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New DNR rules changes

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Iowa1

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Thought you might like to see this.


CHANGES PROPOSED TO DEER HUNTING REGULATIONS

DES MOINES - The DNR will hold a teleconference to discuss proposed changes to Iowa's deer hunting regulations at 7 p.m., April 12, over the Iowa Communications Network (ICN). Written comments must be submitted by April 10. The Natural Resource Committee approved the changes at its February meeting.

The changes include:
· Moving shooting hours for shotgun hunters to one-half hour before sunrise to one-half our after sunset, to be the same as bow and muzzleloader shooting hours.
· Dropping the modified buck-only season in northern Iowa.
· Having a special late antlerless season in Davis, Van Buren, Ringgold, Taylor, Adams, Union, Freemont, Page and Montgomery counties to encourage hunters to hunt there.
· Clarifying the definition for "antlerless" from horns 3-inches or less to horns 7-inches or less.

The final rule will be presented to the commission at its May meeting. License quotas for the special late antlerless only season will be included.

The teleconference sites include:
· Lagomarcino Hall, Iowa State University, Ames
· Community School District Administration Building, Indianola
· Iowa Western Community College, Council Bluffs
· NIACC Careers Building, Mason City
· Luther College, Decorah
· Green Valley AEA, Creston
· National Guard Armory, Spencer
· Western Hills AEA, Sioux City
· Great River AEA, Burlington
· Keystone AEA, Dubuque
· Iowa City High School, Iowa City

People may send their comments in writing to: Wildlife Bureau Chief, Iowa Department of Natural Resources, 502 E. 9th St., Des Moines, IA, 50319.


Newsnotes
The preference point system is in effect this year. Nonresident deer hunters who apply for but do not receive a deer license will receive a preference point towards receiving a deer license in 2002. If a hunter does not apply in a given year, they do not lose their preference point. They may accumulate preference points, but once they receive a license, they lose all points.

The preference point system was approved at the April 2000 Natural Resource Commission meeting
 
I don't like late antlerless seasons, to many antlerless bucks get shot. I had a guy at the Classic tell me about a huge bodied deer he was drawn down on this year, late season special hunt that he ended up pulling up and not shooting once he saw the deer turn it's head. He told me he could see exactly where the antlers were attached to the bucks skull.He felt when he first spotted the animal it just didn't feel right because of it's size and animals gait when he walked. The funny thing was he was a DNR employee questioning the season after the incident about happened to him.

Just me...
 
I know a guy that took a deer last year during an antlerless season. It dressed at about 250lbs probably would have been a monster of a buck.
 
Iowa1 I have a question about the "Clarifying the definition for "antlerless" from horns 3-inches or less to horns 7-inches or less" rule. I was checking the DNR webpage and it states that a "antlered deer is one antler 7 inches or more". Where did the 3 inch come from?

later
Doug

PS The antlerless season is a good season, but people have to want to make it a deer management season and make good decisions on what they are shooting(250 pound deer would more than likely be a buck).
 
Chipguy,
I agree with you completely. The friend that shot that buck would have never shot it knowing it was a buck but, it was by itself about 100 yards out and it was tough for him to judge the size with nothing to compare it to, he just thought it was a big doe until he got to it. I don't think there is anything wrong with the antlerless season. Some of the landowners who's ground I hunt would like to see more of it. That said I think it is a necessary part of our deer management to keep our herd in at a good buck to doe ratio to keep producing our monster bucks.
Micah
 
Guys, when doe hunting there are a few simple rules that will help you harvest only does. First, NEVER shoot a lone deer. As we all have probably seen at this time of the year, does and fawns are always grouped up, yet bucks still stay by themselves for the most part. Second, always shoot the larger deer within a group. Most often mature does. Shots at smaller deer can result in the harvest of button bucks, and I know we would all rather see them grow up. If when you are looking at a group, and one or more of the deer are obviously MUCH larger than the rest, you might be looking at an antlerless buck. In this case, just look harder and you'll probably see within the group other deer that are not the largest but at the same time not the smallest, which should in all likelyhood be mature does. This is by no means a foolproof method, but it should help eliminate some of your problems.
 
Chipguy

3 inches used to be the law before the DNR inceased the length to 7" or more. I haven't seen the new proposals yet but I don't know what they mean by "clarifying" either.

Doug Clayton

State Conservation Officer
 
I went back and read the antlerless rule and they have already changed it into a rule on the website. That is what was confusing me, doesn't take much though. I am also wondering why they are raising the antler height if they want to encourge harvesting more does? This will just give some people more chances to harvest even more young bucks instead of taking a doe.

thanks
Doug
 
I agree with TLH - I think the late season is a bad idea. While many of us that post at this site, would be careful to let those big bodied deer go by, we are in the minority!
Most people in my area drive the deer out and have no idea what they are shooting at, nor do they care (the only good deer is a dead deer, mentality). I let several people take does on my property at that time, but they hunt alone and take care to only shoot a doe.
As long as there are too many deer in some area's, I think the DNR will have a late season - but I still don't like it!
PLK
 
i agree with plk,late season doe hunts are a poor way to control what is taken.an example; last year 2000 in northern missouri i know of a farm just south of where i hunt they took 8 deer in 2 days. four were bucks and two were nice size deer that allready lost their horns.also last weekend i found a button buck on my property that they also shot and did not find! that makes five bucks that wont be around next year!
 
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