ARC 5032C
NATURAL RESOURCE COMMISSION[571]
Notice of Intended Action
Proposing rule making related to deer hunting by residents
and providing an opportunity for public comment
The Natural Resource Commission (Commission) hereby proposes to amend Chapter 106, “Deer Hunting by Residents,” Iowa Administrative Code.
Legal Authority for Rule Making
This rule making is proposed under the authority provided in Iowa Code sections 455A.5(6), 481A.39 and 481A.48(1).
State or Federal Law Implemented
This rule making implements, in whole or in part, Iowa Code sections 481A.39 and 481A.48(1).
Purpose and Summary
Chapter 106, which governs deer hunting by residents in the state of Iowa, sets regulations for deer hunting and includes season dates, bag limits, possession limits, shooting hours, areas open to hunting, licensing procedures, means and methods of take, and transportation and reporting requirements.
This rule making proposes three amendments to Chapter 106. First, general deer licenses would be reestablished as valid in seven counties (Cerro Gordo, Franklin, Grundy, Hancock, Hardin, Winnebago, and Worth) for all seasons, and in all of northwest Iowa for the early muzzleloader season. Deer populations have been steadily increasing in the northwest, allowing for this increase in recreational opportunity for Iowa hunters.
Second, the January antlerless-deer-only season would be rescinded for all counties. Due to a widespread outbreak of Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease (EHD) in the summer of 2019, deer numbers and harvest have been down across much of the state.
Third, this rule making proposes to modify the resident county antlerless-deer license quotas for a total of 23 counties. Quotas are proposed to be increased in Clayton, Fayette, Floyd, Guthrie, Jackson, Jones, Lee, Mitchell, Tama, Washington, and Winneshiek Counties to reduce deer densities for disease control or to alleviate negative human-deer interactions. Quotas are proposed to be decreased in Adams, Bremer, Fremont, Jefferson, Montgomery, Page, Poweshiek, Ringgold, Taylor, Union, Wapello, and Woodbury Counties to stabilize a healthy local population. Statewide, the overall proposed quota change is an increase of 125.
Fiscal Impact
This rule making has no negative fiscal impact to the state of Iowa. A copy of the fiscal impact statement is available from the Department of Natural Resources (Department) upon request.
Jobs Impact
After analysis and review of this rule making, no impact on jobs has been found. A copy of the jobs impact statement is available from the Department upon request.
Waivers
This rule is subject to the waiver provisions of 571—Chapter 11. Any person who believes that the application of the discretionary provisions of this rule making would result in hardship or injustice to that person may petition the Commission for a waiver of the discretionary provisions, if any.
Public Comment
Any interested person may submit written comments concerning this proposed rule making. Written comments in response to this rule making must be received by the Department no later than 4:30 p.m. on May 26, 2020. Comments should be directed to:

Tyler Harms
Iowa Department of Natural Resources
Wallace State Office Building
502 East Ninth Street
Des Moines, Iowa 50319
Email: tyler.harms@dnr.iowa.gov	
Public Hearing
A public hearing at which persons may present their views orally or in writing will be held via conference call as follows. Persons who wish to attend the conference call should contact Chris Ensminger via email at chris.ensminger@dnr.iowa.gov. A conference call number will be provided prior to the hearing. Persons who wish to make oral comments at the conference call public hearing must submit a request to Chris Ensminger prior to the hearing to facilitate an orderly hearing.

May 26, 2020
1 to 2 p.m.	Video/conference call
Wallace State Office Building	
Persons who wish to make oral comments at the public hearing will be asked to state their names for the record and to confine their remarks to the subject of this proposed rule making.
Any persons who intend to attend the hearing and have special requirements, such as those related to hearing or mobility impairments, should contact the Department and advise of specific needs.
Review by Administrative Rules Review Committee
The Administrative Rules Review Committee, a bipartisan legislative committee which oversees rule making by executive branch agencies, may, on its own motion or on written request by any individual or group, review this rule making at its regular monthly meeting or at a special meeting. The Committee’s meetings are open to the public, and interested persons may be heard as provided in Iowa Code section 17A.8(6).
The following rule-making actions are proposed:
	Item 1. Amend paragraph 106.1(1)“a” as follows:
	a. 	General deer licenses. General deer licenses shall be valid for taking deer in one season selected at the time the license is purchased. General deer licenses shall be valid for taking deer of either sex except in Buena Vista, Calhoun, Cerro Gordo, Cherokee, Clay, Dickinson, Emmet, Franklin, Grundy, Hamilton, Hancock, Hardin, Humboldt, Ida, Kossuth, Lyon, O’Brien, Osceola, Palo Alto, Plymouth, Pocahontas, Sac, Sioux, Webster, Winnebago, Worth and Wright counties during the early muzzleloader or first regular gun season when the general deer license will be valid for taking deer with at least one forked antler. Paid general deer licenses shall be valid statewide except where prohibited in deer population management zones established under 571—Chapter 105. Free general deer licenses shall be valid for taking deer of either sex only on the farm unit of an eligible landowner or tenant in the season or seasons selected at the time the license is obtained.
	Item 2. Rescind and reserve subrule 106.1(6).
	Item 3. Rescind and reserve subrule 106.2(5).
	Item 4. Rescind and reserve subrule 106.4(5).
	Item 5. Rescind and reserve subrule 106.6(4).
	Item 6. Amend subrule 106.6(6) as follows:
	106.6(6) Antlerless-deer-only licenses. Paid antlerless-deer-only licenses will be available by county as follows:

County	Quota	 	County	Quota	 	County	Quota	
Adair	1200	 	Floyd	0 100	 	Monona	850	
Adams	1450 1200	 	Franklin	0	 	Monroe	2250	
Allamakee	3800	 	Fremont	300 200	 	Montgomery	750 500	
Appanoose	2700	 	Greene	0	 	Muscatine	775	
Audubon	0	 	Grundy	0	 	O’Brien	0	
Benton	325	 	Guthrie	1950 2150	 	Osceola	0	
Black Hawk	0	 	Hamilton	0	 	Page	750 500	
Boone	300	 	Hancock	0	 	Palo Alto	0	
Bremer	400 300	 	Hardin	0	 	Plymouth	0	
Buchanan	300	 	Harrison	850	 	Pocahontas	0	
Buena Vista	0	 	Henry	925	 	Polk	1350	
Butler	150	 	Howard	450	 	Pottawattamie	850	
Calhoun	0	 	Humboldt	0	 	Poweshiek	300 200	
Carroll	0	 	Ida	0	 	Ringgold	1600 1400	
Cass	400	 	Iowa	450	 	Sac	0	
Cedar	775	 	Jackson	975 1100	 	Scott	200	
Cerro Gordo	0	 	Jasper	775	 	Shelby	0	
Cherokee	0	 	Jefferson	1650 1500	 	Sioux	0	
Chickasaw	375	 	Johnson	850	 	Story	150	
Clarke	2400	 	Jones	950 1100	 	Tama	200 300	
Clay	0	 	Keokuk	450	 	Taylor	1600 1500	
Clayton	3800 4000	 	Kossuth	0	 	Union	1500 1400	
Clinton	400	 	Lee	1275 1500	 	Van Buren	2100	
Crawford	0	 	Linn	850	 	Wapello	1825 1700	
Dallas	1875	 	Louisa	675	 	Warren	2700	
Davis	1700	 	Lucas	2500	 	Washington	750 1000	
Decatur	2200	 	Lyon	0	 	Wayne	2700	
Delaware	950	 	Madison	3000	 	Webster	0	
Des Moines	800	 	Mahaska	475	 	Winnebago	0	
Dickinson	0	 	Marion	1850	 	Winneshiek	2500 2700	
Dubuque	975	 	Marshall	150	 	Woodbury	400 300	
Emmet	0	 	Mills	500	 	Worth	0	
Fayette	2000 2300	 	Mitchell	0 100	 	Wright	0