CHAPTER 105
DEER POPULATION MANAGEMENT ZONES
571—105.1(481A) Purpose. The purpose of this chapter is to establish special deer management zones, including educational hunts in those zones, on selected properties managed by the department, county conservation boards, cities, or other governmental jurisdictions, and on private lands. The purpose of the hunts shall be to ensure the harvest of an adequate number of deer to reduce economic and biological damage caused by high deer populations. Selected hunts in deer management zones may be educational hunts and limited to novice hunters to introduce them to deer hunting as a method of deer population control and to encourage safe and ethical hunting.
571—105.2(481A) Definitions.
“Commission” means the natural resource commission.
“Department” means the department of natural resources.
“Educational hunts” means hunts in special deer management zones that are limited to hunters who are being introduced to deer hunting.
“Special deer management zones” means defined units of public and private land, including state parks, state recreation areas, county parks, urban areas, and areas managed by other governmental jurisdictions.
“Urban deer management zones” means areas mostly within incorporated city limits including city, county, state, and private land.
571—105.3(481A) Special deer management zones. Special deer management zone boundaries, seasons, permitted weapons, and other conditions for hunting shall be designated annually by the commission.
	105.3(1) Seasons. Deer hunting in a special deer management zone may occur only on dates established by the commission. Season dates may or may not coincide with seasons for general deer hunting outside special deer management zones.
	105.3(2) Licenses. Every hunter must have in possession a paid special hunting license valid only for the specific special deer management zone. The hunting license shall specify dates of hunting and the type of deer that may be taken as designated by the commission. The special licenses will be issued at locations and on dates announced by the commission. Special licenses shall be issued to Iowa residents only and shall cost the same as deer licenses issued during the general deer seasons. The commission may establish procedures for issuing more than one license per person if quotas for any hunt do not fill, or if special circumstances limit the number of hunters that can be safely accommodated. Incentives, including but not limited to issuing additional antlerless-only or any-deer licenses, may be used to attract hunters to a special hunt.
	105.3(3) Permitted weapons. Only weapons permitted during the general deer seasons may be used. The commission may limit the use of specific weapons in some deer management zones and seasons on a case-by-case basis to improve the safety of hunters and the surrounding area.
	105.3(4) Hunter safety and proficiency. Hunters may be required to pass a weapons proficiency test or attend a meeting prior to hunting in special deer management zones. The meeting will be used to familiarize hunters with zone boundaries, location of private lands, safety areas around buildings, access points, objectives of the hunt and other aspects of hunting in a special deer management zone.
	105.3(5) Checking deer. A hunter who takes a deer may be required to check the deer at a designated headquarters prior to leaving the area.
	105.3(6) Educational hunts. Hunts in designated special deer management zones may be restricted to youth or novice hunters to introduce them to safe and ethical deer hunting.
	a. 	Age, experience or other eligibility restrictions may be designated by the commission. Zones, seasons and other conditions for hunting will be designated the same as specified in 571— 105.3(481A).
	b. 	An adult must accompany each youth participating in an educational hunt. The adult must be licensed as specified in 571—subrule 106.10(1).
	c. 	A novice, nonyouth hunter may be accompanied by an adult mentor. The mentor must have a valid hunting license and have paid the habitat fee, if otherwise required to do so.
571—105.4(481A) State parks and recreation areas. A public meeting shall be held in the vicinity of each state park or state recreation area before the park or recreation area is designated as a special deer management zone for the first time. The purpose of the meeting will be to assess the need for and interest in holding a deer population control hunt in that park or recreation area. A summary of public comments received at the meeting shall be included with other recommendations to the commission related to hunting in the state park or state recreation area.
571—105.5(481A) Urban deer management zones. Urban deer management zones will be established only upon request from a city government or special urban deer task force and when approved by the natural resource commission. Zones, seasons and other conditions for hunting will be designated the same as specified in 571—105.3(481A).
	105.5(1) Special restrictions. Cities, deer task forces, or other public entities may require hunters to do one or more of the following: pass a hunter safety and education course, pass a weapons proficiency test, or be approved by the appropriate police department or conservation officer.
	105.5(2) Other methods. The natural resource commission in cooperation with the city government may approve other methods of deer removal in urban areas.
571—105.6(481A) Iowa Army Ammunition Plant (IAAP) deer management zone. The IAAP deer management zone is defined as all federal land administered by the IAAP. Licenses, season dates and other conditions for hunting in the IAAP zone will be designated the same as specified in 571— 105.3(481A). The IAAP may establish special restrictions for entering and hunting in the IAAP deer management zone.
571—105.7(481A) County park deer management zones.
	105.7(1) Deer management zones will be established in county parks only after a request from county government and when approved by the commission. Zones, seasons and other conditions for hunting will be designated the same as specified in 571—105.3(481A).
	105.7(2) Special restrictions. County park managers may require hunters to do one or more of the following: pass a hunter safety and education course, pass a weapons proficiency test, or be approved by the appropriate county sheriff or conservation officer.
571—105.8(481A) Special deer management zones on private land. Special deer management zones may be established on private land when approved by the commission. Zones, seasons, and other conditions for hunting will be determined by the commission. Hunters will be required to comply with all applicable regulations specified in 571—Chapter 106.
These rules are intended to implement Iowa Code sections 481A.38, 481A.39, 481A.48 and 483A.8.
[Filed emergency 10/4/91 after Notice 8/7/91—published 10/30/91, effective 10/4/91]
[Filed emergency 10/2/92 after Notice 7/22/92—published 10/28/92, effective 10/2/92]
[Filed emergency 9/9/94 after Notice 7/6/94—published 9/28/94, effective 9/9/94]
[Filed emergency 10/27/94—published 11/23/94, effective 10/27/94]
[Filed 5/15/95, Notice 3/1/95—published 6/7/95, effective 7/17/95]
[Filed 8/11/95, Notice 3/29/95—published 8/30/95, effective 10/4/95]
[Filed 8/11/95, Notice 6/7/95—published 8/30/95, effective 10/4/95]
[Filed 5/15/96, Notice 2/28/96—published 6/5/96, effective 7/10/96]
[Filed emergency 6/14/96—published 7/3/96, effective 6/14/96]
[Filed 8/9/96, Notice 6/5/96—published 8/28/96, effective 10/2/96]
[Filed emergency 9/20/96—published 10/9/96, effective 9/20/96]
[Filed 8/22/97, Notice 6/4/97—published 9/10/97, effective 10/15/97]
[Filed emergency 11/14/97 after Notice 9/10/97—published 12/3/97, effective 11/14/97]
[Filed 5/29/98, Notice 3/11/98—published 6/17/98, effective 7/22/98]
[Filed 8/13/04, Notice 7/7/04—published 9/1/04, effective 10/6/04]
[Filed 5/18/05, Notice 3/2/05—published 6/8/05, effective 7/13/05]