95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2007 and 2008
HB0564

 

Introduced 2/5/2007, by Rep. John E. Bradley

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
520 ILCS 5/2.25   from Ch. 61, par. 2.25

    Amends the Wildlife Code. Provides that the open deer hunting season set annually by the Director of the Department of Natural Resources must not exceed 21 days (now 14). Provides that the Director shall increase the open deer hunting season bag limit, for each licensed deer hunter, by one. Effective immediately.


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FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

HB0564 LRB095 08202 CMK 28371 b

1     AN ACT concerning wildlife.
 
2     Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3 represented in the General Assembly:
 
4     Section 5. The Wildlife Code is amended by changing Section
5 2.25 as follows:
 
6     (520 ILCS 5/2.25)  (from Ch. 61, par. 2.25)
7     Sec. 2.25. It shall be unlawful for any person to take deer
8 except (i) with a shotgun, handgun, or muzzleloading rifle or
9 (ii) as provided by administrative rule, with a bow and arrow,
10 or crossbow device for handicapped persons as defined in
11 Section 2.33, during the open season of not more than 21 14
12 days which will be set annually by the Director between the
13 dates of November 1st and December 31st, both inclusive. For
14 the purposes of this Section, legal handguns include any
15 centerfire handguns of .30 caliber or larger with a minimum
16 barrel length of 4 inches. The only legal ammunition for a
17 centerfire handgun is a cartridge of .30 caliber or larger with
18 a capability of at least 500 foot pounds of energy at the
19 muzzle. Full metal jacket bullets may not be used to harvest
20 deer.
21     The Department shall make administrative rules concerning
22 management restrictions applicable to the firearm and bow and
23 arrow season.

 

 

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1     It shall be unlawful for any person to take deer except
2 with a bow and arrow, or crossbow device for handicapped
3 persons (as defined in Section 2.33), during the open season
4 for bow and arrow set annually by the Director between the
5 dates of September 1st and January 31st, both inclusive.
6     It shall be unlawful for any person to take deer except
7 with (i) a muzzleloading rifle, or (ii) bow and arrow, or
8 crossbow device for handicapped persons as defined in Section
9 2.33, during the open season for muzzleloading rifles set
10 annually by the Director.
11     The Director shall cause an administrative rule setting
12 forth the prescribed rules and regulations, including bag and
13 possession limits and those counties of the State where open
14 seasons are established, to be published in accordance with
15 Sections 1.3 and 1.13 of this Act. Because this amendatory Act
16 of the 95th General Assembly expands the open deer hunting
17 season by 7 days, the Director shall increase the bag limit,
18 for each licensed deer hunter, by one.
19     The Department may establish separate harvest periods for
20 the purpose of managing or eradicating disease that has been
21 found in the deer herd. This season shall be restricted to gun
22 or bow and arrow hunting only. The Department shall publicly
23 announce, via statewide news release, the season dates and
24 shooting hours, the counties and sites open to hunting, permit
25 requirements, application dates, hunting rules, legal weapons,
26 and reporting requirements.

 

 

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1     The Department is authorized to establish a separate
2 harvest period at specific sites within the State for the
3 purpose of harvesting surplus deer that cannot be taken during
4 the regular season provided for the taking of deer. This season
5 shall be restricted to gun or bow and arrow hunting only and
6 shall be established during the period of September 1st to
7 February 15th, both inclusive. The Department shall publish
8 suitable prescribed rules and regulations established by
9 administrative rule pertaining to management restrictions
10 applicable to this special harvest program. The Department
11 shall allow unused gun deer permits that are left over from a
12 regular season for the taking of deer to be rolled over and
13 used during any separate harvest period held within 6 months of
14 the season for which those tags were issued at no additional
15 cost to the permit holder subject to the management
16 restrictions applicable to the special harvest program.
17 (Source: P.A. 93-37, eff. 6-25-03; 93-554, eff. 8-20-03;
18 94-919, eff. 6-26-06.)
 
19     Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
20 becoming law.