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Iowa big game?

Posted: Mon Dec 10, 2007 8:46 pm
by Emily
The state of Iowa may be considering adding lions and bears to it game management code. See this fom their bulletin:

http://www.iowagameandfish.com/hunting/ ... ndex1.html

here's an excerpt:
PREDATOR LEGAL STATUS
Cougars and bears have an unusual legal non-status in Iowa. Because neither is listed in the state code, shooting them is legal. That's not the case with wolves, which are listed in the state code and are also federally protected under the Endangered Species Act. State furbearer biologist Ron Andrews says the IDNR would like to see cougars listed in the state code. The Legislature would need to add bears and cougars to the list of animals the IDNR can manage. "That way we could reduce indiscriminate shooting of cats and also have the legal right to recover a carcass for research," he said. "Doing that isn't a hot-button priority right now." But that could change if the animals become more numerous, and it's reasonable to expect that someday these big animals may come under IDNR regulation.