95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2007 and 2008
SB0201

 

Introduced 2/7/2007, by Sen. Todd Sieben

 

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

    Amends the the Wildlife Code. Provides that the open deer hunting season shall be no longer than 16 days (now 14) and shall not begin until September 1st (now November 1st).


LRB095 06232 CMK 26326 b

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

SB0201 LRB095 06232 CMK 26326 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 16 14
12 days which will be set annually by the Director between the
13 dates of September November 1st and December 31st, both
14 inclusive. For the purposes of this Section, legal handguns
15 include any centerfire handguns of .30 caliber or larger with a
16 minimum barrel length of 4 inches. The only legal ammunition
17 for a centerfire handgun is a cartridge of .30 caliber or
18 larger with a capability of at least 500 foot pounds of energy
19 at the muzzle. Full metal jacket bullets may not be used to
20 harvest deer.
21     The Department shall make administrative rules concerning
22 management restrictions applicable to the firearm and bow and
23 arrow season.

 

 

SB0201 - 2 - LRB095 06232 CMK 26326 b

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.
16     The Department may establish separate harvest periods for
17 the purpose of managing or eradicating disease that has been
18 found in the deer herd. This season shall be restricted to gun
19 or bow and arrow hunting only. The Department shall publicly
20 announce, via statewide news release, the season dates and
21 shooting hours, the counties and sites open to hunting, permit
22 requirements, application dates, hunting rules, legal weapons,
23 and reporting requirements.
24     The Department is authorized to establish a separate
25 harvest period at specific sites within the State for the
26 purpose of harvesting surplus deer that cannot be taken during

 

 

SB0201 - 3 - LRB095 06232 CMK 26326 b

1 the regular season provided for the taking of deer. This season
2 shall be restricted to gun or bow and arrow hunting only and
3 shall be established during the period of September 1st to
4 February 15th, both inclusive. The Department shall publish
5 suitable prescribed rules and regulations established by
6 administrative rule pertaining to management restrictions
7 applicable to this special harvest program. The Department
8 shall allow unused gun deer permits that are left over from a
9 regular season for the taking of deer to be rolled over and
10 used during any separate harvest period held within 6 months of
11 the season for which those tags were issued at no additional
12 cost to the permit holder subject to the management
13 restrictions applicable to the special harvest program.
14 (Source: P.A. 93-37, eff. 6-25-03; 93-554, eff. 8-20-03;
15 94-919, eff. 6-26-06.)