(Atlantic, Iowa) – Here’s a reminder about an upcoming meeting in Atlantic, Monday, with regards to a thinning deer population in the region. Iowa DNR State Deer Biologist Jace Elliott says the presentation takes place from 6:30- until 8-p.m., Monday, July 8^th, at the Venue in downtown Atlantic.

Other meetings are being held next week, in Denison, Council Bluffs, and Shenandoah. Elliott says the deer population degradation is not specific to any one county. It’s occurring throughout western Iowa.

He says discussions will be held in eight locations altogether. The week of July 15^th, meetings will be held in Onawa Sioux Center, Sioux City, and Cherokee. Jace Elliott says the discussions will be tailored to the region.

He says you don’t need to bring any materials with you to the meetings. You ARE encouraged to bring your fellow hunters along with you, or at least let them know about the sessions, because input from hunters is needed to determine how the DNR should proceed with helping the deer herd to recover.

The results of questionnaires available at each meeting will be published once all the meetings are completed. He says they have a lot of data to put what’s happened, in context.

Elliott says they’ve made “some pretty drastic changes over the last three-years in southwest and west central Iowa, in terms of reducing county anterless tags and other regulations,” in an attempt to turn around the downward deer population trend. He says the DNR is confident they can revitalize the deer population in a few short years.

Elliott said deer harvest practices that have taken place from the mid-2000’s on, is the main factor which has resulted in the current reduced deer population, but there are other factors as well. “Deer hunting, he says, “is one of Iowa’s most recreationally and economically important traditions. Our goal is to manage deer numbers at a level that is acceptable to our citizens and that supports a quality hunting experience.”

See the schedule below for information on other meeting dates, times and locations. All meetings run from 6:30-until 8-p.m.

• July 9, Denison, at Yellow Smoke Park Lookout Shelter
• July 10, Council Bluffs, at Bass Pro Shops
• July 11, Shenandoah, at the Public Library
• July 15, Onawa, at the Public Library
• July 16, Sioux Center, at Sandy Hollow Clubhouse
• July 17, Sioux City, at Dorothy Pecaut Nature Center
• July 18, Cherokee, at the Community Center Auditorium