Bill Text: IL HB5881 | 2023-2024 | 103rd General Assembly | Introduced


Bill Title: Amends the Wildlife Code. Provides that the firearm open season set annually by the Director of Natural Resources between the dates of November 1 and December 31, both inclusive, shall include (1) a period before Thanksgiving of at least 4 consecutive days, (2) a period after Thanksgiving of at least 5 consecutive days, and (3) a total period of not more than 14 days. Makes technical changes.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)

Status: (Introduced) 2024-09-24 - Filed with the Clerk by Rep. Adam M. Niemerg [HB5881 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2023-HB5881-Introduced.html

103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2023 and 2024
HB5881

Introduced , by Rep. Adam M. Niemerg

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

Amends the Wildlife Code. Provides that the firearm open season set annually by the Director of Natural Resources between the dates of November 1 and December 31, both inclusive, shall include (1) a period before Thanksgiving of at least 4 consecutive days, (2) a period after Thanksgiving of at least 5 consecutive days, and (3) a total period of not more than 14 days. Makes technical changes.
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A BILL FOR

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1 AN ACT concerning wildlife.
2 Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
4 Section 5. The Wildlife Code is amended by changing
5Section 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
8except (i) with a shotgun, handgun, single shot centerfire
9rifle, or muzzleloading rifle or (ii) as provided by
10administrative rule, with a bow and arrow, during the open
11season of not more than 14 days which will be set annually by
12the Director between the dates of November 1 1st and December
1331 31st, both inclusive, or a special 3-day, youth-only season
14between the dates of September 1 and October 31. For the
15purposes of this Section, legal handguns and rifles are
16limited to centerfire handguns that are either a single shot
17or revolver and centerfire rifles that are single shot. The
18only legal ammunition for a centerfire handgun or rifle is a
19bottleneck centerfire cartridge of .30 caliber or larger with
20a case length not exceeding one and two-fifths inches, or a
21straight-walled centerfire cartridge of .30 caliber or larger,
22both of which must be available as a factory load with the
23published ballistic tables of the manufacturer showing a

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1capability of at least 500 foot pounds of energy at the muzzle.
2The barrel of a handgun shall be at least 4 inches. Full metal
3jacket bullets may not be used to harvest deer.
4 The Department shall adopt make administrative rules
5concerning management restrictions applicable to the firearm
6and bow and arrow season.
7 It shall be unlawful for any person to take deer except
8with a shotgun, handgun, single shot centerfire rifle, or
9muzzleloading rifle during the firearm open season set
10annually by the Director between the dates of November 1 and
11December 31, both inclusive, or as otherwise provided in this
12Section. The firearm open season for the taking of deer set
13annually by the Director between the dates of November 1 and
14December 31, both inclusive, shall include (1) a period before
15Thanksgiving of at least 4 consecutive days, (2) a period
16after Thanksgiving of at least 5 consecutive days, and (3) a
17total period of not more than 14 days.
18 It shall be unlawful for any person to take deer except
19with a bow and arrow during the open season for bow and arrow
20set annually by the Director between the dates of September
211st and January 31st, both inclusive.
22 It shall be unlawful for any person to take deer except
23with (i) a muzzleloading rifle or (ii) bow and arrow during the
24open season for muzzleloading rifles set annually by the
25Director.
26 The Director shall cause an administrative rule setting

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1forth the prescribed rules and regulations, including bag and
2possession limits and those counties of the State where open
3seasons are established, to be published in accordance with
4Sections 1.3 and 1.13 of this Act.
5 The Department may establish separate harvest periods for
6the purpose of managing or eradicating disease that has been
7found in the deer herd. This season shall be restricted to gun
8or bow and arrow hunting only. The Department shall publicly
9announce, via statewide news release, the season dates and
10shooting hours, the counties and sites open to hunting.
11 The Department is authorized to establish a separate
12harvest period at specific sites within the State for the
13purpose of harvesting surplus deer that cannot be taken during
14the regular season provided for the taking of deer. This
15season shall be restricted to gun or bow and arrow hunting only
16and shall be established during the period of September 1st to
17February 15th, both inclusive. The Department shall publicly
18announce, via statewide news release, the season dates and
19shooting hours, and the counties and sites open to hunting.
20The Department shall publish suitable prescribed rules and
21regulations established by administrative rule pertaining to
22management restrictions applicable to this special harvest
23program. The Department shall allow unused gun deer permits
24that are left over from a regular season for the taking of deer
25to be rolled over and used during any separate harvest period
26held within 6 months of the season for which those tags were

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