The Iowa DNR Continues To Fight Kevin Kelly

From the QC Times:

The trial of a Cedar County tree farmer charged with killing a deer on his property out of season has been scheduled for March.

Kevin Kelly, 54, was charged in September with shooting a deer out of season and with shooting the deer with a rifle.

Kelly, who owns Kelly Tree Farms, says a 1915 Iowa Supreme Court ruling permits killing deer in defense of one’s property. In the ruling, the court reversed the conviction of a Pottawattamie County farmer for violating a statute prohibiting the killing of deer. The court concluded that under the Iowa Constitution, the farmer was justified to shoot the deer because it was eating his corn.

Kelly said he notified the Iowa Department of Natural Resources after he shot the deer in June. Three months later, the DNR issued citations against Kelly.

If convicted, he faces fines of $100 on each count as well as $1,500 for the deer’s value.

Why is the Iowa DNR acting like a bully towards a man trying to earn a living with a tree farm? The Iowa DNR has mismanged Iowa's deer population over the past 25-30 years. What's the matter with shooting a few of these critters out of season when it affects somebody's livelihood?

A deer has a value of $1500? Where does the Iowa DNR get off with that line of thinking? Deer-vehicle accidents cost at least $25 million a year in Iowa. They cause several deaths a year, usually motorcyclists riding at dusk or night.

But, but, but... tourism, license fees from tags, and having celebrities like Bo Jackson around is more important.


Related story: Shooting Deer