Bill Text: IL HB2777 | 2019-2020 | 101st General Assembly | Engrossed

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Bill Title: Amends the Wildlife Code. Provides that beginning July 1, 2019, and on an annual basis thereafter, the Department of Natural Resources shall provide a report to the General Assembly providing information regarding deer management programs established by the Code or by administrative rule that includes: (1) the number of surplus deer taken during each separate harvest season; (2) the number of deer found to have a communicable disease or other abnormality; and (3) what happens to the deer taken during each separate harvest season. Effective immediately.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 2-0)

Status: (Passed) 2019-07-12 - Public Act . . . . . . . . . 101-0066 [HB2777 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2019-HB2777-Engrossed.html

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AN ACT concerning wildlife.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly:
Section 5. The Wildlife Code is amended by changing Section
2.25 as follows:
(520 ILCS 5/2.25) (from Ch. 61, par. 2.25)
Sec. 2.25. It shall be unlawful for any person to take deer
except (i) with a shotgun, handgun, or muzzleloading rifle or
(ii) as provided by administrative rule, with a bow and arrow,
during the open season of not more than 14 days which will be
set annually by the Director between the dates of November 1st
and December 31st, both inclusive, or a special 3-day,
youth-only season between the dates of September 1 and October
31. For the purposes of this Section, legal handguns include
any centerfire handguns of .30 caliber or larger with a minimum
barrel length of 4 inches. The only legal ammunition for a
centerfire handgun is a cartridge of .30 caliber or larger with
a capability of at least 500 foot pounds of energy at the
muzzle. Full metal jacket bullets may not be used to harvest
deer.
The Department shall make administrative rules concerning
management restrictions applicable to the firearm and bow and
arrow season.

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

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shall be established during the period of September 1st to
February 15th, both inclusive. The Department shall publish
suitable prescribed rules and regulations established by
administrative rule pertaining to management restrictions
applicable to this special harvest program. The Department
shall allow unused gun deer permits that are left over from a
regular season for the taking of deer to be rolled over and
used during any separate harvest period held within 6 months of
the season for which those tags were issued at no additional
cost to the permit holder subject to the management
restrictions applicable to the special harvest program.
Beginning July 1, 2019, and on an annual basis thereafter,
the Department shall provide a report to the General Assembly
providing information regarding deer management programs
established by the Code or by administrative rule that
includes: (1) the number of surplus deer taken during each
separate harvest season; (2) the number of deer found to have a
communicable disease or other abnormality; and (3) what happens
to the deer taken during each separate harvest season.
(Source: P.A. 97-907, eff. 8-7-12; 98-368, eff. 8-16-13.)
Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
becoming law.