Section 760.20  Crossbow Permits

a)         Eligibility

After proper application, the Department may issue a permit to hunt with a crossbow to those persons who have a permanent physical impairment due to injury or disease, congenital or acquired, that renders them so severely disabled as to be unable to use a conventional bow and arrow device.  A person who meets any of the following automatically qualifies for a crossbow permit:

1)         Has an amputation or other loss of one or more arms.

2)         Has an amputation or other loss of the index and middle finger on the draw and release hand.

3)         Has a permanent substantial loss of function in one or both arms or one or both hands and fails to meet the minimum standards of any one of the following standard tests, administered under the direction of a licensed physician:

A)        Upper extremity pinch.

B)        Grip.

C)        Nine-hole peg.

4)         Has a permanent substantial loss of function in one or both shoulders and fails to meet the minimum standards of the standard shoulder strength tests, administered under the direction of a licensed physician.

5)         Is blind.

A)        For the purpose of this subsection (a)(5), an individual is blind only if his or her central visual acuity does not exceed 20/200 in the better eye with correcting lenses, or if his or her visual acuity is greater than 20/200 but is accompanied by a limitation in the fields of vision such that the widest diameter of the visual fields subtends an angle no greater than 20 degrees.

B)        The holder of a crossbow permit issued under this subsection (a)(5) shall be accompanied by a person who is not eligible to apply for a permit under this subsection.  The accompanying person may not hunt or carry a firearm, bow, or crossbow unless that person has the appropriate licenses and/or permits to do so.  The assistance rendered by the accompanying person who has not been issued the appropriate licenses and/or permits shall be limited to sighting the crossbow, identifying the game and field dressing, tagging and retrieving game for the permit holder.

             b)        Any applicant with a permanent physical disability who, after taking the standard tests described in subsections (a)(3) and (a)(4), fails to qualify for a crossbow permit may file a supplemental application with the Department for further consideration and review.  The nature of the applicant's disability and how it renders the applicant unable to use a conventional bow and arrow device must be thoroughly explained on the supplemental application by the physician.  The supplemental application shall be forwarded to a physician, selected by the Department, who is board certified in occupational and preventive medicine.  The Department's physician will then notify the Department as to whether the applicant should be issued a crossbow permit.

c)         Permits issued under this Section shall be valid for a period of 3 years from the date of issuance specified on the permit.

d)         Loss of the crossbow hunting permit shall require the holder to reapply.

e)         Reapplication will require the applicant to certify that he is still suffering from a permanent physical disability that renders him unable to use a conventional bow and arrow device.

f)          By virtue of applying for a crossbow permit, the applicant is certifying that he or she is physically unable to use a conventional bow and arrow device.  Once the crossbow permit is issued, and during the period that it is in effect, the permittee shall be limited to using a crossbow while archery hunting.

(Source:  Amended at 32 Ill. Reg. 3294, effective February 25, 2008)