a new point and halfed points

[iowabow]

Shannon as a land owner it cost me 2 dollars for a tag.  We do not draw in Iowa the tags are sold over the counter.  I called the game wardon last year to make sure it was OK to use stone points. He said there was no definition other than it could not be a field point. Iowa is very open to primitive hunting with a bow which is good.  From the sounds of it we are lucky. 

[iowabow]

Archery: Longbows, recurve bows, and compound bows shooting broadhead arrows are permitted. No explosive or chemical devices may be attached to the arrow or broadhead. There are no minimum draw weights for bows or minimum diameter for broadheads. Arrows must be at least 18 inches long. Draw locks on compound bows are legal Crossbows are no... there is no qualifier as to what a broadhead is.  The game wardon told me a broadhead is wider that a field point end of story. I ask can it be stone? He said it could be made from anything, bone, stone, metal, hard plastic.  I am glad I live in iowa. Strange how a state can ban 10000 years of common practice

[Prarie Bowyer]

Yea, I'm all for freedom and such.  But I also think about what is behind a "ban".  Usually when these game laws are created it's a collaboration of naturalists, biologist, policy makers and possibly economists.  When it's done well it is I should say.  I lived in Jersey for a while and hunting there had some strange rules.  Some like no Crow hunting on a Monday or something silly.  It just never got taken off the books.

Specifying materials might be too restrictive.  It could cause later expense in redrafting or look like a broad head lobbyist got in there.  Diameter requirements are about clean kills and lack of suffering for the animal.  If I have the freedom to shoot a narrow broad head into a deer that can then run 300 yards and die in someone's pool did I step on their freedom to not have dead deer bleeding all over the pool right before a party?

Some of the laws may be inconvenient but if you think about them they may make sense.  States can controll animal populations via the pricing structure of tags and paperwork.  For example when bears become a problem Jersey sells X number of tags (the animal rights guys go nuts so there aren't many bear hunts.  BIG bears in Jersey by the way if you can get a tag).

If state and federal policies are anything, it's not simple.  I respect the guys that set that stuff and draft the legislation.

Of course they can get it all screwed up too.

[iowabow]

Diameter requirements are about clean kills and lack of suffering for the animal.  If I have the freedom to shoot a narrow broad head into a deer that can then run 300 yards and die in someone's pool did I step on their freedom to not have dead deer bleeding all over the pool right before a party?

If you shoot to large of a broad head you will have the same problem but iowa allows you to think about what is right for your bow. I have seen deer shot with a 45 muzzle loader that went 300 yards.

[iowabow]

Btw tags in iowa cost 2 dollars for land owners and you may buy as many as you like for 12 dollars after your first two tags.  We have a lot of deer.  Sorry if the word "ban" upset you but a law is concrete and removes choice in some cases. There should be a law to have a fence around that pool to keep deer from drowning before they die from an arrow wound. 

[iowabow]

So as not to be misunderstood I respect the Iowa law makers that got it right with this law. This law works for this state. 

[Prarie Bowyer]

Nothing upset me.  Just thinking out loud I guess.  Deer can jump a pretty high fence.  I think in most comunities pools need to be fenced to keep children out.  I had a summer job for a pool cleaner and some times deer would find their way into the pool when the cover was snowed over.  Fishing one out of a pool in pieces in spring is no fun at all.   

I havent actualy gotten my liscense for Iowa yet.  I waited till I wasn't getting non resident.  I haven't looked much at the structure.  Do homeowners count as land owners? $2.00 is pretty cheap.  Or that is the tag and you still need to buy the liscense? 

[iowabow]

The pricing is different for residents that are not landowners. I think if you won 10ac you are a  landowner but that may have changed. I also buy a "state wide tag" it allows me another buck. Any deer is 28 dollars but you will need a hunting and a habitat stamp so around 50 will do it. here is the link for the dnr http://www.iowadnr.gov/Portals/idnr/uploads/Hunting/huntingregs.pdf

[Timo]

Nice looking wad of Indian missiles!

[iowabow]

Thanks Timo these are 512 grain indian bullets hehe.  I read that on someone's post this summer.