Land Owners & Producers
Iowa landowners and producers not only provide habitat and food for whitetail deer, they also play a vital role in managing Iowa’s whitetail resource by providing hunters access to their land. Without this access, the management tools currently being employed by our state wildlife biologists would be ineffective. We are indeed fortunate to live in a state where a knock on the door and a handshake may still result in permission to hunt on private lands. IWF recognizes this critical balance and the importance that landowners and producers have to our mission.
The economic benefits of Iowa’s deer population are significant and widespread. When populations are not properly managed however, landowners and producers take the brunt economically. Deer sanctuaries or areas with limited hunter access cause local deer densities to skyrocket. Crop damage can then become very significant to a producer’s bottom line. Over browse in our woodland ecosystems can have significant and lasting effects to landowners. Some urban landowners must use costly fencing to protect gardens and sensitive areas or face the loss of expensive landscaping. These are just a few ways that an improperly managed deer herd can have a negative impact on landowners and producers, rural or urban.
The Iowa DNR wisely instituted herd reduction strategies in 2003. These strategies have resulted in an annual doe harvest that is 90% higher than the 2002 doe harvest. The state’s current management objective is to have a stable deer herd at mid to late 1990’s levels by 2011. This is believed to be the most favorable level among all the stakeholder groups surveyed. The recent analysis of the state’s deer management program submitted to the governor and general assembly in January 2009 indicates that out of 20 game management units, 8 are now at or near stated deer management goals, 9 are trending downward but are still above deer management goals and 3 units have slowed or stopped growth but need to further increase harvest to meet the management goals by 2011.
IWF is encouraged by the state’s progress toward proper herd management and the results achieved thus far. We also recognize that politics too often work against sound wildlife biology and overall public interest during the legislative session. In the executive summary of the deer management analysis it indicates that “There is some evidence that the current regulations for nonresidents have concentrated nonresident hunters and/or landowners in some counties. The sizes of the hunting zones need to be reduced to redirect and equalize hunting pressure across the state”. This politically correct statement indicates that there are currently small areas within our state with herd management issues caused by loss of hunter access and doe harvest. This is undoubtedly negatively impacting the local landowners and producers. In light of this fact, IWF is concerned with IDNR’s annual attempts to double the number of non-resident license for Iowa. Over commercialization of this public resource will deny hunter land access that must be maintained for the state’s management strategies to work properly. IWF will strive to maintain the proper balance in management of our whitetail resource to the betterment of landowners and producers as a whole.
If you would like to support the mission and goals of “Iowa Whitetails Forever” please register now. Click the link below or visit our registration page. By registering you will receive email notifications about the legislative efforts of special interest groups that serve to undermine our current system. You will learn what you can do to make your voice heard and keep our whitetail resource strong. A very small effort on our part now may make a significant impact in our state’s future.
