The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is hosting a series of town hall-style meetings where local staff will provide updates on recently completed hunting seasons, discuss possible changes to hunting rules and regulations, and address other topics as requested.
“We want people to come out to these meetings, listen to the hunting seasons reviews, ask questions and hear directly from our staff,” said Todd Bishop, chief of the Iowa DNR’s Wildlife Bureau. “Part of the meeting will be devoted to discussing potential rule changes and collecting feedback as we work through the rules process.”
The meetings are open to the public. Comments collected from these public meetings will be considered along with other related comments received by the Iowa DNR prior to proposing changes to hunting rules and regulations. Proposed rules will be presented to the Natural Resource Commission during a regular public meeting for consideration and additional public comment.
These meetings replace the one-night listening session held in late winter over the past 15 years.
The IFC suggestions to you for consideration:
The DNR and IFC are aligned when it comes to getting more people out to enjoy, and appreciate Iowa’s precious natural resources. The regulation DNR imposes tends to be where we part ways in some cases. But, we both work together on those as often as we can. We enjoy a great relationship with some within the DNR and look forward to formulating more of them in future years.
The only way DNR can consider your concerns and manage them is to be aware of them. If you’re not willing to spend a few moments, attend a meeting, and offer first hand impressions, nothing will ever change for the positive. We need to be offering our thanks when DNR deserves it, as many people there work hard on various aspects of Iowa’s wildlife. The DNR also needs to hear from us when they make mistakes. When they get wild with firearm restrictions and that kind of silliness, they need to know it. Why they take the stance that Night Vision and IR illumination for coyotes automatically lumps us all in with poachers, I’ll never know. The coyote pressure in my neighborhood is through the roof – the DNR should be embracing every ethical method of curtailing their numbers.
Let them hear your concerns and thank them for the things they’re doing well. Again, it starts with your presence, so get there.
Here are the dates and locations:
Sioux City, Feb. 19, 7 p.m., Dorothy Pecaut Nature Center, 4500 Sioux River Road
Chariton, Feb. 20, 7 p.m., Pin Oak Lodge, 45996 Hwy. 14
Council Bluffs, Feb. 25, Fish and Game Club, 531 Commanche Street
Okoboji, Feb. 25, 6:30 p.m., Dickinson County Nature Center, 22785 Nature Center Road
Burlington, Feb. 26, 7 p.m., Starr’s Cave Nature Center, 11627 Starr’s Cave Road
Iowa City, Feb. 26, 7 p.m., Johnson County ISU extension building, 3109 Old Highway 218 South (search “Johnson County Fairgrounds”)
Algona, Feb. 27, 7 p.m., Water’s Edge Nature Center, 1010 250th Street
Bloomfield, Feb. 27, 7 p.m., Pioneer Ridge Nature Center, 1339 Hwy. 63
Creston, Feb. 27, 7 p.m., Multi-Purpose Room adjacent to the YMCA, Southwestern Community College, 1201 West Townline Street
Decorah, Feb. 27, 7 p.m., Decorah City Hall, 400 Clairborne Drive
Dubuque, Feb. 27, 7 p.m., Swiss Valley Nature Center, 13606 Swiss Valley Road, Peosta
Jefferson, Feb. 27, 7 p.m., The Jefferson Depot, 509 East Lincoln Way
Ventura, Feb. 27, 7 p.m., Clear Lake Wildlife Unit headquarters, 15326 Balsam Ave.
Waverly, Feb. 27, 7 p.m., Waverly Public Library, 1500 W Bremer Ave.
Des Moines, March 3, 7 p.m., Izaak Walton League, 4343 George Flagg Parkway
DeWitt, March 5, 7 p.m., DeWitt Community Center, 512 10th Street
Sac City, March 5, 7 p.m., Sac County Conservation Center at Hagge Park, 2970 280th Street
Toledo, March 5, 7 p.m., Tama CCB Nature Center at Otter Creek Lake Park, 2283 Park Road
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