HF 378 (LSB 1046HV (2) 91)

HOUSE FILE 378

BY  COMMITTEE ON NATURAL RESOURCES

(SUCCESSOR TO HF 65)

A BILL FOR

An Act relating to deer depredation.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:

    Section 1.  Section 481C.2, subsections 1 and 2, Code 2025, are amended to read as follows:
   1.  The director of the department of natural resources shall enter into a memorandum of agreement with the United States department of agriculture, animal damage control division. The wild animal depredation unit shall serve and act as the liaison to the department for the producers in the state who suffer crop, horticultural product, tree, or nursery damage an economic loss to agriculture, horticulture, or silviculture operations due to wild animals.
   2.  The department shall issue depredation permits and deer shooting permits to any landowner or tenant, as defined under section 483A.24, subsection 2, who incurs crop, horticultural product, tree, or nursery damage suffers an economic loss of one thousand dollars or more to agriculture, horticulture, or silviculture operations due to wild animals.  The department shall allow any conservation officer to issue permits pursuant to this chapter.
    Sec. 2.  Section 481C.2A, subsection 2, paragraph a, Code 2025, is amended to read as follows:
   a.  Deer shooting permits shall be available for issuance to landowners or tenants, as defined under section 483A.24, subsection 2, who incur crop, horticultural product, tree, or nursery damage suffer an economic loss to agriculture, horticulture, or silviculture operations as provided in section 481C.2 and shall be available for issuance for use on areas where public safety may be an issue.
    Sec. 3.  Section 481C.2A, subsection 5, Code 2025, is amended by adding the following new paragraph:
   NEW PARAGRAPH.  c.  There shall be an annual deer depredation season from January 11 through January 31 for any person possessing a valid depredation license and tag or deer shooting permit issued pursuant to this section on or after February 1 of the preceding calendar year. The method of take for the deer depredation season shall be a rifle using a cartridge approved by the department, a shotgun, a muzzleloader, a handgun, a crossbow, or a bow.
    Sec. 4.  Section 481C.2A, Code 2025, is amended by adding the following new subsection:
   NEW SUBSECTION.  8.  Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, any deer taken with a depredation license or shooting permit issued under this chapter by the person to whom the license or permit was issued may be disposed of by composting or wastage.
EXPLANATION
The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
   This bill relates to deer depredation. Under current law, the wild animal depredation unit acts as the liaison to the department of natural resources (DNR) for the producers in the state who suffer crop, horticultural product, tree, or nursery damage. The bill changes the language to apply to producers in the state who suffer economic loss to agriculture, horticulture, or silviculture operations.
   Under current law, DNR is directed to issue depredation permits to a landowner who incurs crop, horticultural product, tree, or nursery damage of $1,000 or more due to wild animals. The bill directs DNR to issue both depredation permits and deer shooting permits to a landowner or a tenant who suffers an economic loss of $1,000 or more to agriculture, horticulture, or silviculture operations due to wild animals.
   The bill allows conservation officers to issue permits pursuant to the bill.
   The bill creates a designated deer depredation season from January 11 through January 31. A person possessing a deer depredation license and tag or deer shooting permit may use a rifle with an approved cartridge, a shotgun, a muzzleloader, a handgun, a crossbow, or a bow during the designated season.
   The bill allows any deer taken with a depredation license or shooting permit to be disposed of by composting or wastage if the deer was taken by the person issued the license or permit.