Relating to fishing and hunting licenses and permits

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