96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2009 and 2010
HB2589

 

Introduced 2/20/2009, by Rep. Brandon W. Phelps

 

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

    Amends the Wildlife Code. Provides that the special 2-day, youth-only deer hunting season must take place on the Friday and Saturday or Saturday and Sunday of the last weekend in September (now, between the dates of September 1 and October 31). Provides that the separate harvest period for the purpose of harvesting surplus deer must occur during the Friday, Saturday, and Sunday of the last weekend in September (now, during September 1st to February 15th, inclusive). Provides that the separate harvest period for the purpose of managing or eradicating disease must occur during the Friday, Saturday, and Sunday of the last weekend in September.


LRB096 10041 JDS 20205 b

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

HB2589 LRB096 10041 JDS 20205 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 14 days which will be set annually by
13 the Director between the dates of November 1st and December
14 31st, both inclusive, or a special 2-day, youth-only season
15 during the Friday and Saturday or Saturday and Sunday of the
16 last weekend in September between the dates of September 1 and
17 October 31. For the purposes of this Section, legal handguns
18 include any centerfire handguns of .30 caliber or larger with a
19 minimum barrel length of 4 inches. The only legal ammunition
20 for a centerfire handgun is a cartridge of .30 caliber or
21 larger with a capability of at least 500 foot pounds of energy
22 at the muzzle. Full metal jacket bullets may not be used to
23 harvest deer.

 

 

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

 

 

HB2589 - 3 - LRB096 10041 JDS 20205 b

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