(520 ILCS 5/2.34) (from Ch. 61, par. 2.34)
Sec. 2.34. Dog trials.
(a) Dogs of any breed may be trained the year round in accordance with the
provisions of this Act.
(b) During the periods of time when it is unlawful to take species protected
by this Act, the only firearms which shall be used in the training of
dogs from sunrise to sunset shall be pistols with blank cartridges. No
other gun or ammunition may be in immediate possession during this time.
No person or persons in, along with, or accompanying the dog training
party, shall be in possession of any firearm or live ammunition, except
pistols capable of firing only blank cartridges during the hours from
sunset to sunrise. All organized field trials or training grounds approved by
the Department shall be exempt from this provision unless in accordance with the Firearm Concealed Carry Act.
(c) No field trial shall be held without a permit from the
Department.
The following Department areas shall be designated as horseback field
trial sites; Lee County Conservation Area, Des Plaines Conservation Area,
Moraine View State Park, Middle Fork Fish and Wildlife Area, Hamilton
County Conservation Area, and Wayne Fitzgerrell State Park. The Department
shall provide and maintain quality wildlife habitat on these sites.
Field trials shall be scheduled only from September 1 through April 30
in the Northern Zone and September 1 through April 15 in the Southern Zone.
The Department maintains the authority to schedule and administer field
trials. The boundary between the Northern Zone and the Southern
Zone shall be U.S. Route 36. However, (i) if the opening date of the field
trial season falls on Sunday, the season will begin on Saturday of that
weekend; and (ii) if the closing date of the field trial season falls on
Saturday, the season will conclude on Sunday of that weekend; and (iii) if
during the final days of the field trial season a field trial organization
begins a field trial which is subsequently interrupted due to inclement
weather, the field trial organization may complete the trial, subject to the
Department's approval, even though the field trial season has ended. The field
trial organization must complete the trial on the first possible day or days.
Field trials for the retrieving breeds are exempt from these field trials
season provisions and shall have no closed season.
The fee for field trials shall be established by the Department by rule.
(d) The Department is authorized to designate dog training
areas and to grant permits for all field trials including those field
trials where game birds reared under Section 3.23 are released and taken
in accordance with the rules and regulations set forth by the
Department. Applications for permits for such trials and training areas
shall be accompanied by detailed information as to the date and the location of
the grounds where such trial area or training grounds is located. Applicants
for field trial or dog training permits must have the consent of the
landowner prior to applying for such permit. Fees and other regulations
will be set by administrative rule.
(e) All permits for designated dog training areas shall expire March 31st of
each year.
(f) Permit holders for designated dog training areas must possess a wild
game breeder's permit or a game breeding and hunting preserve area permit and
may utilize live bird recall devices on such areas.
(g) Nothing shall prevent an individual from using a dog in the taking of
squirrel during the open season.
(h) All hand reared game released and shot at field trials shall
be properly identified with tags as provided for by this Act and such
birds shall be banded before they are removed from the field trial area.
(Source: P.A. 102-237, eff. 1-1-22.)
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