HB2777 EnrolledLRB101 06836 SLF 51865 b

1    AN ACT concerning wildlife.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 5. The Wildlife Code is amended by changing Section
52.25 as follows:
 
6    (520 ILCS 5/2.25)  (from Ch. 61, par. 2.25)
7    Sec. 2.25. It shall be unlawful for any person to take deer
8except (i) with a shotgun, handgun, or muzzleloading rifle or
9(ii) as provided by administrative rule, with a bow and arrow,
10during the open season of not more than 14 days which will be
11set annually by the Director between the dates of November 1st
12and December 31st, both inclusive, or a special 3-day,
13youth-only season between the dates of September 1 and October
1431. For the purposes of this Section, legal handguns include
15any centerfire handguns of .30 caliber or larger with a minimum
16barrel length of 4 inches. The only legal ammunition for a
17centerfire handgun is a cartridge of .30 caliber or larger with
18a capability of at least 500 foot pounds of energy at the
19muzzle. Full metal jacket bullets may not be used to harvest
20deer.
21    The Department shall make administrative rules concerning
22management restrictions applicable to the firearm and bow and
23arrow season.

 

 

HB2777 Enrolled- 2 -LRB101 06836 SLF 51865 b

1    It shall be unlawful for any person to take deer except
2with a bow and arrow during the open season for bow and arrow
3set annually by the Director between the dates of September 1st
4and January 31st, both inclusive.
5    It shall be unlawful for any person to take deer except
6with (i) a muzzleloading rifle or (ii) bow and arrow during the
7open season for muzzleloading rifles set annually by the
8Director.
9    The Director shall cause an administrative rule setting
10forth the prescribed rules and regulations, including bag and
11possession limits and those counties of the State where open
12seasons are established, to be published in accordance with
13Sections 1.3 and 1.13 of this Act.
14    The Department may establish separate harvest periods for
15the purpose of managing or eradicating disease that has been
16found in the deer herd. This season shall be restricted to gun
17or bow and arrow hunting only. The Department shall publicly
18announce, via statewide news release, the season dates and
19shooting hours, the counties and sites open to hunting, permit
20requirements, application dates, hunting rules, legal weapons,
21and reporting requirements.
22    The Department is authorized to establish a separate
23harvest period at specific sites within the State for the
24purpose of harvesting surplus deer that cannot be taken during
25the regular season provided for the taking of deer. This season
26shall be restricted to gun or bow and arrow hunting only and

 

 

HB2777 Enrolled- 3 -LRB101 06836 SLF 51865 b

1shall be established during the period of September 1st to
2February 15th, both inclusive. The Department shall publish
3suitable prescribed rules and regulations established by
4administrative rule pertaining to management restrictions
5applicable to this special harvest program. The Department
6shall allow unused gun deer permits that are left over from a
7regular season for the taking of deer to be rolled over and
8used during any separate harvest period held within 6 months of
9the season for which those tags were issued at no additional
10cost to the permit holder subject to the management
11restrictions applicable to the special harvest program.
12    Beginning July 1, 2019, and on an annual basis thereafter,
13the Department shall provide a report to the General Assembly
14providing information regarding deer management programs
15established by the Code or by administrative rule that
16includes: (1) the number of surplus deer taken during each
17separate harvest season; (2) the number of deer found to have a
18communicable disease or other abnormality; and (3) what happens
19to the deer taken during each separate harvest season.
20(Source: P.A. 97-907, eff. 8-7-12; 98-368, eff. 8-16-13.)
 
21    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
22becoming law.