Governor Branstad Rescinds Iowa Shot Shell Ruling

Governor Terry Branstad, a member of the Governors Sportsmen’s Caucus, has permanently rescinded a provision of the Iowa Department of Natural Resources dove season rule that prohibits the use of traditional ammunition. The executive order was a result of the Iowa senate’s inaction on SJR 2001, a legislative resolution to rescind the ban. Although the resolution passed committee, and was joined on the Senate floor by a successful house companion bill (HJR 2001), the resolutions never came up for a full Senate vote prior to the conclusion of the 2012 legislative session. As a result, Governor Branstad decided to take immediate action on behalf of Iowa hunters.

Last year saw the first dove season in Iowa since 1918, following passage of a dove hunting bill that Senator Dick Dearden (Iowa Sportsmen’s Caucus Co-Chair) had championed for twelve years. The legislative intent of the dove bill did not include a ban on traditional lead ammunition because such a ban was not based on science and would create an undue burden on Iowa’s hunters. In fact, an amendment to ban traditional ammunition was offered during the 2011 legislative debate and was soundly defeated. Still, the IA DNR Commissioners decided to implement the ban while setting the new season regulations last July. Fortunately, the provision of the rule to ban traditional ammunition was ultimately deferred back to the legislature by the Administrative Rules Review Committee, and Iowans were able to enjoy last fall’s historic dove season unhindered.

“There’s no evidence whatsoever that it hurts any population or any species of animals,” Dearden said, noting that the cost of alternative ammunition can be more expensive and harder to find. “Frankly, I think they (the commission) went way beyond (their role to set rules). The NRC was making law.”

The legislature once again took up the traditional ammunition ban at the beginning of the 2012 legislative session by introducing two joint resolutions (HJR 2001 and SJR 2001) to permanently rescind the ban. HJR 2001 passed the full House on February 2nd, while SJR 2001 passed out of committee on January 25th. However, because the resolution failed to pass in the Senate prior to the conclusion of the legislative session on May 9th, the ban on traditional ammunition would have become law for the 2012 dove season and each dove season thereafter.

In order to prevent a permanent ban on traditional ammunition for Iowa dove hunters, Governor Terry Branstad issued the executive order rescinding the measure early this morning. Sportsmen and women in Iowa and across the nation applaud Governor Branstad for ensuring that natural resource management is based on sound science and for safeguarding the use of traditional ammunition.

Senator Dearden and Governor Branstad are members of the Iowa Sportsmen’s Caucus and Governor’s Sportsmen’s Caucus (GSC), respectively, which work in affiliation with the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF) to support and promote pro-sportsmen legislation within the states. These caucuses, organized under CSF, provide sportsmen the access and voice within their state legislatures. Ultimately, these caucuses and CSF provide protection against legislative attacks on hunting and fishing, such as lead ammunition bans, and deliver results for the advancement of sportsmen’s interests in the political arena. Click here to learn more about CSF and the caucuses.

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Iowa Sportsmen, Retailers, and Business Leaders Join Forces to Promote Hunting

A broad group of local and regional leaders representing Iowa chambers of commerce, convention and visitors bureaus, sporting organizations, small businesses, and retailers today announced the launch of the Hunting Works for Iowa partnership. Stressing the major impact hunting has on Iowa’s economy, the organization pointed to sportsmen and women as key drivers of in-state commerce.

“Governor Branstad and I are both excited to see a group like Hunting Works for Iowa come together. Every industry that helps Iowa grow and prosper is important to us, and make no mistake that includes hunting,” said Lt. Governor Reynolds. “The economic benefit that hunting brings to our state is far too important to be overlooked, and we are pleased that this group has been formed to highlight the economic engine that hunting has become to our local and state economies.”

According to the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation, each year 251,000 people hunt in Iowa. Iowa hunters spend over $288 million each year and the resulting economic impact translates to $23.4 million in state and local taxes, 6,200 Iowa jobs and a $359.5 million ripple effect on the state economy.

Jim Henter, Co-Chairman of HWFIA and president of the Iowa Retail Federation, applauded Hunting Works for Iowa for bringing the economic impact of hunting to the forefront. “Countless retail stores across Iowa benefit from hunter dollars every year – convenience stores, roadside diners, sporting good, hardware and clothing stores – every single one and many more see huge increases in profits during hunting season,” said Henter.

According to HWFIA this pattern of spending happens all over the state, with each hunter spending on average $1,140 dollars per season on trip related expenses such as lodging, food and gas.

“We joined this effort because we know first hand how important hunting is to the economy of Clear Lake and the state as a whole,” said Libbey Patton, HWFIA Co-Chair and the tourism director for the Clear Lake Area Chamber of Commerce. “Hunters bring a lot of money to our town and many others and that results directly in more jobs and more tax revenue at the local level.”

The newly formed Hunting Works for Iowa partnership has more than 45 partner organizations and will be adding dozens more in the weeks and months to come. The effort is being supported by organizations such as the National Shooting Sports Foundation.

“The HWFIA partners have joined this effort because they understand that hunting plays an important role in our economy and our heritage,” said co-chair Steve Ries, owner of Top Gun Kennel in Central City. “This year marks the 75th anniversary of the Pittman-Robertson Act, which is an 11 percent excise tax on all hunting equipment. This money is used to conserve and restore habitat which benefits non-game species as well as anyone who loves the outdoors. But many people don’t always understand that the bulk of the money that pays for wildlife areas comes from hunters and that hunters are just as deeply concerned with conservation as anyone else; which is why I am so pleased to be a co-chair of this organization and help spread the word that everyone sees a benefit from a robust hunting and shooting industry in Iowa.”

The HWFIA partnership will monitor public policy decisions and weigh in on hunting-related issues that impact Iowa’s economy and any jobs derived from the sport. Hunting Works for Iowa will serve as a vehicle to facilitate important public policy dialogue and to tell the story of how Iowa’s hunting heritage positively effects conservation and jobs throughout the state.

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Pheasants Forever Hires New Iowa State Coordinator

Pheasants Forever (PF) announces Tom Fuller, formerly Pheasants Forever’s Regional Representative in eastern Iowa, as the organization’s new Iowa State Coordinator. In his new position, Fuller will be responsible for the long-term strategic implementation of Pheasants Forever’s conservation mission in Iowa.

“Tom brings a skill set and local knowledge to a new position within Iowa that is designed to lead the Pheasants Forever team to even greater accomplishments for Iowa pheasants, quail and other wildlife,” says Rick Young, Pheasants Forever Vice President of Field Operations, “This position will open new opportunities for Pheasants Forever as we implement a structure that allows us to better pursue new and expanded partnerships, habitat programs, development opportunities and team growth.”

“In my new role as State Coordinator, I plan to capitalize on the incredible chapter and partner support Pheasants Forever and our quail division, Quail Forever, have in Iowa and leverage dollars towards specific results for Iowa’s wildlife and landscape,” said Tom Fuller, “We cannot have a haphazard approach to Iowa’s conservation future if we are to increase our wildlife populations. To see major results, we will need a direct and focused plan. I know that with our unbelievable chapter support, this goal is possible, and I hope all Iowans support us in keeping Iowa’s outdoors wild and landscape healthy.”

A native of Springville, Iowa, Fuller grew up in an upland hunting family. His father, Roy Fuller, was a champion dog trainer, which accounts for Fuller’s own passion for bird dogs. Since 2001, he has owned and operated Covey Rise Kennels, which specializes in breeding and training American Brittanys. Fuller began his employment with Pheasants Forever in August 2006 as a Regional Representative for eastern Iowa. Since that time, he has been a leader on Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever’s field team with innovative ideas, a passion for the organization’s mission and an unlimited vision for how to improve future conservation efforts.

“As an Iowan, I am proud of the welcoming outdoor culture our state is known for,” said Fuller, “In a time when doors are being closed off to hunters, Iowa landowners still accept those people who knock on their doors, looking for somewhere to experience the outdoors. We treasure our wildlife and miss the bird numbers that we once had, and collectively, we are working hard to get back to where we once were. That is what fuels my passion for implementing Pheasants Forever’s mission in Iowa.”

Iowa is home to 20,000 Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever members and 104 combined PF/QF chapters. Fuller lives in rural Oxford, Iowa, with his wife, Jennifer, and their three children, McKenzie, Taylor, and Ty. For more information on “The Habitat Organization” in Iowa, please contact Tom Fuller at (319) 321-9775 or Email Tom.

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Iowa Commission Approves Changes to Fall Hunting Seasons

Changes to Iowa’s waterfowl, deer and furbearer seasons, were approved during the April 12 meeting of the Natural Resource Commission of the Iowa Department of Natural Resources.

The season proposals will be available for public comment in May prior to a public hearing on May 23.

Approved changes to the waterfowl regulations include a three zone, two season split with the Missouri River zone as the new third zone, and reduced Canada goose zone boundaries in some areas.

Changes to the resident deer hunting seasons this fall include reducing the county antlerless quotas by 13,000 in 20 counties, eliminating the November antlerless deer season, and shortening the January antlerless season by one week.

Approved changes to furbearer regulations include increasing the bobcat quota from 350 to 450 and river otter quota from 650 to 850.

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Iowa Early Turkey Season Preview

A mild winter. A warm spring. Iowa’s turkey hunters are primed for their days in the woods. And so are the turkeys.  Iowa’s expanded youth turkey hunting season gets underway April 7. The first of four regular seasons opens April 16 across the state.

Each year, gobblers start gobbling and strutting weeks ahead of the hunting season. This year has been no exception, with record and near record temperatures throughout March.

“They’re definitely active. I saw four different birds strutting in different areas, four days in a row,” reports DNR turkey research biologist Todd Gosselink. “Most of those birds are with hens, but they don’t initiate breeding until the photoperiod—the amount of daylight—gets longer.”

Gosselink says actual mating might be pushed up a few days perhaps, but that hens instincts guide them away from mating too early, with the prospect of a late winter cold snap or extended snow claiming March nests.

“The big change this year, though, will be visibility,” says Gosselink. “Usually, first season is fairly open; not many trees budding yet. This year, if you are anywhere near bushes you are not going to see birds off as far as you have in the past.”

And when the calling starts, he anticipates an average year for hunter success. “Probably 10,000 birds; maybe up to 12,000,” forecasts Gosselink. “The past few years, we have had average to below average reproduction. (Harvest) this year, will be real similar to 2011.”

Across the state, north central Iowa has had better hatch and poult survival conditions the last couple years. He anticipates gobbler numbers down to about the same elsewhere. Overall, the best area for seeing turkeys continues to be in southern Iowa and in the northeast counties; with more heavily wooded areas and river corridors.

“Northeast Iowa has some large tracts of timber; state forest areas, wildlife management areas,” suggests Gosselink. “The Loess Hills, in western Iowa is probably one of the better places; scenic with good turkey numbers…if you’re willing to travel.”

If hunting on public land, you might fare better by going on a weekday or walking a half mile to a mile back into the woods, instead of closer to the parking lots…to avoid the crowds.

And don’t let the early spring dissuade you from late season hunting.

In the early days, when toms are strutting and gobbling, it is tough to get them away from the hens. When those hens go off to sit on their eggs, toms often respond to your hen calls; thinking there is one more which has not started nesting yet. Often a silent tom will appear, with no thunderous gobble to announce his arrival.

Youth Season Expands

Youths younger than 16 years old when they buy their license have a second weekend, and a week in between, for their hunting in 2012. That expansion provides extra opportunity for younger hunters, especially given the fickle nature of Iowa springs. “If you have bad weather (the first weekend), you can try again the next weekend, or during the week. It gives the young hunter more opportunities for a quality hunt,” notes Gosselink.

A youth hunter must still be under the direct supervision of an adult mentor while hunting in their April 7-15 season. The mentor must have a valid turkey license for one of the spring seasons, a valid hunting license, and a valid habitat fee, if normally required. He or she must not carry a bow or gun…and be in direct company of the youth at all times. That youth tag cannot be used in any other season. Iowa’s hunting regulations explain what license/tag options for young hunters and adults.
Some hunters have questioned whether the new youth season ‘pushes back’ their days in the woods. Starting this year, the regular season starts on the Monday closest to April 15. Prior, it was the Monday closest to April 13. Gosselink says this year and the next three seasons all offer same start date as in the old structure. He emphasizes that provides several years for discussion, before a potential start that would be a week later.

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Calling All Bird Dogs for Iowa Pheasants Forever’s 2nd Annual Spring Fun Trial

Calling all bird dogs and their owners! Pheasants Forever is hosting its Spring Fun Trail on Saturday, April 21 at Highland Hideaway Hunting in Riverside, Iowa. The trial is open to pointing and flushing breeds, with all proceeds going to Pheasants Forever’s Reload Iowa effort to improve wildlife habitat and carry on Iowa’s upland hunting tradition.

Pheasants Forever’s Spring Fun Trial will include a singles (one hunter and one dog) and doubles (two hunters and one dog) division. In the singles division, hunter and dog will have 15 minutes to score on three quail, and in the doubles division, hunters and dog will have 20 minutes to score on five quail. The event is limited to the first 50 entries, and individuals and teams may enter multiple times. Prizes will be awarded for the first place winner in each division.

“Conservation efforts have always been spearheaded by hunters,” said Tom Fuller, Pheasants Forever Iowa State Coordinator, “There’s no more passionate group of hunters than bird dog owners, so it seems natural to use that passion to fuel Pheasants Forever’s Reload Iowa initiative.” One hundred percent of the proceeds from Pheasants Forever’s Spring Fun Trial will go to the Reload Iowa effort, which is Pheasants Forever’s aggressive strategy for establishing and improving 1 million acres of wildlife habitat, increasing the number of upland hunters and increasing hunting-related revenue to local communities.

The singles event is $30 per run and the doubles event is $50 per run. Clay shooting (5 stand) will be available between runs for $10. Lunch will also be available. Visit Highland Hideaway Hunting for directions. For more information about Pheasants Forever’s Spring Fun Trial, including full rules, contact Ryan at (319) 330-6165 or Tom at (319) 828-2050 / Email Tom.

Iowa is home to 102 Pheasants Forever chapters, 2 Quail Forever chapters and more than 19,000 Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever members. For more information on “The Habitat Organization” in Iowa, visit Iowa Pheasants Forever.

Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever are the nation’s largest nonprofit organizations dedicated to upland habitat conservation. Combined, Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever have more than 130,000 members and 700 local chapters across the United States and Canada. Chapters are empowered to determine how 100 percent of their locally raised conservation funds are spent, the only national conservation organization that operates through this truly grassroots structure.

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Iowa DNR to Hold Public Meetings to Discuss Fall Hunting and Fishing

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources is hosting public meetings tonight to discuss possible changes in the hunting and trapping regulations for this fall.

The changes would affect deer and waterfowl hunters as well as hunters and trappers who pursue bobcats and otters. Proposed changes would stabilize deer numbers in some areas, potentially add a third zone for waterfowl and increase the harvest number of otters and bobcats.

The list of possible changes is available online at http://www.iowadnr.gov/Portals/idnr/uploads/Hunting/proposed_changes2012.pdf

“These meetings are part of the new process instituted by Governor Branstad last year for making rules in state government,” said Dr. Dale Garner, chief of the wildlife bureau. “Any changes must be discussed with Iowa’s citizens who might be impacted by the changes. The new process helps ensure that rule changes serve the public’s wishes and do not unnecessarily impact Iowa’s economy.

“The regulation changes for deer would allow deer numbers to stabilize in areas of the state where numbers have been reduced to the department’s goal while still allowing hunters to harvest extra does in areas of the state where numbers need to be reduced,” Garner said. “Without these changes deer numbers in some areas of the state will continue to decline and Iowa will lose its standing as one of the best states for hunting whitetail deer. Failure to make these changes could adversely affect rural areas since deer hunters spend nearly $200 million annually.”

The proposed changes for the waterfowl season are due to a change by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service which now allow states to have three zones and a split waterfowl season.

“We surveyed waterfowl hunters twice in the past year and there appears to be increased interest in a third zone,” said Garner. “We need to continue these discussions to decide if this is what hunters really want to see for the next four years.”

Meetings will be held March 6, from 6 to 9 p.m. in the following cities: Ames, Burlington, Carroll, Centerville, Clear Lake, Clinton, Council Bluffs, Creston, Decorah, Fort Dodge, Johnston, La Porte City, Marshalltown, Middle Amana, Onawa, Ottumwa, Peosta, Sheldon and Spencer. Complete addresses along with the proposed regulation changes are on the DNR’s website at http://www.iowadnr.gov/Hunting.aspx.

For those who cannot make the meeting, comments can be sent to wildlife@dnr.iowa.gov.

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A Mix of Good and Bad: Warm Winter Climate Effects on the Midwest

Temperatures in the Midwest and in many other parts of the United States have been unusually high and snowfall exceptionally low for the 2011/2012 winter season. Some industries are adjusting well to the unseasonably warm temperatures, while others have taken a hit, but are not suffering.

Given that so many parts of the outdoor industry are adjusting well, what is it exactly that’s being affected?

More Food and Less Predators for Michigan Upper Peninsula Deer

According to a Feb. 21, 2012 report by Jon Gaskell for the Capital News Service, the mild winter could provide more food for deer and give deer an advantage over their predators. The population could also grow, whereas in normal winters many fawns die off within their first year in extreme cold temperatures. Old and unhealthy deer that normally fall victim to severe temperatures might make it in greater numbers as well. All this could lead to an exceptional hunting season in the fall.

Hunting and Fishing Stayed the Same in Ohio, Even Though Patterns Changed

Vicki Ervin, the communications manager for the Ohio Division of Wildlife, said this year was the first time Lake Erie didn’t freeze over for fishermen. So there were no shanties on the lake with ice-fishers in them, anglers still took to the water on their boats.

As far as hunting goes, Ervin recalled one week in January where temperatures were in the 40s and 50s. She said the kill numbers went up that week as more hunters ventured out. “It doesn’t change those things,” Ervin said, referring to hunting, “it changes the patterns of those users; they adapt to it.”

Outdoor Product Sales Take a Big and a Small Hit

The final figures on outdoor product sales presented a complex result. Because of the “unusually late and tame onset of winter”, January sales rose by a slow one percent growth, according to a report by by the Outdoor Industry Association and The SportsOneSource Group. Certain outdoor products performed better than others, such as a strong sale of footwear and apparel.

Other outdoor products were not so fortunate to have grown. TMJ4 in Brookfield, Wisconsin reported that many motorsports shops are sitting on unsold snowmobile inventory. Bob VanZeist, owner of Don & Roy’s Motorsports, said, “People aren’t riding as much so service is down, parts, consumption’s down so it’s kind of hurt across the board and it’s really created more cabin fever than we’re accustomed to.”

On a side note, snowmobile registrations are down 40 percent from last year in the state of New York.

Snowmobile Fatalities Down in Wisconsin

Todd Schaller, the conservation warden for the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, said his department has noticed less snowmobilers and ice-fishers this year. “Three weeks ago our non-residence trail pass [for snowmobiles] was down over 30 percent,” Schaller said. On a positive note, less snowmobiles means less accidents. “We have had less snowmobile fatalities, which is reflective a little bit on the volume of use,” said Schaller.

Mountain Sports Will Survive Through the Mild Winter

Surprisingly, mountain resorts seem to be affected less than expected. Both Shanty Creek Resorts and Boyne Mountain Highlands Resort (and similarly Boyne Mountain) in Michigan reported that despite a very small Christmas-time/holiday season, which is their most important, the resorts have retained enough customers in January and February to keep the business afloat. “It will not be a record year, but it will not be our worst year,” said Steve Kershner, the director of snow sports at Shany Creek Resorts.

Boyne Mountain Highlands’ natural snowfall totaled 52 inches through February, which is 30 inches less than this time last year. Compare those numbers to the 2008-09 season when total snowfall reached a higher-than-average 157 inches. Erin Ernst, the director of communications for Boyne, said the biggest problem the ski resort has experienced is actually not the snowfall, but the warm temperatures. The resorts and ski hills at Boyne have had to put additional resources into snowmaking this season to keep surface conditions at their best.

Campers Venturing Out Early

Outside of the Midwest, campers in West Virginia are already making reservations for campsites. State Parks Chief Ken Caplinger said, “This time of year, with the temperature as mild as I can remember, more campers than usual are checking the state parks website for campsite reservation forms.”

Overall, there are ups and downs in response to the warmer weather all across the board in the outdoor industry. Some hunters and the hunted are reaping the benefits while they last, while others are keeping their fingers crossed that winter 2012/2013 won’t be so warm.

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Iowa DNR to Hold Public Meeting to Discuss Fall Hunting and Trapping Regulations

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources is hosting public meetings on March 6, to discuss possible changes in the hunting and trapping regulations for this fall.

The changes would affect deer and waterfowl hunters as well as hunters and trappers who pursue bobcats and otters. Proposed changes would stabilize deer numbers in some areas, potentially add a third zone for waterfowl and increase the harvest number of otters and bobcats.

The list of possible changes is available online at http://www.iowadnr.gov/Portals/idnr/uploads/Hunting/proposed_changes2012.pdf

“These meetings are part of the new process instituted by Governor Branstad last year for making rules in state government,” said Dr. Dale Garner, chief of the wildlife bureau. “Any changes must be discussed with Iowa’s citizens who might be impacted by the changes. The new process helps ensure that rule changes serve the public’s wishes and do not unnecessarily impact Iowa’s economy.

“The regulation changes for deer would allow deer numbers to stabilize in areas of the state where numbers have been reduced to the department’s goal while still allowing hunters to harvest extra does in areas of the state where numbers need to be reduced,” Garner said. “Without these changes deer numbers in some areas of the state will continue to decline and Iowa will lose its standing as one of the best states for hunting whitetail deer. Failure to make these changes could adversely affect rural areas since deer hunters spend nearly $200 million annually.”

The proposed changes for the waterfowl season are due to a change by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service which now allow states to have three zones and a split waterfowl season.

“We surveyed waterfowl hunters twice in the past year and there appears to be increased interest in a third zone,” said Garner. “We need to continue these discussions to decide if this is what hunters really want to see for the next four years.”

Meetings will be held from 6 to 9 p.m. in the following cities: Ames, Burlington, Carroll, Centerville, Clear Lake, Council Bluffs, Creston, Decorah, Fort Dodge, Johnston, La Porte City, Marshalltown, Onawa, Ottumwa, Peosta, Sheldon and Spencer. Complete addresses along with the proposed regulation changes will be post on the DNR’s website.

For those who cannot make the meeting, comments may be sent to wildlife@dnr.iowa.gov.

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Trumpeter Swan Shot in Clayton County, Iowa

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources is looking for information on who is responsible for a trumpeter swan shot and killed over the weekend in Clayton County.

A caller to the Turn in Poachers hotline notified the DNR Sunday evening about a dead trumpeter swan floating in the Turkey River.  The dead swan was recovered about three miles west of Elkader.

The swan was one of three trumpeter swans frequently observed along the Turkey River.

Anyone with information on the shooting is encouraged to call state conservation officers Burt Walters, 563-880-0108, or Jerry Farmer, 563-880-0422, or the Turn in Poachers hotline at 1-800-532-2020. Callers can remain anonymous.

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