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Deer population...too few...to many...or just right?

R

Rembrandt

Guest
The question comes up each year during the legislative session regarding Iowa's deer herd size. Insurance Company's and Farm Groups lobby to reduce the size by legislative action. I think these groups need to stick to what they do best...sell insurance and farm, leave the wildlife management to the DNR's biologist's. If legislative politics get mixed into deer management, you can bet that will be a mess. Manage the herd size by political pressure?....sure hope not, but every year they attempt it.

So what are your opinions on Iowa's deer herd size? Too many...too few....or just right?
 
Rem, I'm with you. Leave the deer management to the DNR. That includes deer hunters as well as politicians. The DNR has done a good job for us through the years at little expense to us.

I think the herd is just right to spoil the heck out of everyone. I can recall more challenging hunting days of past with no bickering between the hunting groups. We used hunt for fun. Wealth has a way of changing things. I appreciate and enjoy the bounty that we have, but would still hunt Iowa even if all we had was a handful of scab bucks and does.
 
As far as numbers go...I think we are in pretty good shape.

It would be nice however, to see everyone work together to try to improve the age class of the bucks out there by letting the spikes and basket racks go. This would mean more wallhangers for everyone.

Just my thoughts.

Merry Christmas
AJ
 
I saw fewer deer this year than I have in several years, in the same areas I have been hunting for 5 to 8 years. I don't believe it is just the areas I hunt but the whole region. JMHO. ranger
 
I have no complaints about the population. Even though these days I hunt public land almost exclusively, I still fill my early muzzle loader tag with a nice doe (once in a while a buck). During bow season I see many deer and most years seem to at least get a glimpse of 1 dandy buck that keeps my dreams alive.

IaCraig.
 
To FEW!!! It is of my opinion that the deer in S.W. have been on a steady decline for the last 5 or 6 years. Years ago I used to see between 5 and 20 deer per trip from my bowstand in alot of different areas and now I usually see between 0 and 6 deer per trip. There are still alot of deer out there but I do beleive the population is declining due to over harvesting.
 
Took vacation first week of November this year. Lucky enough to fill my Mo. archery tag on Monday. Spent the rest of the week relaxing and driving around in my old Iowa haunts Zone 6 (didnt draw this year). Got a good feel for the deer population. Dont think they are nearly as thick as in the mid 90`s. Actually would say its about right. Farmers dont seem to be complaining as much and didnt notice as many road kills. Saw a fair number of mature Bucks also. DNR does a pretty damn good job Id say.
be safe everyone.
 
I'm with AJ. I hunt near Dbq. and the numbers are just fine. However, few hunters seem to show any restraint and are regularly taking immature bucks instead of a mature doe. I think it must be and ego thing...
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by AJ:
As far as numbers go...I think we are in pretty good shape.

It would be nice however, to see everyone work together to try to improve the age class of the bucks out there by letting the spikes and basket racks go. This would mean more wallhangers for everyone.

Just my thoughts.

Merry Christmas
AJ

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
 
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