96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2009 and 2010
HB6144

 

Introduced 2/11/2010, by Rep. Richard P. Myers

 

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

    Amends the Wildlife Code. Provides that it shall be unlawful for any person to take deer except during the open season of not more than 21 days (instead of 14 days) which will be set annually by the Director between the dates of November 1st and December 31st, both inclusive, or a special 2-day, youth-only season between the dates of September 1 and October 31.


LRB096 18607 JDS 33989 b

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

HB6144 LRB096 18607 JDS 33989 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, and persons age 62 or older during the open
12 season of not more than 21 14 days which will be set annually
13 by the Director between the dates of November 1st and December
14 31st, both inclusive, or a special 2-day, youth-only season
15 between the dates of September 1 and October 31. For the
16 purposes of this Section, legal handguns include any centerfire
17 handguns of .30 caliber or larger with a minimum barrel length
18 of 4 inches. The only legal ammunition for a centerfire handgun
19 is a cartridge of .30 caliber or larger with a capability of at
20 least 500 foot pounds of energy at the muzzle. Full metal
21 jacket bullets may not be used to harvest deer.
22     The Department shall make administrative rules concerning
23 management restrictions applicable to the firearm and bow and

 

 

HB6144 - 2 - LRB096 18607 JDS 33989 b

1 arrow season.
2     It shall be unlawful for any person to take deer except
3 with a bow and arrow, or crossbow device for handicapped
4 persons, as defined in Section 2.33, and persons age 62 or
5 older during the open season for bow and arrow set annually by
6 the Director between the dates of September 1st and January
7 31st, both inclusive.
8     It shall be unlawful for any person to take deer except
9 with (i) a muzzleloading rifle, or (ii) bow and arrow, or
10 crossbow device for handicapped persons, as defined in Section
11 2.33, and persons age 62 or older during the open season for
12 muzzleloading rifles set annually by the Director.
13     The Director shall cause an administrative rule setting
14 forth the prescribed rules and regulations, including bag and
15 possession limits and those counties of the State where open
16 seasons are established, to be published in accordance with
17 Sections 1.3 and 1.13 of this Act.
18     The Department may establish separate harvest periods for
19 the purpose of managing or eradicating disease that has been
20 found in the deer herd. This season shall be restricted to gun
21 or bow and arrow hunting only. The Department shall publicly
22 announce, via statewide news release, the season dates and
23 shooting hours, the counties and sites open to hunting, permit
24 requirements, application dates, hunting rules, legal weapons,
25 and reporting requirements.
26     The Department is authorized to establish a separate

 

 

HB6144 - 3 - LRB096 18607 JDS 33989 b

1 harvest period at specific sites within the State for the
2 purpose of harvesting surplus deer that cannot be taken during
3 the regular season provided for the taking of deer. This season
4 shall be restricted to gun or bow and arrow hunting only and
5 shall be established during the period of September 1st to
6 February 15th, both inclusive. The Department shall publish
7 suitable prescribed rules and regulations established by
8 administrative rule pertaining to management restrictions
9 applicable to this special harvest program. The Department
10 shall allow unused gun deer permits that are left over from a
11 regular season for the taking of deer to be rolled over and
12 used during any separate harvest period held within 6 months of
13 the season for which those tags were issued at no additional
14 cost to the permit holder subject to the management
15 restrictions applicable to the special harvest program.
16 (Source: P.A. 94-919, eff. 6-26-06; 95-13, eff. 1-1-08; 95-329,
17 eff. 8-21-07; 95-876, eff. 8-21-08.)