Bills › 89th General Assembly
Relating to deer population management, and including effective date and retroactive applicability provisions
Where it is now
- Done: IntroducedFebruary 18, 2021
- Done: SubcommitteeFebruary 22, 2021
- Done: Senate committeeFebruary 25, 2021
- Skipped: Passes the SenateContinued as SF 464
- Next: House committee
- Next: Passes the House
- Next: To the Governor
- Next: Signed into law
Became SF 464 → Its progress continues under the new number. Go to SF 464 What’s a funnel?
What’s in it
AI summary People convicted of illegally taking or possessing an antlerless deer will now pay a $50 fine instead of $1,500. The Department of Natural Resources must also charge a $2 fee for deer depredation licenses and study how deer populations affect crops, diseases, and car accidents. Additionally, the state will allow certain rifles to be used during the January antlerless deer hunting season.1
Read the official explanation
This bill relates to deer population management. Current law provides that a person convicted of unlawfully selling, taking, catching, killing, injuring, destroying, or having in possession an antlerless deer shall reimburse the state $1,500. The bill removes antlerless deer from the provision that sets the reimbursement value at $1,500. Because damages are not otherwise prescribed for an antlerless deer, a person convicted of unlawfully selling, taking, catching, killing, injuring, destroying, or having in possession an antlerless deer shall reimburse the state $50. This provision takes effect upon enactment and applies retroactively to July 1, 2020, to persons convicted on or after that date for unlawfully selling, taking, catching, killing, injuring, destroying, or having in possession an antlerless deer.130, subsection 1, paragraph “c”. In administering and enforcing administrative rules relating to deer depredation, the bill requires the department of natural resources (DNR) to require payment of a $2 fee for the issuance of a deer depredation license or permit. The bill also requires DNR to allow deer depredation tags to be filled in the months of September, October, November, and December, in addition to any other time that DNR finds necessary. Under current law, deer hunting licenses are allocated by zones and counties. The bill requires the natural resource commission to make available for use in a January antlerless deer hunting season all unsold antlerless deer hunting licenses that have been allocated for use in a specific county.500 inches and with a published or calculated muzzle energy of 500 foot pounds or higher. The bill requires DNR to conduct a deer population study to determine the estimated deer population in each county in this state. The bill requires DNR to review and provide scientific data relating to the environmental impact of excessive deer populations, including the impact to crops and trees, review information relating to the spread of disease in deer and other wildlife populations, and include information on property loss, medical costs, and fatalities due to deer-vehicle accidents. The bill requires DNR to work with relevant representatives from the Iowa state university of science and technology, the department of transportation, and the insurance division of the department of commerce. Expenses for conducting the study shall be paid from the fish and wildlife protection fund. The bill requires DNR to submit a report to the general assembly by January 1, 2022.
Changed since by amendments S-5147, S-5121, H-8348, H-8347, H-8346, H-8345, H-8335, S-3093; see Amendments.
Senate subcommittee
Named February 22, 2021. On February 23, 2021 it recommended passage.
Three legislators hear a bill first and recommend what the committee should do; it’s the best time to weigh in. How to take part
Fiscal note
AI summary This bill changes rules for antlerless deer management, adjusts certain hunting and fishing license fees, and requires a deer population study every three years. In the first year, the changes are expected to result in a net loss of approximately $22,400 for the state. The bill will cause a permanent annual reduction of approximately $29,000 to the Fish and Wildlife Trust Fund and a recurring cost of $150,000 every three years to the Fish and Wildlife Protection Fund to pay for the required study.3
Read the fiscal note
Description
Senate File 581 makes several changes regarding antlerless deer population management. Under current law, a person convicted of unlawfully selling, taking, catching, killing, injuring, destroying, or having in possession an antlerless deer shall reimburse the State $1,500. The Bill reduces the reimbursement value of antlerless deer from $1,500 to $750, a reduction of $750 per antlerless deer.
The Bill sets depredation license and permit fees at $5 (currently $15) and directs the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to allow licenses and permits issued under the Bill to be used during September, October, November, and December, at minimum. The Bill directs unsold antlerless deer licenses in each county to be made available during a January antlerless deer only hunting season.
The Bill requires the DNR to conduct a triennial deer population study by county. The study is to provide information on population impacts such as crops and trees, disease spread, and deer-vehicle collision impacts such as property loss, medical costs, and fatalities. The funding for the study is to come from the Fish and Wildlife Protection Fund, and the first study is to be completed and a report submitted to the General Assembly by October 1, 2024. The Bill increases the number of nonresident deer hunting licenses to 125 including increasing the number of special hunting licenses available to nonresident disabled veterans under Iowa Code section 483A.24 to 75 deer hunting licenses and 25 turkey hunting licenses. The Bill also amends Iowa Code section 483A.24 by allowing a person who qualifies for the disabled veteran homestead credit under Iowa Code section 425.15 to be eligible to purchase a lifetime trout fishing license.
Assumptions
- The number of illegal harvest penalties will remain similar to FY 2020 at 11.
- The number of depredation licenses sold will remain similar to FY 2021 at 3,794.
- There will be an annual loss of revenue, as qualified veterans may purchase lifetime trout licenses instead of annual licenses.
- There will be an increase of 1,272 antlerless deer licenses sold during the January antlerless seasons.
Fiscal Impact
First Year
- A reduction of $750 in revenue per illegal harvest (11) is expected, for a total of approximately $8,000.
- A reduction of $10 in revenue per depredation license (3,794) is expected, for a total of approximately $38,000.
- A reduction in annual sales of $12.50 trout licenses (114) as a result of qualified veterans purchasing lifetime licenses instead is expected, for a total of approximately $1,400.
- An increase in revenue from an increase in the number of $15 antlerless deer licenses sold (1,272) due to changes in the January antlerless season is expected, for a total of approximately $19,000 in revenue.
Recurring
It will cost an estimated $150,000 to conduct a study every three years, assuming a contract with Iowa State University Cooperative Extension Service.
The change will cause a permanent reduction of approximately $29,000 to the Fish and Wildlife Trust Fund annually. The study will create a recurring cost of $150,000 every three years to the Fish and Wildlife Protection Fund. The table below shows the three-year cycle of the fiscal impact of SF 581.
Source
- Department of Natural Resources
How the estimate changed
- $150,000 April 6, 2021
- $150,000 April 27, 2021
- $38,000 April 11, 2022
- $38,000 May 4, 2022
- $38,000 June 27, 2022 · final
- Final Fiscal Note — Fishing and Hunting Licenses and Permits · June 27, 2022 · $38,000
- Fishing and Hunting Licenses and Permits · May 4, 2022 · $38,000
- Fishing and Hunting Licenses and Permits · April 11, 2022 · $38,000
- Antlerless Deer · April 27, 2021 · $150,000
- Antlerless Deer · April 6, 2021 · $150,000
Family tree
89th General Assembly