Senate File 581 - Reprinted SENATE FILE 581 BY COMMITTEE ON WAYS AND MEANS (SUCCESSOR TO SF 464) (SUCCESSOR TO SF 427) (As Amended and Passed by the Senate April 21, 2021 ) A BILL FOR An Act relating to deer population management. 1 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 2 SF 581 (4) 89 js/rn/mb
S.F. 581 Section 1. Section 481A.130, subsection 1, Code 2021, is 1 amended by adding the following new paragraph: 2 NEW PARAGRAPH . 0h. For each antlerless deer, five hundred 3 dollars. 4 Sec. 2. Section 481A.130, subsection 1, paragraph h, Code 5 2021, is amended to read as follows: 6 h. For each deer, except as provided in paragraph “g” , and 7 for each swan or crane, one thousand five hundred dollars. 8 Sec. 3. Section 481C.2A, subsection 5, Code 2021, is amended 9 to read as follows: 10 5. The department shall administer and enforce the 11 administrative rules concerning deer depredation, including 12 issuance of deer depredation licenses and deer shooting 13 permits, that are established by the commission and subject to 14 the following conditions: 15 a. Except for a free license issued under subsection 1, 16 paragraph “b” , the department shall require a fee of two dollars 17 for a license or permit issued pursuant to this section . 18 b. In addition to other times the department finds 19 necessary, the department shall allow licenses and permits 20 issued pursuant to this section to be used in the months of 21 September, October, November, and December. 22 Sec. 4. Section 483A.8, Code 2021, is amended by adding the 23 following new subsection: 24 NEW SUBSECTION . 9. There shall be a January antlerless 25 deer only hunting season in a county whenever that county 26 has unsold antlerless deer licenses available in its county 27 quota as set by the commission by rule. The commission shall 28 establish the season dates. Licenses shall be available for 29 sale beginning the day after the close of the late muzzleloader 30 season until either the county quota allotment has been sold or 31 until the end of the season, whichever occurs first. A January 32 antlerless deer only license issued under this subsection is 33 valid only in the county identified on the license. A rifle 34 with a barrel length of at least sixteen inches and firing 35 -1- SF 581 (4) 89 js/rn/mb 1/ 2
S.F. 581 centerfire ammunition propelling an expanding-type bullet with 1 a maximum diameter of no less than two hundred twenty-three 2 thousandths of one inch and no larger than five hundred 3 thousandths of one inch and with a published or calculated 4 muzzle energy of five hundred foot pounds or higher is the 5 approved method of take for this season. 6 Sec. 5. DEER POPULATION STUDY. The department of natural 7 resources shall conduct a study every three years to determine 8 the estimated deer population in each county in this state, 9 which shall be supported by historical records dating back 10 to 1970. The department shall review and provide scientific 11 data relating to the environmental impact of deer populations, 12 including the impact to crops and trees. The department 13 shall also review the spread of disease in deer and other 14 wildlife populations. Additionally, the report shall include 15 information on property loss, medical costs, and fatalities 16 due to deer-vehicle accidents. In conducting the study, the 17 department shall work with relevant representatives from the 18 Iowa state university of science and technology agricultural 19 extension service, the department of transportation, and the 20 insurance division of the department of commerce. Expenses 21 for conducting the study shall be paid from the fish and 22 wildlife protection fund established in section 456A.17 and 23 such payments are considered a proper use of the funds for 24 purposes of section 456A.27 and Article VII, section 9, of the 25 Constitution of the State of Iowa. The department shall submit 26 a report summarizing the results of the study to the general 27 assembly by October 1, 2023, and every three years thereafter. 28 -2- SF 581 (4) 89 js/rn/mb 2/ 2