Wondering what my options are to open up that range a little bit, but most shots are closer anyways. Today, Illinois hunting harvest data indicates a nearly stable whitetail population that is trending slightly upward. document.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); We had tempered our expectations for seeing nice bucks and or many deer in Mid-January. Provides that rifle hunting permits issued by the Department of Natural Resources shall be approved by county ordinance. These lighter rifles join the list oflegal hunting firearms, which includes slug-ammunition shotguns, muzzleloading rifles and centerfire handguns. No attorney-client relationship is created. Such rifles would appear to be non-compliant unless the magazine is removed and not in the possession of or in close proximity to a hunter in the field. Nationally, only Louisiana and New Jersey politics are alleged to be as-dirty as those of Illinois. The reference to magazine in the statute suggests that bolt action and semi-automatic rifles that accept magazines will be considered single shot if no magazine is in the possession or in close proximity to the hunter in the field. I've only ever shot a whitetail at 80 yards max, but passed up many at out to 200 at my stand. How To Teach Shooting To Kids In An Engaging Way, Setting Up Your New SPYPOINT Trail Camera, Taking Your Kids Hunting? Dale walks with a cane as he approaches his 70th birthday. More hunting opportunities equal more deer harvested. Staff Report // June 1, 2022 Under the new law, deer hunters will be limited to the use of single-shot centerfire rifles. Is guess I can move. Amid confusion, state reminds hunters change in Illinois rifle rules still months away, Newsletters: Get local news delivered directly to you. I heard straight walled rifles were recently passed in the house with 100% of the votes and has been moved to the senate. It's just been extended to single-shot, long guns," Dale said. A non-resident hunting license, as well as a permit and habitat stamp, are required if you are not a resident of the state. The Illinois Single Shot Rifle Deer Hunting season runs from the first Sunday in November through the first Sunday in December. JavaScript is disabled. Or what do you recommend. Yeah, with that case length restriction, Ill just stick with my muzzle-loader. Straight-walled, centerfire, rimless cartridges have bullets ranging in diameter from 0.357 to 0.500, as well as a case length ranging from 0.850 to 1.800. Click Here for Rifle Hunting Info. Deer Hunting - dnr.illinois.gov The house has approved the bill so far . This is a change from the previous policy that only allowed shotguns to be used. Because of its ability to ethically hunt smaller game and be humane, this cartridge is an excellent choice for small game hunting. I also have a Magnum Research BFR in 350 Legend that I use. Best Places to Hunt Deer with a Rifle - North American Whitetail A: The following species may be harvested with a rifle or handgun: coyote, striped skunk, woodchuck, squirrel, rabbit, raccoon, opossum and red and gray fox. There are already several shotguns and muzzleloaders that have the capability of shooting that range that deer hunters can and have been using for decades during the Illinois firearm seasons. I've heard Henry makes a really good 350 Legend. The governor is likely to sign the measure soon. I saw the same legislation HB2459, I think, and it was straight wall and single shot. Under Public Act 102-0932 effective Jan. 1, 2023, Illinois is finally allowing rifles for deer hunting again for the first time since 1957, but there are limits on what can be used both in terms of the allowed cartridges and the rifles being limited to single shot only. I heard talk from both sides.". Yes, I think the guy was getting ahead of the legislation. A table of preliminary Illinois firearm deer harvest totals by county for the first weekend of the 2022 season, and comparable totals for 2020 and 2021, can be found below. The choice of a lawyer is an important decision and should not be based solely upon advertisements. The gun-grabbers wet dream is the moron who says I own guns, and lemme tell ya, NOBODY NEEDS an ASSAULT WEAPON to HUNT DEER!. The only times I was even in Illinois was while I was in the process of traveling through to elsewhere and really didnt have a viable alternative. Muzzleloading season runs from December 10-12, firearms season runs from November 19-21 and December 2-5, and youth hunting season runs from October 9-11. The new law effectively eliminates Illinois as an island where rifle hunting for deer was illegal. A gun shall be considered single shot if there is no magazine in the possession of or in close proximity to a hunter in the field and the gun can only hold a total of one round.. The new rifle hunting laws in Illinois allow for a "single" shot or a rifle with the ability to only hold one shell and no other multi-shell magazines be in possession . Some may argue that rifle hunting in Illinois will be detrimental to the overall deer herd.. He was always mindful of wind conditions. Overall, the new rifle hunting law will open up more hunting opportunities to more hunters. I had to convince quite a few people that we werent using machine guns.. If I could reload for it ammo with the same effective performance as factory ammo (but I can not and no one else can for that matter) I would buy a 20 gauge Savage 220. E-Mail me today for more information at Zach@HeartlandLodge.com or call 217-982-4039. removing internal magazine springs and followers. On January 1, 2023, a new Illinois law (Public Act 102-932) authorizes hunters to use centerfire, single-shot rifles in certain calibers for deer hunting, in addition to the already authorized shotgun, handgun, muzzleloading rifle, or bow and arrow seasons. I have. Your email address will not be published. They usually make no sense because politics have entered into it and screwed it up. The terms possession and close proximity are not easy to define, but suffice it to say, I will be leaving all my magazines at home or using a true single shot rifle. Some confusion about the rules, when they go into effect and what was allowed has been circulating on social media, including the DNR's Facebook page. These are all tricks that pistol hunters have been using the last few years to modify their AR pistols to be able to hunt. What about that 350 Legend that came out a few years back? Provides that current ammunition and caliber restrictions on handguns that may be used for hunting deer also apply to rifles. 223/ 5.56 caliber make the perfect gun for young or small-frame hunters. But this doesnt just open the doors to all rifles. Legislation listing for the Illinois General Assembly. Youngsters who go hunting may benefit from having gentler recoil. Be sure to check out their list of legal cartridges which contains a lot of useful information. Effective January 1, 2023, a new Illinois law will allow hunters to use centerfire, single-shot rifles in certain calibers for deer hunting. I do wonder what the speed of a bottleneck cartridge is however coming out of a contender "pistol", which as referenced above is legal in IL. Bill Lees red flag gun safety plan, Sixth Circuit Strikes Down Bump Stock Ban, Washington State Assault Weapons Ban Is Now Law, Why Nearly All of Americas 400 Million Guns Have Got To Go: A Brief Response to Russ Baker, Pistol Sights Under Various Lighting Conditions, Philadelphia Police Officer Shoots Man With His Own Gun While Trying To Secure It. Residents of Illinois have a plethora of hunting options in addition to hunting. Central and Southern Illinois has beautiful country and good conservative people who are, unfortunately, ruled by Chicago. A higher deer population equals less overall habitat health, which means that bucks are not reaching their full potential because of a lack of prime browse and stressors that result from an overpopulation of deer. There are virtually no bottleneck cartridges out there that are legal to use in IL for deer hunting, 300 Black Out is about all that comes to mind. Facebook Pritzker on May 27, allows for the use of centerfire, single-shot rifles for deer hunting in the firearm set as set by the director of natural resources every year. Take into consideration that the Illinois firearms are in late November and December and sometimes the ground can be frozen, bullets could potentially skip after passing through a deer. Under the new law, hunters in Illinois will be able to use lighter rifles for deer hunting. A gun shall be considered a single shot if there is no magazine in the possession of or in close proximity to a hunter in the field, and the gun can only hold a total of one round. The new policy has been met with some criticism, but it is hoped that it will help to improve the deer population in the state. **No hunter, regardless of the quantity or type of permits in his/her possession, may harvest more than two antlered deer during a year, including the youth, archery, muzzleloader and firearm . 449 S 12th St.Tampa, Florida 33602United States, Nonresident Combination Archery Deer permit, Deer Hunting On Maui: The Best Place To Hunt Deer In Hawaii, Designing Lanyards for Corporate Events: Dos and Donts, Unlock The Benefits Of Stabilized Binoculars: Discover Why You May Need Them And Which Ones Are Best For You. 1:46. Deer hunting: Bill to allow air bows during archery season makes its A rifle shall be considered a single shot if there is no magazine in possession of or in close proximity to a hunter in the field and the gun can only hold a total of one round. The new rifle hunting law will create new hunting opportunities for more hunters. New Hunting Laws for Illinois Deer Season 2023. Privacy Policy. Provides that rifle hunting permits issued by the Department of Natural Resources shall be approved by county ordinance. Single-shot rifles will be permitted for deer hunting in Illinois beginning today. Been a gunsmith for 27 years, taught ballistics and handloading at Colorado Gunsmithing Academy. Born in the South, but when you are about to start second grade and your parents pick up and move the family, what are you gonna do? Single-shot rifles will now be allowed for Illinois deer hunting, but with an important caveat. One deer. Its going to be even more of an elitist sport. Undoubtedly, hunters will have questions regarding the use of bolt action and semi-automatic rifles. *Rifle Hunting Bill Passes Illinois House*. Couldnt agree more. 10-12FirearmsNov. Rifles chambered in the soft shooting .350 legend will likely become a very popular choice for hunters, especially youth, in Illinois. I've heard Henry makes a really good 350 Legend. Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Iowa, Massachusetts, Virginia, Ohio, New Jersey, Washington, and West Virginia require larger bullets to be used to hunt game. (The author realizes that many hunters are currently obtaining great accuracy with certain slug guns.). it is a very common round. Rifle bill signed into law. Single shotmeans a gun that is either manufactured or modified toonlybe capable of holding a total of one round in the magazine and chamber combined. According to Ed Yednock, director of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, it took him a long time to convince quite a few people that our weapons were not machine guns. Required fields are marked *. For those who hunt in states that allow straight-walled rifle cartridges to be used as deer hunting ammo, these are the best options. Winchester Ammunition. Deer zones are areas of the state where the season dates and regulations differ from year to year. Illinois Department of Natural Resources Facebook page, CVA, which produces a .300 BLK break-action rifle, The 2011 Pistol: Refitting the 1911 for a New Century, SIG P320 and P320 Spectre Comp: Breakdown and History, Silencer Centrals Brandon Maddox Joins CSF Board, Mothers Day Gear Guide: How To Be Moms Favorite, Alaska Bear Hunt Part 9: Last Minute Blonde Bombshell, American Bear Foundation: Heroes for Bears, 45-70 Govt: One of the Few Black Powder Era Survivors, PROOF Research: Carbon Fiber Barrels for the Average Shooter, Web Design and Development by Hire Jordan Smith. But we were always warned with .22s as kids on back stops even though the next farmhouse was 1/2 a mile away.