HB5153 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB104 16097 BDA 29397 b

104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2025 and 2026
HB5153

Introduced 2/10/2026, by Rep. Patrick Windhorst

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

520 ILCS 5/2.25

from Ch. 61, par. 2.25

Amends the Wildlife Code. In provisions regarding allowing hunting deer with muzzleloading rifles, allows hunting deer with muzzleloading pistols. Provides that, within one year, the Department of Natural Resources shall adopt rules that allow for hunting deer with a muzzleloading pistol in the same seasons and under the same or similar restrictions as hunting deer with a muzzleloading rifle.

A BILL FOR

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)

(Text of Section before amendment by P.A. 104-58)

Sec. 2.25. It shall be unlawful for any person to take deer except (i) with a shotgun, handgun, single shot centerfire rifle, muzzleloading pistol, or muzzleloading rifle or (ii) as provided by administrative rule, with a bow and arrow, 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, or a special 3-day, youth-only season between the dates of September 1 and October 31. For the purposes of this Section, legal handguns and rifles are limited to centerfire handguns that are either a single shot or revolver and centerfire rifles that are single shot. The only legal ammunition for a centerfire handgun or rifle is a bottleneck centerfire cartridge of .30 caliber or larger with a case length not exceeding one and two-fifths inches, or a straight-walled centerfire cartridge of .30 caliber or larger, both of which must be available as a factory load with the published ballistic tables of the manufacturer showing a capability of at least 500 foot pounds of energy at the muzzle. The barrel of a handgun shall be at least 4 inches. Full metal jacket bullets may not be used to harvest deer.

The Department shall make administrative rules concerning management restrictions applicable to the firearm and bow and arrow season.

It shall be unlawful for any person to take deer except with a bow and arrow 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 pistol or a muzzleloading rifle or (ii) bow and arrow during the open season for muzzleloading pistols and 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.

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 publicly announce, via statewide news release, the season dates and shooting hours, and the counties and sites open to hunting. The Department shall publish suitable prescribed rules and regulations established by administrative rule pertaining to management restrictions applicable to this special harvest program. The Department shall allow unused gun deer permits that are left over from a regular season for the taking of deer to be rolled over and used during any separate harvest period held within 6 months of the season for which those tags were issued at no additional cost to the permit holder subject to the management restrictions applicable to the special harvest program.

Beginning July 1, 2019, and on an annual basis thereafter, the Department shall provide a report to the General Assembly providing information regarding deer management programs established by the Code or by administrative rule that includes: (1) the number of surplus deer taken during each separate harvest season; (2) the number of deer found to have a communicable disease or other abnormality; and (3) what happens to the deer taken during each separate harvest season.

Within one year after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 104th General Assembly, the Department shall adopt rules regarding hunting deer with a muzzleloading pistol that allow for hunting deer with a muzzleloading pistol in the same seasons and under the same or similar restrictions as hunting deer with a muzzleloading rifle.

(Source: P.A. 101-66, eff. 7-12-19; 102-314, eff. 1-1-22; 102-932, eff. 1-1-23.)

(Text of Section after amendment by P.A. 104-58)

Sec. 2.25. It shall be unlawful for any person to take deer except (i) with a shotgun, handgun, single shot centerfire rifle, muzzleloading pistol, or muzzleloading rifle or (ii) as provided by administrative rule, with a bow and arrow, 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, or a special 3-day, youth-only season between the dates of September 1 and October 31. For the purposes of this Section, legal handguns and rifles are limited to centerfire handguns that are either a single shot or revolver and centerfire rifles that are single shot. The only legal ammunition for a centerfire handgun or rifle is a bottleneck centerfire cartridge of .30 caliber or larger with a case length not exceeding one and two-fifths inches, or a straight-walled centerfire cartridge of .30 caliber or larger, both of which must be available as a factory load with the published ballistic tables of the manufacturer showing a capability of at least 500 foot pounds of energy at the muzzle. The barrel of a handgun shall be at least 4 inches. Full metal jacket bullets may not be used to harvest deer.

The Department shall make administrative rules concerning management restrictions applicable to the firearm and bow and arrow season.

It shall be unlawful for any person to take deer except with a bow and arrow 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 pistol or a muzzleloading rifle or (ii) bow and arrow during the open season for muzzleloading pistols and 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.

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 publicly announce, via statewide news release, the season dates and shooting hours, and the counties and sites open to hunting. The Department shall publish suitable prescribed rules and regulations established by administrative rule pertaining to management restrictions applicable to this special harvest program. The Department shall allow unused gun deer permits that are left over from a regular season for the taking of deer to be rolled over and used during any separate harvest period held within 6 months of the season for which those tags were issued at no additional cost to the permit holder subject to the management restrictions applicable to the special harvest program.

If the Department is using its sharpshooting program to manage chronic wasting disease in a deer herd that is found in a county in the State and if no cases of that disease have been identified in that herd in the preceding 3 calendar years, then the Department shall end the use of that program to manage chronic wasting disease in that county. However, the program may be reinstituted within the county if chronic wasting disease is again identified in that herd.

Beginning July 1, 2019, and on an annual basis thereafter, the Department shall provide a report to the General Assembly providing information regarding deer management programs established by the Code or by administrative rule that includes: (1) the number of surplus deer taken during each separate harvest season; (2) the number of deer found to have a communicable disease or other abnormality; and (3) what happens to the deer taken during each separate harvest season.

Within one year after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 104th General Assembly, the Department shall adopt rules regarding hunting deer with a muzzleloading pistol that allow for hunting deer with a muzzleloading pistol in the same seasons and under the same or similar restrictions as hunting deer with a muzzleloading rifle.

(Source: P.A. 104-58, eff. 1-1-26.)

Section 95. No acceleration or delay. Where this Act makes changes in a statute that is represented in this Act by text that is not yet or no longer in effect (for example, a Section represented by multiple versions), the use of that text does not accelerate or delay the taking effect of (i) the changes made by this Act or (ii) provisions derived from any other Public Act.