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Thursday, January 14, 2010

Iowa Bill allowing the use of leashed dog to retrieve a wounded deer

Below you will find the the text of the House Bill #2009 introduced in the Iowa Legislature. Iowa is a big deer hunting state, and it is a move in a right direction. For the Bill history click here.

House File 2009

HOUSE FILE BY WILLEMS

A BILL FOR

1 An Act allowing the use of a leashed dog to retrieve a wounded
2 deer and providing a penalty.
3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
TLSB 5061HH (8) 83
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PAG LIN

1 1 Section 1. NEW SECTION. 481A.56A Retrieval of wounded deer
1 2 by leashed dogs.
1 3 A person having a valid hunting license and a valid deer
1 4 hunting license who has wounded a deer while hunting may use
1 5 a dog to locate and retrieve the wounded animal. The hunter
1 6 or any person in the company of the hunter shall not possess a
1 7 firearm or bow while using a dog in this manner and shall have
1 8 control of the dog by leash at all times during the search.
1 9 The commission shall adopt rules pursuant to chapter 17A to
1 10 implement this section.
1 11 Sec. 2. Section 805.8B, subsection 3, paragraph c, Code
1 12 Supplement 2009, is amended to read as follows:
1 13 c. For violations of sections 481A.6, 481A.21, 481A.22,
1 14 481A.26, 481A.50, 481A.56, 481A.56A, 481A.60 through 481A.62,
1 15 481A.83, 481A.84, 481A.92, 481A.123, 481A.145, subsection 3,
1 16 sections 483A.7, 483A.8, 483A.23, 483A.24, and 483A.28, the
1 17 scheduled fine is twenty=five dollars.
1 18 EXPLANATION
1 19 This bill creates new Code section 481A.56A to allow a hunter
1 20 with a valid hunting license and deer hunting license who
1 21 wounds a deer while hunting to use a dog to locate and retrieve
1 22 the wounded animal. The hunter or any person in the company of
1 23 the hunter shall not possess a firearm or bow while using a dog
1 24 in this manner and shall have control of the dog by leash at
1 25 all times during the search. The natural resource commission
1 26 shall adopt rules pursuant to Code chapter 17A to implement
1 27 this provision.
1 28 A violation of the new provision is punishable by a scheduled
1 29 fine of $25.
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Support the Iowa Bill allowing blood tracking with leashed dogs. I am reposting John's message from a year ago about most common objections raised about the legalization of blood tracking dogs.

In the states where it is still illegal to use tracking dogs for the recovery of wounded big game, the following objections are used most often:

Complaint: The availability of dogs to find wounded deer will encourage hunters to take long and irresponsible shots.

Reply: No one ever argued that the use of retrievers would encourage duck and goose hunters to take long, “sky-busting” shots.

Complaint: The use of tracking dogs will terrorize deer and drive them out of the area.

Reply: The dogs work silently on a long leash and they are trained to track only the designated wounded deer. Guides and outfitters use tracking dogs successfully on their leases when they have much to lose if they spook deer out of the area.

Complaint: Dogs and deer hunting don’t mix. The use of tracking dogs violates our hunting traditions.

Reply: Tracking dogs are not used to hunt deer. They are brought in after the hunt to find wounded deer that would otherwise be lost.

Complaint: It is the responsibility of the hunter to find his own wounded deer, not rely on a dog and handler to do it for him.

Reply: Are you really saying that it is better to leave a wounded deer to suffer, die and be wasted, than to use a tracking dog when there is no blood sign to follow and eye tracking has failed?

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