Iowa 2021/2022 deer season

[sac]

Looks Like Iowa DNR trying to use their powers again.

Hunting News
Dec. 1, 2020
For Immediate Release
DNR seeking comments on proposed laws ahead of the 2021/22 deer hunting season
The Iowa Department of Natural Resources is asking for public input on two laws passed and signed during the 2020 legislative session.
The first is from House File 716 that directs the DNR to develop a list of cartridges approved for use in rifles to hunt deer in Iowa. The following list of cartridges is proposed for inclusion:
.350 Legend
.429 DE
.35 Remington
.44 Wildey Mag
.356 TSW
.44 Remington Magnum
.357 Sig
.44 Automag
9x25 Dillion
.445 Super Mag
9x23 Winchester
.45 Super
.357 Magnum
.45 Wildey Mag
.357 Maximum
.450 Bushmaster
.357 SuperMag
.45 Winchester Magnum
.357 Wildey Mag
.451 Detonics
.357/44 Bain & Davis
.454 Casull
.375 Winchester
.45 Silhouette
.38-55 Winchester
.458 Socom
10 mm Auto
.460 Rowland
.40 Super
.475 Wildey Magnum
.401 Powermag
.475 Linebaugh
.400 Cor-Bon
.480 Ruger
.38-40 Winchester
.50 GI
.41 Remington Magnum
.50 Action Express
.41 Wildey Mag
.50 Beowulf
.414 SuperMag
.500 JRH
.44-40 Winchester
.500 Special
.440 Cor-Bon
.500 Wyoming Express

Allowable cartridges for use in handguns that were considered for use in rifles but deemed ballistically dissimilar from allowable pistol or revolver cartridges include (these cartridges are NOT proposed for inclusion to the list of allowable rifles to hunt deer in Iowa):
.35 Whelen
.356 Winchester
.358 Winchester
.444 Marlin
.45 Raptor
.45-70 Govt.
.460 S&W Mag
.500 S&W Mag
Hunters interested in additions or subtractions are asked to send their request along with a brief justification to wildlife@dnr.iowa.gov by Dec. 14, 2020.

They left out 45 Colt, but did add 44-40.

[white eagle]

So I guess I don't get it is Iowa so populated that you have a house behind every tree
why no real rifle cartridges say the 30-06 for example
do you have any people working for the sportsmen of Iowa or a bunch of cowards?
who exactly checks to see what the deer has been shot with?
can they tell the difference between a deer shot with a 357 mag and a 44 special?

[green mountain boy]

i do not hunt in iowa, but the 7BR in XP_100 would be perfect and more umph than many listed....not to mention accuracy. bravo to Iowa for considering these other ones however !

[sac]

So I guess I don't get it is Iowa so populated that you have a house behind every tree
why no real rifle cartridges say the 30-06 for example
do you have any people working for the sportsmen of Iowa or a bunch of cowards?
who exactly checks to see what the deer has been shot with?
can they tell the difference between a deer shot with a 357 mag and a 44 special?

We have the Iowa White tails members that most of them are stuck in the 1900's and still only want slug hunting.

[waksupi]

If they would just limit velocity to 2200 fps or less, they would solve the non-existent problem.

[Tripplebeards]

Yeah I see they added 35 Rem and 35 Whelan to the list! Guess that kicks the straight pistol wall cartridges previous laws. Load up some 150 or 180 grains and that’s gonna be flatter shooting than anything else offered. I still on for 450 bushmaster gunsight scout new in the box for Iowa hunting. If they pass this law be getting rid of it and buying a 26 inch barrel to put on a short action 700 rechambered in 35 Remington. Where I hunt you can’t see any buildings or obstacles for miles in Iowa so I don’t know why they had shotgun only to begin with. I still have a savage 220 and a case of 3 inch Accu tips that shoots sub MOA sitting around from the first time I went. That’ll end up getting pond off to towards the new project gun.

[ChristopherO]

Yeah I see they added 35 Rem and 35 Whelan to the list! Guess that kicks the straight pistol wall cartridges previous laws. Load up some 150 or 180 grains and that’s gonna be flatter shooting than anything else offered. I still on for 450 bushmaster gunsight scout new in the box for Iowa hunting. If they pass this law be getting rid of it and buying a 26 inch barrel to put on a short action 700 rechambered in 35 Remington. Where I hunt you can’t see any buildings or obstacles for miles in Iowa so I don’t know why they had shotgun only to begin with. I still have a savage 220 and a case of 3 inch Accu tips that shoots sub MOA sitting around from the first time I went. That’ll end up getting pond off to towards the new project gun.

The 35 Remington is on the rifle list, but the 35 Whelen is NOT on the rifle list. Thought I would point that out for you. These laws and lists can be a bit confusing.

[Hamish]

IDIOTS. Nothing but.

[Deakota57]

No 308, 30.06, 300 Win. Mag, you must have a lot of flat land there. I am glad I hunt white tail in Pa.. We have nothing but steep hills. It is great here, till I got to get one out of a valley.

[richhodg66]

No 308, 30.06, 300 Win. Mag, you must have a lot of flat land there. I am glad I hunt white tail in Pa.. We have nothing but steep hills. It is great here, till I got to get one out of a valley.

Iowa is not significantly different from the eastern half of Kansas and despite the fact that I think we have some rather restrictive deer hunting regs, selections of weapon used isn't a problem. Any centerfire rifle is legal now, that started allowing .22 centerfires a few years ago. No restrictions on autoloaders, I think they even did away with some of the silly restrictions on handguns for deer they used to have.

If we can do it here, Iowa could too. Looking at that list makes my head hurt, if you're gonna have that many choices (some of which are rather obscure) why not just say anything centerfire goes?

[sac]

Its always like that here one step forward two steps back.

[godzilla]

I will give my state credit(Ohio). They started down the caliber list path, and thankfully abandoned it. Just straight wall with caliber and min length requirement now.

[popper]

Makes it easy for the warden - marking on barrel not in list - gottch.

[Brett Ross]

Yea, sent off my displeasure with the list the other day as I bought a riffle (CVA 45-70 hunter), just to because it was on the original list. Needless to say, I will not be happy and my wife less happy than I, if I need to buy a new rifle next year.

[sac]

Yea, sent off my displeasure with the list the other day as I bought a riffle (CVA 45-70 hunter), just to because it was on the original list. Needless to say, I will not be happy and my wife less happy than I, if I need to buy a new rifle next year.

That is what I told them in my Email, leave it alone thousands of Iowans bought 45-70 because of the change years ago.

[Iowa Fox]

So I guess I don't get it is Iowa so populated that you have a house behind every tree
why no real rifle cartridges say the 30-06 for example
do you have any people working for the sportsmen of Iowa or a bunch of cowards?
who exactly checks to see what the deer has been shot with?
can they tell the difference between a deer shot with a 357 mag and a 44 special?

Yep, parts of Iowa are that populated, houses over every hill and houses behind every tree. We just sold two farms that were out in the country when I was a kid. Slowly town crept out, surrounded us, and the city wanted us out. In 1978 my wife and I went out in the boonies bought the ground and built a house. You guessed it. We are surrounded by houses. The northern and southern tier of counties and the western half are still fairly rural for the most part.

I really hate to see the 45/70 disappear from the list of approved rifle cartridges. I think the 450 Bushmaster killed it. With party hunters of 30 or more running around with ARs I can understand that one. The 45/70s are single shot or lever and hunters with a more traditional hunting mindset.

The deer are so thick here its horrible. There are thousands of them out day and night. This afternoon I have to cover the bushes around the house because they are eating them up.

[Brett Ross]

I did not bring up the hypocrisy of the .450 vrs 45-70 comparison. I would hate to give them any ideas of screwing others out of their chosen caliber.

[Tripplebeards]

WI has shotgun only zones for populated areas close to cities and towns. My property is a rifle or shotgun area. I don’t know if they changed the laws but it was like this the last time I checked in the eighties. I don’t know why Iowa doesn’t do the same. I can understand the top three .35 cal chambers listed under pistol calibers but the other straight wall cartridges listed don’t make sense.

[megasupermagnum]

Here is something you won't see everyday. I think Minnesota about has it the best of any state in the midwest. I'll copy and paste the requirements below.

It is at least .220 caliber and has center fire ignition;
It is loaded only with single projectile ammunition;
The projectile used has a soft point or is an expanding bullet type;*
The muzzleloader (long gun or handgun) used cannot be loaded at the breech (muzzleloading revolvers are not legal for taking big game);
The smooth-bore muzzleloader used is at least .45 caliber and
The rifled muzzleloader used is at least .40 caliber

If it were up to me it would read as follows

It is at least .220 caliber and has center fire ignition;
It is loaded only with single projectile ammunition, or buckshot #4 and larger.
The muzzleloader used is at least .40 caliber

There is a very good chance we will eliminate the shotgun zone this year. It's nobodies business but your own on the equipment you use, provided it meets the type of hunting license (obviously no rifles during bow season). "caliber lists" are a monumental disgrace to the hunting community.

[remy3424]

The 45-70 crowd will be a little miffed. When the state added some of these new calibers, it was great for gun and ammo sales (lots of 45-70, 450 BM and 350 Leg were sold). Personally, I think there are plenty of choices available, pick one. We don't need the deer hunters running around spraying 30-06 or similar long range bullets. If you are from Iowa, you know that many deer hunters are a little wild....slugs and MLs are all you need. The ones wanting 30-06 or other long distance rigs, just don't want to make the effort to get closer. Using the flat shooting cartridges would turn deer hunting into deer shooting. I think that is the reasoning the state expanding from slugs, to reduce the deer population and get more people out shooting them. I think the list makes it dummy-proof for the hunters and the game wardens, if it isn't on the list you shouldn't be using it, pretty dang simple for all to follow.