For immediate release: february 18, 2014

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1.      Iowa’s Deer Harvest Declined for Eighth Straight Year

2.      DNR to Answer Your Iowa Hunting Questions Live on Facebook Feb. 25

3.      High School Archery State Tournament March 1 in Des Moines

Iowa’s deer harvest declined for eighth straight year

For the first time since the mid-1990s, Iowa’s deer harvest has dropped below 100,000. Hunters reported 99,406 deer for the 2013 season, which is a decline of 14 percent, from 2012, and 34 percent from its high in 2006. The 2012 reported deer harvest was 115,606.

 “Hunters responded when we asked them to reduce the size of the herd, but now we are encouraging them to work with landowners and base their harvest decisions on local herd conditions,” said Dr. Dale Garner, chief of Wildlife for the Iowa Department of Natural Resources.

The harvest data will be used as a consideration when the DNR begins the process of discussing hunting seasons later this winter.

Deer hunters purchased 359,956 licenses, nearly 18,500 fewer than in 2012.

Deer hunting in Iowa provides an economic impact of nearly $214 million, paying more than $15 million in federal taxes and nearly $15 million in state taxes. It supports more than 2,800 jobs, and provides more than $67 million in earnings.

Media Contact: Willie Suchy, Wildlife Research Supervisor, Iowa Department of Natural Resources, 515-281-8660.

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DNR TO ANSWER YOUR IOWA HUNTING QUESTIONS LIVE ON FACEBOOK FEB. 25

DES MOINES —The DNR is asking Iowans to share their hunting and trapping successes in 2013 and comment on what changes they’d like to see in 2014 with a live Facebook Q&A session Feb. 25.

DNR wildlife research supervisor Willie Suchy will answer questions live from noon to 2:30 p.m. To ask a question, post it as a comment on the “Live Q&A” post that the DNR will post at noon that day. You can also post questions ahead of time on the DNR’s Facebook Timeline at www.facebook.com/iowadnr. Questions received after 2:30 will be answered, but at a later time.

The live Q&A comes one day before statewide public meetings that will also gather comments and suggestions for changes in the 2014 hunting and trapping seasons. Information on the Feb. 26 meetings, including locations, is available at http://www.iowadnr.gov/hunting.

To make sure you see the Facebook live Q&A when it is posted, make sure you “like” the DNR’s page on Facebook. Go to www.facebook.com/iowadnr and click on “like” and make sure “get notifications” and “show in news feed” are selected.

Commenters should also view the DNR’s Facebook posting policy ahead of time at https://www.facebook.com/iowadnr/info.

MEDIA CONTACT: Jessie Brown, DNR, at 515-281-5131 or [log in to unmask]

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High School Archery State Tournament March 1 in Des Moines

On March 1, 840 archers from 33 schools from across Iowa will be in Des Moines competing in the Iowa Department of Natural Resources archery in the schools program state tournament.

This is the culminating state event and will feature individual and team competition for elementary (3rd-5th), middle (6th-8th) and high school (9-12) students. 

The state competition begins at 9 a.m. in the Grand Ballroom at the Community Choice Credit Union Convention Center and is held in conjunction with the Iowa Deer Classic.

Media Contact: Donise Petersen, Outreach Coordinator, Iowa Department of Natural Resources, 515-205-8709.

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