Speaking as one who recently experienced direct contact with a large deer on Ankeny’s Irvinedale Road, I join many who are concerned about the growing deer population in Iowa. It has become common to see deer carcasses along the primary roads, as well as to observe the increasing number of deer populating urban streets and back yards. HF 304, a bill designed to increase and to more accurately count the number of deer taken, attempts to address many of these concerns.
As in any public policy decision, there is a need to strike a balance. In an attempt to thin the deer herd, the Department of Natural Resources Commission must be careful to not thin it too much (it’s hard for me to imagine this right now). Weighing the economic impact of granting licenses to out-of-state hunters, the DNR Commission must also not impede the ability of in-state hunters to hunt in their home state. Also to be taken into account is how many licenses should be granted for antlered deer (a buck, usually more desired) versus antlerless deer (a doe, usually less desired).
Probably the key component of the bill is the requirement that any out-of-state resident purchasing an antlered deer license for $150 will now be required to purchase an antlerless or any sex deer hunting license for a reduced fee of $100 resulting in total fees of $250. The DNR Commission will be limited to issuing 6,000 non-resident antlered or any sex deer hunting licenses per year. After those licenses have been issued, another 2,500 additional licenses may be issued for antlerless deer only. Non-resident deer hunting licenses issued will be allocated by the Commission among geographic zones based upon the population of deer in that zone. For the owner or tenant of a farm and their family, the Commission can issue without fee one antlered or any sex deer license and one antlerless deer only license.
The DNR Commission may establish special season deer hunts for antlerless deer in those counties where deer population management is needed.
To gain a better idea of the actual deer population, HF 304 requires the Commission to establish a deer harvest reporting system to collect information from deer hunters concerning the deer population in the state.
Last year the Legislature initiated the Help Us Stop Hunger, or HUSH, program. This program allowed hunters to voluntarily contribute their deer to a participating meat locker to be processed with the meat contributed to an Iowa Prison. The program has been very successful as many hunters are willing to donate the meat and the prisons are able to provide a high quality meat product at a reduced cost. This year’s HF 304 would require all hunters to pay an additional $1 when purchasing a hunting license to help pay for the processing of the deer meat.
HF 304 appears to be a good step toward encouraging hunters to take more antlerless deer, preserving the economic benefits of hunting to the state, and also allowing landowners to reasonably hunt their own property. As we move forward, we need a better understanding of the number of deer in Iowa. This balanced piece of legislation will hopefully garner enough support to make its way to the Governor’s desk.
E-mail: carmine.boal@legis.state.ia.us
Home Address: 3301 SW Timber Green Road, Ankeny
Home Phone: 964-3335 · Capitol Phone: 281-3238
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