NEW NATURAL RESOURCES COMMITTEE CHAIR
Sen. Annette Sweeney (RIowa Falls) will again chair the Senate’s Natural Resources and Environment Committee, while Rep. Devon Wood (RNew Market) is the new chair of the House Natural Resources Committee.
There has been a few changes to membership of the Natural Resources Committee so check if your legislator is on this committee.
LEGISLATIVE ISSUES
The Iowa Sportsman’s Club (ISC) is at the forefront of protecting our deer herds and habitats. ISC has been in active discussions with legislators to advocate for our priorities.
This year, ISC will continue its work on eliminating the celebrity deer tag.
Additionally, we will introduce legislation to put rules around deer drone recovery, and continue our work preserving the Forest Reserve Program, funding IWILL, and stopping expansion of additional deer seasons.
MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD
Contacting your legislators and expressing your support, or opposition to legislation is vitally important.
Hunters hold a large sway at the capitol, as evidenced by our participation in the sub committee and committee process last year.
I ask you send your legislators an email or text today in support of our legislative priorities. They need to hear from you now!
SWEENEY AND WOOD CHAIR NATURAL RESOURCES
Sen. Sweeney is in her fourth term in the Iowa legislature (two in the House and two in the Senate) and will again chair the Senate Natural Resources and Environment Committee. She has served on the Natural Resources Committee every year since being elected to the legislature. She began serving as Senate chair in 2021.
Rep. Wood is in her second term in the Iowa legislature. This will be her first year as chair of the committee. She also serves as Vice Chair of the Economic Growth & Technology committee, and serves on the Appropriations, Health & Human Services, Transportation, and Ag/DNR budget committees.
ISC will be advocating for Iowa’s deer herd and habitat this legislative session. Our goal is to Keep Iowa Great!
Eliminate Celebrity Tags
ISC introduced legislation last year eliminating celebrities from obtaining special non-resident tags; The bill reallocated an additional five tags to conservation groups, totaling 40. The remaining ten are reserved for the Governor. The bill passed through the Senate Natural Resources Committee but did not get a hearing in the House. We have momentum this year to get this done!
Maintaining Seasons and Methods of Take
Another important legislative priority is maintaining the current number of deer hunting seasons and methods of take. Diseases like EHD are decimating deer populations across many areas in our state, and it is crucial that we focus on managing the herd carefully. Adding additional hunting seasons or methods of take could put undue pressure on already vulnerable populations, potentially exacerbating the problem.
Last session, ISC was instrumental in stopping legislation adding the full month of January to the antlerless season, and in past years, adding a September depredation season.
Habitat Conservation
ISC will be at the forefront of advocacy efforts to protect the Forest Reserve Program, secure funding and implementation of IWILL (Iowa’s Water and Land Legacy), and support the new buffer strip initiative introduced by Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig.
During the interim, ISC has met with legislative leaders to identify solutions to challenges facing the Forest Reserve Program and successfully halted efforts in the past two legislative sessions that would have eliminated it. ISC also led efforts last session to stop the legislature from repealing IWILL. Looking ahead, IWILL is expected to be part of the property tax negotiations this session, making continued advocacy important.
Deer Drone Recovery
ISC plans to introduce legislation that establishes clear parameters for the use of drones to locate deer that have been shot during a hunt. At present, Iowa lacks a well-defined legal framework on this issue, creating confusion for hunters and challenges for law enforcement. This legislation would provide clear, enforceable rules so everyone understands what is allowed and what is not. ISC will work collaboratively with the agriculture community, law enforcement, and other hunting organizations to develop a balanced approach that brings clarity, fairness, and ethical consistency, while protecting property rights, wildlife, and the integrity of hunting in Iowa.
MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD
Making your voice heard as a hunter has never been more important. Legislators need to hear directly from the people who care deeply about Iowa’s land, water, wildlife, and hunting heritage—not just from interest groups with competing priorities. Issues like IWILL funding, the Forest Reserve Program, and the future of public lands can be divisive at the Capitol, and silence from hunters leaves room for decisions that may not reflect our values. Lawmakers need to know that hunters are paying attention, engaged, and willing to speak up. Now is the time to contact your legislators, share your perspective, and keep the pressure on throughout the legislative session to ensure hunting, conservation, and access remain strong priorities in Iowa.
Please look to see if your senator or representative serves on the Natural Resources Committee. If they do, tell them to support our legislation, and legislative agenda.
House Natural Resources Committee
Senate Natural Resources Committee
PLEASE DON’T HESITATE TO CONTACT ME!
Phil Jeneary
Proud Chapter of
