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91_SB0163enr
SB163 Enrolled LRB9102634DHmg
1 AN ACT concerning recreational hunting and trapping.
2 Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3 represented in the General Assembly:
4 Section 5. The Department of Natural Resources Act is
5 amended by changing Section 1-15 as follows:
6 (20 ILCS 801/1-15)
7 Sec. 1-15. General powers and duties.
8 (a) It shall be the duty of the Department to
9 investigate practical problems, implement studies, conduct
10 research and provide assistance, information and data
11 relating to the technology and administration of the natural
12 history, entomology, zoology, and botany of this State; the
13 geology and natural resources of this State; the water and
14 atmospheric resources of this State; and the archeological
15 and cultural history of this State.
16 (b) The Department shall obtain, store, and process
17 relevant data; recommend technological, administrative, and
18 legislative changes and developments; cooperate with other
19 federal, state, and local governmental research agencies,
20 facilities, or institutes in the selection of projects for
21 study; cooperate with the Board of Higher Education and with
22 the public and private colleges and universities in this
23 State in developing relevant interdisciplinary approaches to
24 problems; evaluate curricula at all levels of education and
25 provide assistance to instructors; and sponsor an annual
26 conference of leaders in government, industry, health, and
27 education to evaluate the state of this State's environment
28 and natural resources.
29 (c) The Director, in accordance with the Personnel Code,
30 shall employ such personnel, provide such facilities, and
31 contract for such outside services as may be necessary to
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1 carry out the purposes of the Department. Maximum use shall
2 be made of existing federal and state agencies, facilities,
3 and personnel in conducting research under this Act.
4 (d) In addition to its other powers, the Department has
5 the following powers:
6 (1) To obtain, store, process, and provide data and
7 information related to the powers and duties of the
8 Department under this Act. This subdivision (d)(1) does
9 not give authority to the Department to require reports
10 from nongovernmental sources or entities.
11 (2) To cooperate with and support the Illinois
12 Governor's Science and Technology Advisory Committee and
13 the Illinois Coalition for the purpose of facilitating
14 the effective operations and activities of such entities.
15 Support may include, but need not be limited to,
16 providing space for the operations of the Committee and
17 the Illinois Coalition.
18 (e) The Department is authorized to make grants to local
19 not-for-profit organizations for the purposes of development,
20 maintenance and study of wetland areas.
21 (f) The Department has the authority to accept, receive
22 and administer on behalf of the State any gifts, bequests,
23 donations, income from property rental and endowments. Any
24 such funds received by the Department shall be deposited into
25 the Natural Resources Fund, a special fund which is hereby
26 created in the State treasury, and used for the purposes of
27 this Act or, when appropriate, for such purposes and under
28 such restrictions, terms and conditions as are predetermined
29 by the donor or grantor of such funds or property. Any
30 accrued interest from money deposited into the Natural
31 Resources Fund shall be reinvested into the Fund and used in
32 the same manner as the principal. The Director shall maintain
33 records which account for and assure that restricted funds or
34 property are disbursed or used pursuant to the restrictions,
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1 terms or conditions of the donor.
2 (g) The Department shall recognize, preserve, and
3 promote our special heritage of recreational hunting and
4 trapping by providing opportunities to hunt and trap in
5 accordance with the Wildlife Code.
6 (Source: P.A. 89-445, eff. 2-7-96; revised 12-2-98.)
7 Section 10. The Wildlife Code is amended by changing
8 Section 3.8 as follows:
9 (520 ILCS 5/3.8) (from Ch. 61, par. 3.8)
10 Sec. 3.8. Migratory waterfowl areas; geese.
11 (a) On any property operated under a Migratory Waterfowl
12 Hunting Area Permit (Commercial) where the principal use is
13 to take wild geese, it is the permit holder's duty to ensure
14 all of the following but only during Canada goose season:
15 (1) That no person takes wild geese except from a
16 blind or pit.
17 (2) That no person establishes or uses any blind or
18 pit for the taking of wild geese within 200 yards of any
19 other blind or pit or within 100 yards of the boundary of
20 the property on which the blind or pit is located.
21 (3) That no person establishes or uses any blind or
22 pit for the taking of wild geese within 200 yards of any
23 wildlife refuge boundary or public road right-of-way
24 adjacent to any State or Federal waterfowl refuge. If a
25 blind or pit has been established for more than 10 years
26 and it was believed by both the landowner and the
27 Department during that time to meet the minimum yardage
28 requirements of this paragraph (3), then the blind or pit
29 may remain in place even though a survey or other
30 evidence may indicate that the minimum yardage
31 requirements are not met.
32 (b) On any property where the principal use is to take
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1 wild geese in Alexander, Franklin, Jackson, Jefferson, Union
2 and Williamson Counties, other than property operated under a
3 Migratory Waterfowl Hunting Area Permit (Commercial), all of
4 the following restrictions shall be observed but only during
5 Canada goose season:
6 (1) No person may take wild geese except from a
7 blind or pit and it shall be illegal to take or attempt
8 to take geese from the base of standing timber except
9 when immediately adjacent to an open field.
10 (2) No person may establish or use a blind or pit
11 within 100 yards of the boundary of the property on which
12 the blind or pit is located unless the minimum yardage
13 requirement cannot be met, in which case one pit or blind
14 may be permitted only if there is a minimum of 200 yards
15 between that pit or blind and the nearest pit or blind.
16 (3) No person may establish or use a blind or pit
17 for the taking of wild geese within 200 yards of any
18 wildlife refuge boundary or public road right-of-way
19 adjacent to any State or Federal waterfowl refuge. If a
20 blind or pit has been established for more than 10 years
21 and it was believed by both the landowner and the
22 Department during that time to meet the minimum yardage
23 requirements of this paragraph (3), then the blind or pit
24 may remain in place even though a survey or other
25 evidence may indicate that the minimum yardage
26 requirements are not met.
27 (4) No more than the number of persons allowed by
28 administrative rule may occupy or attempt to take wild
29 geese from any blind or pit at the same time.
30 (Source: P.A. 90-435, eff. 1-1-98.)
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1 Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
2 becoming law.
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