Public Act 93-0037

HB2918 Enrolled                      LRB093 03699 JAM 03729 b

    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 or muzzleloading rifle or (ii)
as  provided by administrative rule, with a bow and arrow, or
crossbow device for handicapped persons as defined in Section
2.33, 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.
    It shall be unlawful for any person to take  deer  except
with  a  bow  and  arrow,  or crossbow device for handicapped
persons (as defined in Section 2.33), 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, or
crossbow device for handicapped persons as defined in Section
2.33, 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 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.
(Source: P.A.   86-1188;  87-126;  87-234;  87-895;  87-1015;
87-1243; 87-1268.)

    Section 99.  Effective date.  This Act takes effect  upon
becoming law.