I haven't seen anything lately, are the DNR ICN meetings still on for tonight. I hope to attend the Ottumwa meeting, still might have a conflict, but I was wondering if others plan to attend. Also will we be able to ask questions or do we need to have them written out and give them to the on site DNR people?
blake
Life Member
News:
From the IDNR
DNR to Host Public Meeting April 29 on Proposed Wildlife Rules
DES MOINES - The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is hosting a public meeting to discuss a number of new proposed regulations including changes to deer, waterfowl, and turkey hunting seasons and some changes to the trapping seasons. The meeting will be conducted over the Iowa Communications Network (ICN) on April 29, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.
"This is an opportunity for our hunters and people who support wildlife to give us some feedback on these regulations," said Dale Garner, chief of the DNR's wildlife bureau. "We will go over the proposed regulations and seasons and our rational behind each change, and take comments from anyone willing to speak, then, if there is any time remaining, we will open the discussion to other topics."
The proposed changes include reducing the number of fall turkey hunting licenses that will be available, changing the counties that will be open for the November and January antlerless deer seasons and changing when the antlerless licenses for these seasons will go on sale. Other topics include proposed waterfowl season dates and restrictions on placing traps in roadways before the trapping season begins.
Any interested person may make written suggestions or comments on the proposed changes on or before April 29, 2009. Persons who wish to convey their views orally should contact the Wildlife Bureau at (515) 281-5034 or at the Wildlife Bureau offices on the fourth floor of the Wallace State Office Building. Written comments may be sent to the Wildlife Bureau Chief, Department of Natural Resources, Wallace State Office Building, Des Moines, Iowa 50319-0034; or faxed to (515) 281-6794.
The DNR will have staff members from the wildlife bureau at each site to answer questions, and to take any written comments.
ICN Locations:
Ames- Ames High School, 20th and Ridgewood
Calmar- Northeast Iowa Community College, Dairy Education Center, 1527 Hwy. 150 South
Centerville- Centerville High School, 600 CHS Drive
Clinton- Graphic Arts Technology Center of Iowa, 1951 Manufacturing Drive
Council Bluffs- Abraham Lincoln High School, 1205 Bonham Avenue
Creston- Creston High School, 601 West Townline Road
Dubuque- Dubuque Senior High School, 1800 Clarke Drive
Fort Dodge- St. Edmund High School, 501 N. 22nd Street
Iowa City - Iowa City High School, 1900 Morningside Drive
Johnston- Johnston High School, 6501 NW 62nd Avenue
Marion- Marion Public Library, 1095 6th Avenue
Marshalltown- Marshalltown High School, 1602 S. 2nd Avenue
Mason City- North Iowa Area Community College - 4, 500 College Drive
Ottumwa- Ottumwa High School, 501 E. 2nd
Sioux City - Central Campus Individual Learning Center, 1121 Jackson Street
Spencer- Spencer High School, 800 East 3rd Street
Waterloo- Hawkeye Community College - 1, 1501 E. Orange Road
West Burlington- Southeastern Community College - 1, 1500 West Agency
Well did any body attend this meeting? I was in Ottumwa and was a little surprised at how civil the overall meeting was. As for the FB requests, they may have been made in the written comments that were turned in, but there were no open comments or questions regarding those issues. I asked my usual questions, how many deer do we have, what is the real population goal and how will we know when we get there, and why have they increased the numbers of antlerless tags in areas where they haven't sold out the old lower numbers in years. There were no answers to these questions that were either understandable or specific in any way, just kind of skirted around the issues. I also asked why we don't have a licensing and bonding program for outfitters and guides, and the best I got was that the DNR had looked at that but nothing yet.
There were a lot of waterfowl hunters who commented and questioned changes to some of the water fowl hunting regulations. There were also several trappers with comments about prestaking and where and what kind of traps or snares could be set, especially along road ditches.
I did have a good chat with some of the DNR staff that was on hand about some of these and other issues about quail and pheasants and what might be done there. I also made a copy of the e-mail that I sent to Mr. Herring and Mr. Leopold back when we were discussing Friends of Iowa and gave it to the DNR people. I expressed my feelings that FOI should not have a place on the new Iowa Deer Advisory board and should not be allowed to give input because many Iowa residents were not allowed any input. I was pleasantly surprised to find that they completely agreed with my position and were embarrassed that I had not received any real response. I don't know that any thing was accomplished with this meeting or that there will be any changes to the proposed rule changes, but at least I can now say " I was there, I told you so, and I tried to do what I felt was right", and will point that out in future conversations. All we can really do is to keep swinging and sooner or later we will get a good hit.
There were a lot of waterfowl hunters who commented and questioned changes to some of the water fowl hunting regulations. There were also several trappers with comments about prestaking and where and what kind of traps or snares could be set, especially along road ditches.
I did have a good chat with some of the DNR staff that was on hand about some of these and other issues about quail and pheasants and what might be done there. I also made a copy of the e-mail that I sent to Mr. Herring and Mr. Leopold back when we were discussing Friends of Iowa and gave it to the DNR people. I expressed my feelings that FOI should not have a place on the new Iowa Deer Advisory board and should not be allowed to give input because many Iowa residents were not allowed any input. I was pleasantly surprised to find that they completely agreed with my position and were embarrassed that I had not received any real response. I don't know that any thing was accomplished with this meeting or that there will be any changes to the proposed rule changes, but at least I can now say " I was there, I told you so, and I tried to do what I felt was right", and will point that out in future conversations. All we can really do is to keep swinging and sooner or later we will get a good hit.