104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2025 and 2026 HB1213 Introduced , by Rep. Adam M. Niemerg SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED: 520 ILCS 5/2.25 from Ch. 61, par. 2.25 Amends the Wildlife Code. Provides that the firearm open season set annually by the Director of Natural Resources between the dates of November 1 and December 31, both inclusive, shall include (1) a period before Thanksgiving of at least 4 consecutive days, (2) a period after Thanksgiving of at least 5 consecutive days, and (3) a total period of not more than 14 days. Makes technical changes. LRB104 04990 BDA 15018 b A BILL FOR 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2025 and 2026 HB1213 Introduced , by Rep. Adam M. Niemerg SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED: 520 ILCS 5/2.25 from Ch. 61, par. 2.25 520 ILCS 5/2.25 from Ch. 61, par. 2.25 Amends the Wildlife Code. Provides that the firearm open season set annually by the Director of Natural Resources between the dates of November 1 and December 31, both inclusive, shall include (1) a period before Thanksgiving of at least 4 consecutive days, (2) a period after Thanksgiving of at least 5 consecutive days, and (3) a total period of not more than 14 days. Makes technical changes. LRB104 04990 BDA 15018 b LRB104 04990 BDA 15018 b A BILL FOR
104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2025 and 2026 HB1213 Introduced , by Rep. Adam M. Niemerg SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
520 ILCS 5/2.25 from Ch. 61, par. 2.25 520 ILCS 5/2.25 from Ch. 61, par. 2.25
520 ILCS 5/2.25 from Ch. 61, par. 2.25
Amends the Wildlife Code. Provides that the firearm open season set annually by the Director of Natural Resources between the dates of November 1 and December 31, both inclusive, shall include (1) a period before Thanksgiving of at least 4 consecutive days, (2) a period after Thanksgiving of at least 5 consecutive days, and (3) a total period of not more than 14 days. Makes technical changes.
LRB104 04990 BDA 15018 b LRB104 04990 BDA 15018 b
LRB104 04990 BDA 15018 b
A BILL FOR
HB1213LRB104 04990 BDA 15018 b HB1213 LRB104 04990 BDA 15018 b
HB1213 LRB104 04990 BDA 15018 b
1 AN ACT concerning wildlife.
2 Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3 represented in the General Assembly:
4 Section 5. The Wildlife Code is amended by changing
5 Section 2.25 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
8 except (i) with a shotgun, handgun, single shot centerfire
9 rifle, or muzzleloading rifle or (ii) as provided by
10 administrative rule, with a bow and arrow, during the open
11 season of not more than 14 days which will be set annually by
12 the Director between the dates of November 1 1st and December
13 31 31st, both inclusive, or a special 3-day, youth-only season
14 between the dates of September 1 and October 31. For the
15 purposes of this Section, legal handguns and rifles are
16 limited to centerfire handguns that are either a single shot
17 or revolver and centerfire rifles that are single shot. The
18 only legal ammunition for a centerfire handgun or rifle is a
19 bottleneck centerfire cartridge of .30 caliber or larger with
20 a case length not exceeding one and two-fifths inches, or a
21 straight-walled centerfire cartridge of .30 caliber or larger,
22 both of which must be available as a factory load with the
23 published ballistic tables of the manufacturer showing a
104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2025 and 2026 HB1213 Introduced , by Rep. Adam M. Niemerg SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
520 ILCS 5/2.25 from Ch. 61, par. 2.25 520 ILCS 5/2.25 from Ch. 61, par. 2.25
520 ILCS 5/2.25 from Ch. 61, par. 2.25
Amends the Wildlife Code. Provides that the firearm open season set annually by the Director of Natural Resources between the dates of November 1 and December 31, both inclusive, shall include (1) a period before Thanksgiving of at least 4 consecutive days, (2) a period after Thanksgiving of at least 5 consecutive days, and (3) a total period of not more than 14 days. Makes technical changes.
LRB104 04990 BDA 15018 b LRB104 04990 BDA 15018 b
LRB104 04990 BDA 15018 b
A BILL FOR
520 ILCS 5/2.25 from Ch. 61, par. 2.25
LRB104 04990 BDA 15018 b
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1 capability of at least 500 foot pounds of energy at the muzzle.
2 The barrel of a handgun shall be at least 4 inches. Full metal
3 jacket bullets may not be used to harvest deer.
4 The Department shall adopt make administrative rules
5 concerning management restrictions applicable to the firearm
6 and bow and arrow season.
7 It shall be unlawful for any person to take deer except
8 with a shotgun, handgun, single shot centerfire rifle, or
9 muzzleloading rifle during the firearm open season set
10 annually by the Director between the dates of November 1 and
11 December 31, both inclusive, or as otherwise provided in this
12 Section. The firearm open season for the taking of deer set
13 annually by the Director between the dates of November 1 and
14 December 31, both inclusive, shall include (1) a period before
15 Thanksgiving of at least 4 consecutive days, (2) a period
16 after Thanksgiving of at least 5 consecutive days, and (3) a
17 total period of not more than 14 days.
18 It shall be unlawful for any person to take deer except
19 with a bow and arrow during the open season for bow and arrow
20 set annually by the Director between the dates of September
21 1st and January 31st, both inclusive.
22 It shall be unlawful for any person to take deer except
23 with (i) a muzzleloading rifle or (ii) bow and arrow during the
24 open season for muzzleloading rifles set annually by the
25 Director.
26 The Director shall cause an administrative rule setting
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1 forth the prescribed rules and regulations, including bag and
2 possession limits and those counties of the State where open
3 seasons are established, to be published in accordance with
4 Sections 1.3 and 1.13 of this Act.
5 The Department may establish separate harvest periods for
6 the purpose of managing or eradicating disease that has been
7 found in the deer herd. This season shall be restricted to gun
8 or bow and arrow hunting only. The Department shall publicly
9 announce, via statewide news release, the season dates and
10 shooting hours, the counties and sites open to hunting.
11 The Department is authorized to establish a separate
12 harvest period at specific sites within the State for the
13 purpose of harvesting surplus deer that cannot be taken during
14 the regular season provided for the taking of deer. This
15 season shall be restricted to gun or bow and arrow hunting only
16 and shall be established during the period of September 1st to
17 February 15th, both inclusive. The Department shall publicly
18 announce, via statewide news release, the season dates and
19 shooting hours, and the counties and sites open to hunting.
20 The Department shall publish suitable prescribed rules and
21 regulations established by administrative rule pertaining to
22 management restrictions applicable to this special harvest
23 program. The Department shall allow unused gun deer permits
24 that are left over from a regular season for the taking of deer
25 to be rolled over and used during any separate harvest period
26 held within 6 months of the season for which those tags were
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