Iowa deer regulations

It is time the hunters voice there concerns on deer limits next year.The last 2 years has been extremely liberal on deer tags and its really lowered our deer numbers. In what I have witnessed and been told by a few DNR officials is the numbers are down and the sad thing is I believe they want them lower.The insurance companys will be out in force and I think we should be heard also.In my opion maintaining a deer herd that allows a hunter 3 deer a year 2 bow and 1 gun or vise versa is what the majority of hunters want and at this rate we will be drawing for doe tags again.Its the time of year that most peoples minds are on fishing but unfornulatly this is when they set seasons etc

Joe,do you really think Iowa deer #’s are down? I have never seen as many deer in my life as the last few years.I think we have a very healthy population.
Ryan Hale

Joe,do you really think Iowa deer #’s are down? I have never seen as many deer in my life as the last few years.I think we have a very healthy population.
Ryan Hale

I know in our area we havent been seeing the numbers we were seeing 5 years ago. I know part of the reason was losing 500 acres of river bottom. This year we only tagged 4 deer out of 8, I only hunted 1/2 a day but its the first time in 20 years I didnt at least have a shot opening moring. I saw a total of 2 deer on 3 different farms.
In 2001 when I got the buck on my wall I saw 156 deer that day, So yes I belive numbers are falling but still better today than when I started hunting when just seeing a deer was a succesfull day or season for that matter.

I know in our area we havent been seeing the numbers we were seeing 5 years ago. I know part of the reason was losing 500 acres of river bottom. This year we only tagged 4 deer out of 8, I only hunted 1/2 a day but its the first time in 20 years I didnt at least have a shot opening moring. I saw a total of 2 deer on 3 different farms.
In 2001 when I got the buck on my wall I saw 156 deer that day, So yes I belive numbers are falling but still better today than when I started hunting when just seeing a deer was a succesfull day or season for that matter.

Hey guys,

From a die hard bowhunter who keeps very detailed records of deer sightings and such, our numbers in northwest Iowa are unquestionably down right now. Our local DNR guys agree…especially in the northern and northwest zones. The average citizen sees groups of 40 or 50 this time of year and thinks we have more deer than ever, but this is simply their normal yarding behavior and represents a higher percentage of county deer than you would ordinarily see at one time. They are talking about reduction or perhaps elimination of the county antlerless quotas up here for next year. Even though I’ve enjoyed filling many doe tags the last couple of years, I’m in favor of this. Unfortunately, the insurance lobby and Farm Bureau are much more influential in determining these sorts of things.

Dale

Hey guys,

From a die hard bowhunter who keeps very detailed records of deer sightings and such, our numbers in northwest Iowa are unquestionably down right now. Our local DNR guys agree…especially in the northern and northwest zones. The average citizen sees groups of 40 or 50 this time of year and thinks we have more deer than ever, but this is simply their normal yarding behavior and represents a higher percentage of county deer than you would ordinarily see at one time. They are talking about reduction or perhaps elimination of the county antlerless quotas up here for next year. Even though I’ve enjoyed filling many doe tags the last couple of years, I’m in favor of this. Unfortunately, the insurance lobby and Farm Bureau are much more influential in determining these sorts of things.

Dale

There is one tag that the DNR that really does not reflect the deer harvest and thats the landowner tag.Thelast couple years they have been able to get a bunch of tags so when you read on how many bonus tags there are it does not reflect the true picture.Unfornatly many landowners are having these tags filled by people that are allowed to hunt there property.The unfornate part of this is if the hunter won,t fill his tag then they will find someone that will and the ole honest guy is looking for a place to hunt.I do not try to come off as a anti DNR person but they will be the first to tell you that the pressure they recieve is from lobbyist and not hunters.When you here a county had 150 bonus tags you could probaly triple that with the land owner tags. And yes I believe the landowners should get free tags but I believe the over all harvest is not being told

There is one tag that the DNR that really does not reflect the deer harvest and thats the landowner tag.Thelast couple years they have been able to get a bunch of tags so when you read on how many bonus tags there are it does not reflect the true picture.Unfornatly many landowners are having these tags filled by people that are allowed to hunt there property.The unfornate part of this is if the hunter won,t fill his tag then they will find someone that will and the ole honest guy is looking for a place to hunt.I do not try to come off as a anti DNR person but they will be the first to tell you that the pressure they recieve is from lobbyist and not hunters.When you here a county had 150 bonus tags you could probaly triple that with the land owner tags. And yes I believe the landowners should get free tags but I believe the over all harvest is not being told

Here they’re called depredation tags, and they are purchased by hunters who have received permission to hunt that particular farmer’s land. They were not intended to be filled by the landowner only, but to be used as a tool by the landowner to reduce the deer herd in pocket areas. I filled 2 myself this season, and I agree Joe, this practice effectively multiplies the county quota several times over…at least in the northern zones anyway.

Here they’re called depredation tags, and they are purchased by hunters who have received permission to hunt that particular farmer’s land. They were not intended to be filled by the landowner only, but to be used as a tool by the landowner to reduce the deer herd in pocket areas. I filled 2 myself this season, and I agree Joe, this practice effectively multiplies the county quota several times over…at least in the northern zones anyway.

Here in North East Iowa, our deer heard is at a record high.I spend countless hours in the woods every year hunting deer with my bow.I have seen more deer in the last 5 years than ever befor.Our doe to buck ratio is way out of hand we need to keep taking the does to help our herd.I shot 3 does my self this year and 4 the last.I am all for the extra doe tags.With a better buck to doe ratio you will have a better herd and also better bucks.I would even go for a earn a buck season were you would have to harvest a doe befor a buck.I know the weekend warrior who only hunts one time a year during the shot gun seasone would cry about this,but they have no reason too because they are not out there enough to see how strong the heard is.So if a guy wants some meat harvest a doe and let the little buck go so he will grow.Get the buck to doe ratio to were it should be in the long run it will help.Just my 2 cents.

Here in North East Iowa, our deer heard is at a record high.I spend countless hours in the woods every year hunting deer with my bow.I have seen more deer in the last 5 years than ever befor.Our doe to buck ratio is way out of hand we need to keep taking the does to help our herd.I shot 3 does my self this year and 4 the last.I am all for the extra doe tags.With a better buck to doe ratio you will have a better herd and also better bucks.I would even go for a earn a buck season were you would have to harvest a doe befor a buck.I know the weekend warrior who only hunts one time a year during the shot gun seasone would cry about this,but they have no reason too because they are not out there enough to see how strong the heard is.So if a guy wants some meat harvest a doe and let the little buck go so he will grow.Get the buck to doe ratio to were it should be in the long run it will help.Just my 2 cents.