Iowa DNR Biologist Conversation

[swat1018]

Here is the thing I dont really understand. Annual harvest is 100,000 to 120,000 out of a population of 400,000 to 450,000. Iowa hunters are harvesting 20/25% of the deer population annually. Exactly the same percentage as AR. Same as most states. Most state’s DNR’s harvest goals are 20/25%. Iowa is not leaving more deer in the woods, percentage wise, than any other state.

If the goal is a 25% harvest, like Iowa - is it worse, biologically speaking, if firearms hunters take 60% of the harvest, compound hunters take 20% of the harvest, and crossbow hunters take 20% - or is it worse if firearms hunters take 70% of the harvest and compound hunters take 30% of the harvest and no crossbow hunting - but the harvest is still 25% of the deer population - either way - same number of dead deer?

my opinion is - and it basically means nothing - I have never deer hunted Iowa - their regulations are not set with the intention of growing big bucks - they are set with the intention of killing approx 20-25% of the overall deer population at approximately a 1:1 harvest ratio of bucks to does. The fact they only allow the use of shotguns or muzzle loaders, shorter modern gun seasons, no baiting, no dog hunting, no firearm rut hunting - is to keep the harvest in the 20-25% of the total population range. They have a minimal amount of deer cover and must have restrictive harvest regulations to prevent overharvest.

Western half of Iowa
View attachment 82827

The reason AR allows three to six week rifle seasons, during rut, two buck limits, baiting, 5 months crossbow, straight walled cart during primitive weapons season, and dog running - is to keep the harvest in the 20-25% of the total population range. The reason AR can be less restrictive, and harvest the same percentage of overall population, is cover is everywhere outside the delta.

Western half of Arkansas

View attachment 82828

The average 5.5 yr old buck in my area scores 115” according to g&f biological data. 4.5 yr old bucks average 112.5”. On my 400 acres, I have what I believe to be 7 mature 4.5-6.5 yr old bucks. There is not one that will break 150”. One will barely break 100”. Average probably about 125”. If my property was in Iowa, with seven mature bucks from 4.5 to 6.5 year old - what would I expect to have in antler quality?

When you don't gun hunt during the peak ruts, a by-product is the big bucks aren't killed as easily, contributing to a better age structure. IMO.

 

[bwoods11]

Iowa has zero gun hunting seasons during November ! This is huge, it makes a big difference. They offer plenty of seasons overall to kill deer, but not during the rut !

Genetics does help, it’s not uncommon to see a 150 inch 3 yr old .

 

[escpen]

When you don't gun hunt during the peak ruts, a by-product is the big bucks aren't killed as easily, contributing to a better age structure. IMO.

And Iowa doesn’t seem to be willing to open up crossbows in archery season to further contribute to better age structure. Good on ‘em for that.

 

[Howboutthemdawgs]

People are trying. But good folks like skip sligh are leading the charge to preserve archery and quality hunting.

 

[escpen]

People are trying. But good folks like skip sligh are leading the charge to preserve archery and quality hunting.

The organization leading a similar charge in NY held the line for decades. Unfortunately, the lobbyists won this year … to cheers from a number of hunters (“the weapon other hunters choose has no impact on how you hunt”) who don’t realize that the slope just got even more slippery.

 

[Howboutthemdawgs]

The organization leading a similar charge in NY held the line for decades. Unfortunately, the lobbyists won this year … to cheers from a number of hunters (“the weapon other hunters choose has no impact on how you hunt”) who don’t realize that the slope just got even more slippery.

That’s sad and such a bs line. If the weapon doesn’t matter just make it any weapons from opening day to closing day. And until deer can recognize property lines, what my number hunts absolutely effects me

 

[SwampCat]

That’s sad and such a bs line. If the weapon doesn’t matter just make it any weapons from opening day to closing day. And until deer can recognize property lines, what my number hunts absolutely effects me

Yes, I guess the weapon does matter. If the goal was to kill 100,000 deer in Iowa, and the only weapon allowed was a crossbow - they would most likely not reach their goal. But theoretically, if the goal is 100,000 dead deer, and 100,000 deer were killed in the allotted time frame - what does it matter what they were killed with - from a biological standpoint?

 

[SwampCat]

Iowa has zero gun hunting seasons during November ! This is huge, it makes a big difference. They offer plenty of seasons overall to kill deer, but not during the rut !

Genetics does help, it’s not uncommon to see a 150 inch 3 yr old .

I agree. If they opened gun season during rut - they would probably have to cut their gun season in half - because of more buck movement during rut - especially more mature buck movement. A biologist I talked to down here estimated if our season was moved out of the rut, we would kill half as many bucks. If that happened, we probably would not reach harvest goal - but we would have a lot more bucks in the herd

 

[SwampCat]

Iowa has zero gun hunting seasons during November ! This is huge, it makes a big difference. They offer plenty of seasons overall to kill deer, but not during the rut !

Genetics does help, it’s not uncommon to see a 150 inch 3 yr old .

That last sentence is exactly what I am getting at. If it was not uncommon for a 3 yr old to score 150, we would have numbers of 150’s - and bigger - to choose from. Our season structure, outside the cwd zone, what with five or six week rifle seasons, rifle season during the rut, baiting, 5 month crossbows, dog running, 2 buck - limit still allows for numbers of mature deer. Our problem is not mature deer. It is antlers.

Of all things that Iowa’s season structure is supposed to be - I would not care about any of it if we had the same nutrition and genetics