New legislation passed by Iowa lawmakers would allow semi-automatic rifles to be used for a newly created deer hunting season.

Senate File 581 allows hunters to hunt antlerless deer in January using semi-automatic rifles and District 24 Senator Jesse Green of Boone says the legislation is specifically geared toward controlling the overall deer population. He addresses the argument from the opposition about AR-15 rifles being used in the new hunting season.

“Some people have pushed back about allowing AR-15s for hunting deer. But the reality is there’s only about ten states that do not allow AR-15s for some sort of deer hunting season. We are just allowing it for the purpose of this depredation season, so it’s for a specific purpose, for a specific time. We’re not going to see a lot of deer hunters out there during this season as well. I think it’s a great bill.”

Green notes there is no additional training or coursework because hunters already have to take hunter safety education courses and other measures are in place. He adds the bill also has a study component to it with the Department of Natural Resources, Department of Transportation, Iowa State University and other entities with an accurate assessment of the deer population. 

The bill is awaiting the governor’s signature to become law. Click the link below to see the bill.

https://www.legis.iowa.gov/legislation/BillBook?ga=89&ba=SF581