Wondering if there's anything in the works to address DNR's hardon against bowhunters carrying a handgun, now that a permit is optional. Got my license checked tonight and he started trying to tell me carrying in bow season isn't allowed. "I wasn't going to cite you or anything, just telling you..."

I mentioned how it got changed in the regs that with a carry permit it's allowed, he looked it up and admitted I was right(and I've got to admit, he was decent about it the whole time), but how does that apply now that IA law essentially IS a carry permit?

Topic Moved

My understanding is if you have a permit, you are still good to go. If you do not have a permit, you cannot carry.

I know from talking with a couple DNR guys, it is convoluted and confusing. Even they don't understand what to do.

Fucking government.

actually, it isn't convoluted or confusing.  think of it like this...  anything you used to be able to do WITH a permit now is available WITHOUT a permit.  that's pretty simple.

but, instead of adopting that simple notion, you have bureaucratic agencies like DNR that seek to make things complex, because they refuse to adopt the intent the legislators clearly communicated forward for iowans and beyond.  

i could give you some of the inside baseball if you wanted it, but it ultimately isn't helpful.  what is helpful, is the linear thought with things like, "hey mr. dnr, are you and your superiors keeping the best interests of iowans with your actions and your thought, or are you assuming we're all poachers that haven't been caught yet?"  because the truth of the matter is, that while i would agree with the dnr there are some obsolete sentences buried deep in hunting regs that *could* be considered contradictory (which are highly likely to be dealt with) they haven't truly thought through this.  again.  

i'm truly disappointed in our dnr on this topic.  they know full well exactly what the legislators intended and what the governor signed.  but instead of defaulting to that while any bugs or questions are dealt with, they trip people up and create and perpetuate confusion.  for a department within the state that constantly cries the blues that fewer and fewer people are using iowa's natural resources, i'm not sure how it makes sense to pick on them and pick at them.  these same folks playing monkeyshines will be looking around and seeing fewer of one another when the annual revenues continue dropping like rocks that ultimately fund their salaries.  

there are a bunch of the dnr folks that are good as gold, but there is also a sect within that department that seeks to have every single thing possible written in black and white for every possible eventuality.  they can't fathom the idea of hunting, fishing, etc. without a rule book a mile deep.  and instead of defaulting to the idea of "enjoy the same ethical behaviors WITHOUT a permission slip" some seek to make trouble.

if that's the way you want to play it, fine...  maybe the discretion to make these distinctions should be removed from dnr.  their rule-making process needs an overhaul and that's been discussed at length.  maybe a few other things need some reconsideration.

Your opening line is flat out wrong.

May prevent legal issues associated with a person coming within 1,000 feet of the grounds of a public, parochial, or private school without a state issued permit in violation of the Gun Free School Zones Act, 18 USC § 921(a)(25) and 18 USC § 922(q)(2).

source, https://dps.iowa.gov/hf756-iowas-new-weapon-permit-law

A person in possession of a valid permit to carry weapons may carry a handgun while
hunting. However, only handguns as described in 106.7(2) may be used to hunt deer and only when a
handgun is a lawful method of take.

source, https://www.legis.iowa.gov/docs/iac/rule/571.106.7.pdf

That is 2 instances, where a permit gives you protections Constitutional Carry does not.

you need to make up your mind whether we're talking about iowa law or federal law.  no matter what iowa law is, it won't impact the federal safe school act.  

yes, the permit is very important for the federal schools ditty, but we were talking about iowa laws and the iowa dnr throughout this thread.  with no permit being near a school, you're at risk, no doubt.  so keep that thought.  but again, the legislator's intent was clear.  i might know just a little bit about it since i was speaking with them 8x a day over this for months...

and 106.7 with a permit is now to be viewed as no need for a permit to still enjoy that same path...  i'm guessing some of the overlap that didn't get axed in dnr reg and admin code will be wiped clean in about four months...  ;)

but, the judiciary lead legislators on this have spoken with dnr and have conveyed the sentiment, so the dnr has adopted this to know knowledge, while complaining and undermining the process.  so we'll clean up any loose ends in the next session.

the really funny part about all this are some of the arguments coming from dnr over this.  it was communicated to me that they were going to use 483A.36 against us.  but the ironic part is twofold...  one, 483A.35 defines "gun" in that chapter, and excludes a handgun...  lol.  that pretty much takes care of the bowhunter with a pistol problem.  and additionally laughable is the fact that no place are peace officers exempted.  sure it says, "except as permitted by law" right there, but WHERE does that exist?  lol....  if an officer cites you for it and he/she happen to be carrying a weapon, they're in violation too IF that's the way they're going to apply it.  which they shouldn't, so we'll see.

i think somebody without a firm grasp of iowa's code made a couple knee jerk assumptions from what they read with a search tool at dnr.  

but...  like you, a guy who intends on carrying near a school would be wise to keep a permit to avoid a federal beef.  that i agree.  but that has nothing to do with iowa laws or iowa dnr.  if it helps, i wrote posted a blog for richard over on ifc's site that goes over a bunch of this.  you should check it out:  https://iowafc.org/2021/06/25/the-countdown-to-constitutional-carry/

I was clarifying that despite constitutional carry being law now, there are still restrictions if you do not have a permit to carry.

Per the DNR code that I linked, they specifically state you have to have a permit to carry your handgun. Only caveat is if you have no permit, and are carrying a legal handgun for deer hunting.

Other than that, if you plan on hunting and keeping your normal CCW on you, best have your permit on you as well.

Defund the DNR

FIFY

Ment what I said they have repeatedly overstepped and I'm sick of it

So who specifically from the Judiciary and legislature lead the conversation with the DNR and instructed them to enforce the laws as written instead of their convoluted interpretations?