SB1245 EnrolledLRB102 05055 CMG 15074 b

1    AN ACT concerning wildlife.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 5. The Wildlife Code is amended by changing
5Section 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
8except (i) with a shotgun, handgun, or muzzleloading rifle or
9(ii) as provided by administrative rule, with a bow and arrow,
10during the open season of not more than 14 days which will be
11set annually by the Director between the dates of November 1st
12and December 31st, both inclusive, or a special 3-day,
13youth-only season between the dates of September 1 and October
1431. For the purposes of this Section, legal handguns include
15any centerfire handguns of .30 caliber or larger with a
16minimum barrel length of 4 inches. The only legal ammunition
17for a centerfire handgun is a cartridge of .30 caliber or
18larger with a capability of at least 500 foot pounds of energy
19at the muzzle. Full metal jacket bullets may not be used to
20harvest deer.
21    The Department shall make administrative rules concerning
22management restrictions applicable to the firearm and bow and
23arrow season.

 

 

SB1245 Enrolled- 2 -LRB102 05055 CMG 15074 b

1    It shall be unlawful for any person to take deer except
2with a bow and arrow during the open season for bow and arrow
3set annually by the Director between the dates of September
41st and January 31st, both inclusive.
5    It shall be unlawful for any person to take deer except
6with (i) a muzzleloading rifle or (ii) bow and arrow during the
7open season for muzzleloading rifles set annually by the
8Director.
9    The Director shall cause an administrative rule setting
10forth the prescribed rules and regulations, including bag and
11possession limits and those counties of the State where open
12seasons are established, to be published in accordance with
13Sections 1.3 and 1.13 of this Act.
14    The Department may establish separate harvest periods for
15the purpose of managing or eradicating disease that has been
16found in the deer herd. This season shall be restricted to gun
17or bow and arrow hunting only. The Department shall publicly
18announce, via statewide news release, the season dates and
19shooting hours, the counties and sites open to hunting, permit
20requirements, application dates, hunting rules, legal weapons,
21and reporting requirements.
22    The Department is authorized to establish a separate
23harvest period at specific sites within the State for the
24purpose of harvesting surplus deer that cannot be taken during
25the regular season provided for the taking of deer. This
26season shall be restricted to gun or bow and arrow hunting only

 

 

SB1245 Enrolled- 3 -LRB102 05055 CMG 15074 b

1and shall be established during the period of September 1st to
2February 15th, both inclusive. The Department shall publicly
3announce, via statewide news release, the season dates and
4shooting hours, and the counties and sites open to hunting.
5The Department shall publish suitable prescribed rules and
6regulations established by administrative rule pertaining to
7management restrictions applicable to this special harvest
8program. The Department shall allow unused gun deer permits
9that are left over from a regular season for the taking of deer
10to be rolled over and used during any separate harvest period
11held within 6 months of the season for which those tags were
12issued at no additional cost to the permit holder subject to
13the management restrictions applicable to the special harvest
14program.
15    Beginning July 1, 2019, and on an annual basis thereafter,
16the Department shall provide a report to the General Assembly
17providing information regarding deer management programs
18established by the Code or by administrative rule that
19includes: (1) the number of surplus deer taken during each
20separate harvest season; (2) the number of deer found to have a
21communicable disease or other abnormality; and (3) what
22happens to the deer taken during each separate harvest season.
23(Source: P.A. 101-66, eff. 7-12-19.)