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1
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION

 
2     WHEREAS, The State of Illinois, through its Department of
3 Natural Resources, has provided a captive-reared pheasant
4 hunting program since 1946; and
 
5     WHEREAS, The captive-reared pheasants are released on
6 public lands for hunting; and
 
7     WHEREAS, The Department of Natural Resources' Controlled
8 Pheasant Hunting Program (CPHP) is now provided at 18 public
9 hunting areas geographically distributed throughout Illinois;
10 and
 
11     WHEREAS, The Controlled Pheasant Hunting Program provides
12 an important and irreplaceable hunting experience for many
13 hunters; and
 
14     WHEREAS, Illinois is highly urbanized, and 95% of all the
15 land in the State is privately owned with limited hunting
16 access; and
 
17     WHEREAS, The State's wild pheasant population has declined
18 over the past 30 years; and
 
19     WHEREAS, The combination of limited hunting access and the

 

 

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1 decline in wild pheasant populations results in many hunters
2 relying on public hunting areas for their sport and recreation;
3 and
 
4     WHEREAS, With the urbanization and development of so much
5 of Illinois, public hunting areas are the sole source for urban
6 hunters; and
 
7     WHEREAS, Public hunting areas are the most accessible for
8 the State's active senior and handicapped hunters; and
 
9     WHEREAS, In 2006, 46,850, or 97.7% of the pheasants
10 harvested on public lands were captive-reared pheasants from
11 the 18 public hunting areas; and
 
12     WHEREAS, In 2006, only 1,100 wild pheasants were harvested
13 from the remaining 19 public hunting areas where captive-reared
14 pheasant are not released; and
 
15     WHEREAS, Illinois realized in excess of 29,000 pheasant
16 hunter trips under the Controlled Pheasant Hunting Program; and
 
17     WHEREAS, Considerable revenues are realized from the
18 State's vast population of pheasant hunters each and every
19 season; and
 

 

 

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1     WHEREAS, Pheasant hunters pay a $15 daily access fee for
2 using the Department of Natural Resources' controlled pheasant
3 hunting areas; and
 
4     WHEREAS, Pheasant hunters must also purchase an Illinois
5 hunting license and most also purchase the $5.50 Habitat stamp;
6 and
 
7     WHEREAS, Illinois hunters contribute to the State's $5.8
8 million Pitman-Roberson apportionment through the federal
9 excise tax paid on sporting arms and ammunition; and
 
10     WHEREAS, Illinois pheasant hunters contribute
11 significantly to the local economies surrounding
12 State-controlled hunting areas; and
 
13     WHEREAS, The Department of Natural Resources operates 3
14 Wildlife Propagation Centers; and
 
15     WHEREAS, These unique pheasant production facilities were
16 constructed at a cost of nearly $8 million; and
 
17     WHEREAS, In 2007, 65,000 mature pheasants raised at the
18 Wildlife Propagation Centers were released on the State's
19 controlled pheasant hunting lands; and
 

 

 

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1     WHEREAS, Without the Department of Natural Resources'
2 Controlled Pheasant Hunting Program, pheasant hunting in
3 Illinois would virtually cease to exist; and
 
4     WHEREAS, Illinois pheasant hunters would be displaced and
5 not have adequate access to hunting areas, especially in the
6 State's expanding urban regions; and
 
7     WHEREAS, The revenues realized by both the State and the
8 local economies within the State would suffer considerably
9 without the continuation of the State's Controlled Pheasant
10 Hunting Program; therefore, be it
 
11     RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
12 NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE
13 SENATE CONCURRING HEREIN, that we recognize the financial and
14 professional investment committed by the State in creating its
15 progressive and advanced propagation centers; and be it further
 
16     RESOLVED, We acknowledge and understand the significance
17 of the State's Controlled Pheasant Hunting Program operated by
18 the Department of Natural Resources; and be it further
 
19     RESOLVED, We encourage and expect the continuation and
20 maintenance of the Controlled Pheasant Hunting Program to
21 insure access and availability for pheasant hunters from

 

 

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1 throughout Illinois; and be it further
 
2     RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be
3 presented to the Director of Natural Resources and the
4 Governor.