very cold, tough conditions the deer are herded up, and that field may have the best food source in the area. Like people they eat more and try to conserve energy more in the cold conditions, so they spend more time at the best food source, which at this time of year means being more visible. I tried to explain come spring those 43 deer may be scattered out over 5 or 6 square miles, maybe a larger area. Maybe the landowner doesn’t allow hunting. Deer soon learn where the sanctuaries are. If they were seeing 43 deer in every field we have a problem.
My point is; this legislator is a non hunter, along with about 94 other House members, they don’t understand our passion for deer and deer hunting. When they hear no deer left they take it at face value. We don’t need to be politically correct; we just need to use words and phrases they can relate to and understand.
Next email or phone call try one of the comments below.
1. Deer population down 30 % in the last 4 years (maybe more in your area)
2. From 2006 to today deer tag sales have dropped 17,000 but the harvest has dropped by 50,000.
3. Deer numbers are below the level set by Deer Task Force in most areas of the state. There are areas with too many deer, most of these hotspots are caused by access issues.
4. Deer numbers are below the social carrying capacity in most of the state.
5. Deer depredation tags issued by DNR are way down.
6.The legislature needs to understand there is an economic value to hunting in this state.
7. It’s time to get out of deer reduction mode and into a maintenance mode, The DNR has a quota plan that will maintain herd size, keeping the population at a socially acceptable level. The DNR and hunters have done what the legislature and the people of Iowa demanded; lowered the deer population.
THANK YOU for making the phones calls and sending the emails. We are making progress.
IBA Legislative Committee