Iowa Bowhunters new web site

[Morning Star]

Since many of us ITBS members are also strong IBA members, I thought I'd post the new IBA website address here.

Take a gander, they did a great job with it.

  New Iowa Bowhunters Association web address

[Shaun]

Most of those folks are not shooting what I call a bow - this is supposed to be a traditional archery site.

[Morning Star]

LOL, Most of them may not be shooting what you call a bow, but they are doing more to protect your stickbow  and bowhunting in the Iowa legislature than  anyone  else.  


The IBA has yet another updated web site, very nice, take a look as I updated the link.

[Morning Star]

I should add, for a measley $20.00 a year and the huge amount of work the IBA does to promote archery, defend our rights and provides it's members with a couple of the best put together gatherings in the country.....no Iowa bowhunter has a reason not to be a member.

[Shaun]

Mike, you may be right, but this is still a 100% traditional archery site. If I wanted to hear about this crap I would be on the ***********.

[katie]

Mike-I thank you for promoting a group that fights for my bowhuntig rights!

[Biggie Hoffman]

I was a member but dropped out when I learned that the IBA lobbyed to restrict the number of Non resident deer licenses to 35% for bowhunters.
I don't get it.

Katie, do some research.

[Morning Star]

Biggie,

Who are you getting your information from?  

The 35% rule came from the IDNR.

I can post or send the IDNR info to anyone.

Sounds like you need to do some research yourself.

[Morning Star]

From the Iowa Dept. of Natural Resources.


 

35 % Rule

Yes, the nonresident quota for the Any-Deer Combo licenses (quota 6000) is split so that 35% can go to bowhunters and 65% go to firearms hunters (shotgun 1, shotgun 2, & late muzzleloader seasons).  These percentages are written into the Iowa Code in Chapter 483A.8c.

These percentages were not designed to discriminate against nonresident bowhunters, but instead, were designed to distribute the nonresident any-deer license quota among nonresident applicants.  The percentages are based on how resident Iowans purchase any-deer licenses.  At the time the Code was adopted approximately 35% of resident Iowans purchased any-deer archery licenses and 65% purchased an any-deer firearms license of some type. 

The intent of the Code was to distribute the nonresident quota for any-deer licenses in a manner similar to the way resident Iowans utilized the resource.  Part of the intent of the establishment of the nonresident any-deer quota was to allow an opportunity for family members to return home and participate in the deer hunt. 

Breaking the nonresident any-deer quota into percentages similar to how resident Iowans utilize the resource helps accomplish that goal and it also helps maintain the balance of pressure among the hunting seasons which plays an important part in creating the quality of deer hunting that Iowa is known for.

At the time the Code was adopted the shotgun season was THE deer season for the majority of Iowa residents and that still remains true today.  During the 2008/09 deer season, 31% of Iowans purchased any-deer archery licenses and 69% of Iowans purchased only any-deer firearms licenses.

The large, nationwide demand to hunt in Iowa for the purpose of harvesting a "trophy buck" combined with the knowledge that those bucks may be more vulnerable during the rut, has caused more nonresidents to apply for the archery season over one of the firearm seasons.  This makes drawing a nonresident archery license more difficult than drawing a firearms license in most zones.  This trend seems purely rut-related. 

In the neighboring states of Minnesota, Missouri, and Wisconsin where the firearms season is during the rut and nonresidents are not limited, nonresident firearms any-deer license sales far outnumber nonresident archery sales and more closely match how residents of those states purchase deer licenses.  In Minnesota for example, during the 2008 season, nonresidents purchased almost 8 times more firearm licenses than they did archery licenses.  Also in 2008, about 40% more nonresident bowhunters hunted in Iowa than in Minnesota. 

In Iowa, without the percentage allotment between archery and firearms seasons, nonresident any-deer license allocations between seasons would be far different than those of resident Iowans.

How the Draw Works
During the draw, the quota for each zone to be allotted for the archery season is determined and the nonresident any-deer archery season draw is conducted FIRST.  All bowhunter applications are considered in order of preference points, then by zone preference, until the nonresident archery quota is filled (35%) or the system runs out of bow season applicants. 

Then the nonresident firearms draw is conducted.  The only way for nonresident firearm applicants to receive more than 65% of the any-deer quota is if enough bowhunters do not apply to fill 35% of the quota.  This has never happened in Iowa and, to my knowledge, the 35% has always been met during the first round of drawings.  This means that there is enough first-choice bowhunter applicants for each zone to fill the archery quota.

 

[Biggie Hoffman]

Mike, I did the research. Talked with the IBA President at the time. Kept the newsletters with the info in it for along time until I realized my selfishness wasn't going to change anything. It isn't fair for a non resident to have any say in the rules, I can appreciate that. The conflict I saw was that the Iowa BOWHUNTERS Association didn't lobby for more BOWHUNTERS, resident or no.

Mike, I don't want to start an argument here. Sometimes I should just keep my mouth shut. Maybe this shoulda been one of them.

[Morning Star]

I don't want to argue either, but I am obligated to set this story straight.  In your first post you stated....

   

the IBA lobbyed to restrict the number of Non resident deer licenses to 35% for bowhunters.
 

That same statement has unfortunately been passed around on a number of internet bowhunting forums. It has led many people to believe the IBA is directly responsible for creating the 35% rule.

The IBA has taken a-lot of uneeded heat over this false information.

If folks take time to read the IDNR statement above they will see 35% license restriction was created by the IDNR in IDNR deer management planning.

[Biggie Hoffman]

OK, so tell me this why ISN'T the IBA lobbying FOR a higher percentage of bow licenses?

[Morning Star]

To my knowledge, the general membership has not brought this issue to the board and requested them to move on it.

 

MY OPINION....NOT NECESSARILY ANYONE ELSES IN THE IBA

You have the issue mentioned above, where people apply for bow tags in this State just so they can hunt our rut. Having all the tags availible for archery season would create alot of extra pressure during the rut, which also goes against IDNR deer managment philosophy.

I feel people also believe non resident bowhunting will increase commercialization, privitization and just overall general competition for access to Iowa hunting ground at a faster rate than gun hunting.  People know bowhunters are passionate and it's easy to see how much bowhunters fuel the outfitting and leasing in Illinois and Kansas.

Given these and the constant turmoil over non resident licensure in this State, I don't think anyone wants to make a move (if ever) until they see where things pan out on other fronts.  We have sustainable natural resource funding on the 2010 ballot. We have a group of non resident landowners lobbying and threatening lawsuits against the State for licenses.  A new Governor appointed Deer Study Commision with lots of non hunting interests on it.
To much uncertainty in the future.

Sometimes I just can't believe what people will do so they can kill a big deer.  Some pretty ugly stuff goes on in this State concerning deer hunting.

So, you think you have an easy answer here....it's not all just about bowhunters.  We look next door to see what happened in Illinois where non residents are allowed free range.  Land access is horrible for residents and the herd quality has suffered.

But.....long live the trophy buck, nothing matters more than killing a big deer right!?  :rolleyes:  

-------------------------------------------------
 Again, the above is MY opinion.....not IBA stance.

If you'd like an official answer to your question Biggie, I suggest you contact a board member.  I see you are still listed as a life member.

[Biggie Hoffman]

All good points Mike and I gotta say I agree.
Except the last post about killing big bucks at any cost  :-) (I know you're being sarcastic)
Protecting the resource should always be priority one. That IS what makes Iowa hunting what it is.


  :D    :D

[Morning Star]

 All good points Mike and I gotta say I agree.

Just had to make sure I read that right.      :D