Illinois Deer SeasonsArcheryOct. Oh yeah, Ive heard of that target shooting too. The food was amazing, the land was beautiful, will definitely be coming back. 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. In Illinois, the new hunting law allows for a single shot with one shell or a rifle with one shell. I've heard Henry makes a really good 350 Legend. I havent deer hunted in a long time, but I might consider doing it again in the future after this, he said. This rule eliminates .22-caliber long rifles and several other commonly used calibers for small-game hunting. Required fields are marked *. But deer were simply taken for meat and my grandad always left some border rows of corn in to keep the deer and pheasant healthy. OnMay 27, 2022, Governor Pritzker signed HB 4386 into law which will likely be of particular interest to those who hunt deer in the State of Illinois with firearms. And Herschel, you are right about the corn belt. Permits deer hunting with a rifle. You should consult your state Department of Wildlife & Fisheries for . Which has led to an influx of does and overall deer. Some hunters engage in deer drives while others engage in group hunting. We were pleasantly surprised to have seen plenty of deer and even a few mature bucks even though they were not in range. From the IL DNR 2019 Deer Hunting Fact Sheet.. Its coming, just like crossbows last year. I was considering getting a muzzleloader for the season next year (I'm a new hunter from IL). is this method allowed? If youre shooting with a rifle chambered for a cartridge larger than.223, make sure the bullet is being shot from an expanding-type bullet rather than straight-walled rounds. A smoothbore shotguns will kill a deer 50 yards from it with slugs and buckshot, a rifled shotguns will kill a deer 200 yards from it, and the majority of hunting rifles will kill a deer 500 yards from it. Deer hunters in Illinois can use these rifles because they are lighter and more versatile than shotguns and pistols. This is one of the most commonly used firearms in hunting. IDNR posted on its Facebook page Aug. 24 that it has received. Its the big Democrat controlled cities, especially Chicago, that makes the state a horrible place to live. Bolt action rifles are used by deer hunters all the time. Yes, some hunters will complain that they are seeing less deer and the IDNR needs to restrict hunting methods. The Illinois Single Shot Rifle Deer Hunting season runs from the first Sunday in November through the first Sunday in December. Rhode Island, Iowa, and Ohio were once on that list, but those states ditched shotgun-only restrictions in 2017. Join the list to receive special offers and updates! But as mentioned in the question about types of rifles, notice the part about modified rifles. If you want hardest hitting, the 450 will beat the 350 any day. But, there are some stipulations. May 13, 2022. HB 5978 - WLF CD-DEER HUNT-RIFLES-AMMO Amends the Wildlife Code. Have yall ever been to Ilinois? 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. Many are particularly annoyed with the limitation to single-shot firearms since hunting shotguns in the state are currently allowed to hold three rounds. Up until now, it was shotgun slugs only, which means you were pretty much limited to a hundred yards or so. Im not buying any new rifle, my Knight Elite has been most excellent. Permits deer hunting with a rifle. bottleneck cartridges are legal in IL only if they are greater than 30 cal and have a case shorter than 1.4", and are factory loaded. Seen well over 100 deer during our stay. Linkedin, Your email address will not be published. Illinois has been a shotgun only state since deer hunting resumed there in 1957 following a temporary moratorium that lasted 56 years. B. Pritzker pushed for this law change. Jayette Bolinski, a spokeswoman for the Department of Natural Resources, said the law was not a department initiative, but rather one brought up by a member of the General Assembly, so they would not be able to speak about the changes while administrative rules are still being developed. Top notch service. Instagram Hunting deer is a time-honored way to spend time with friends and family outside. 5 Things to Keep in Mind, a bottleneck centerfire cartridge of .30 caliber or larger with a case length not exceeding one and two-fifths inches, OR. 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. The facts and circumstances of a specific legal issue are unique and you should seek legal advice for your specific questions or concerns. But $13-$15 per box of five ammo is a no go when I can reload centerfire for less than half that cost. The season typically runs from the first week of November through the first week of December. It is an excellent opportunity to hunt some of Illinois most beautiful and plentiful deer during the states hunting season. 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. Until then, 100grs of 777 f I r her with her Traditions Youth Buckstalker. Hunting with a shotgun presents several disadvantages for many hunters the felt recoil of a 12-gauge, or even 20-gauge alone, can be too much for some. These lighter rifles join the list oflegal hunting firearms, which includes slug-ammunition shotguns, muzzleloading rifles and centerfire handguns. Be sure to check out their list of legal cartridges which contains a lot of useful information. Yes iI am interested in me, my 19 year old son, and 60 year old brother coming out during your rut for rifle hunts. Down state does not agree with this but Chicago rules the state. And I know it can only be shot in some single shot mode. Other states have a minimum of a .35 caliber, while others have a minimum of .40 caliber and at least 400-foot pounds of energy at the muzzle. On June 17, 2022 at 8:00 pm, Craig Hand said: All I know is that most gun laws have one thing in common. Restore Clarity And Brightness: Get Your Steiner Binoculars Recoated! and our My 444 Marlin or 450 Marlin encore with custom stock will work just fine . Illinois is going to let us use rifles, but not without some rules. Learn how your comment data is processed. 28-31 Dec 2023 and 12-14 Jan 2024. Starting January 1, 2023, Illinois will allow deer hunters to start using rifles to deer hunt. You can read the text of the billhere. Because of its ability to ethically hunt smaller game and be humane, this cartridge is an excellent choice for small game hunting. It may not display this or other websites correctly. Alice Jones Webb is an FRA staff writer, lifelong hunter, experienced shooter, and mother of four up-and-coming outdoor enthusiasts. The house has approved the bill so far . House Bill 4386, signed by Gov. So as I understand this .450 socom and .350 legend are still not allowed for use in Illinois correct? The calibers we are talking about will give me the opportunity to have a lighter weight gun without any increase in recoil.. Northern Illinois has conservatives too, but the closer to Chicago you get, the crazier the politics. The newly-approved firearms must still abide by site-specific regulations and uselegal ammunition. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. I'm on the opposite side of this argument. The Illinois State Congress passed a bill, which was signed by the governor to allow single shot rifles for deer hunting in the 2023 season. 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 . 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? It has a simple break-action design that works well with an optic, as well as a dependable external hammer. Single shotdoes not include a rifle in the possession of a person who is also in possession of or in close proximity to a magazine that would allow the rifle to be capable of holding more than one round or a revolver. For those who hunt in states that allow straight-walled rifle cartridges to be used as deer hunting ammo, these are the best options. Now the 350 Legend has quite a following as well.. 444 and 450 Marlins and 45/70's are to long. I view it as a challenge at closer ranges. I will be using a 350 legend and not the traditional slug. Join the list to receive special offers, updates, and everything Free Range American. 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. It did the job just fine, but a dialed in muzzleloader with a scope will outdistance any rifled/sabot shotgun. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. Whitetail hunters across the state of Illinois will soon be able to use rifles for deer hunting (**starting the fall of 2023**). As a result of this new law, Illinois hunters will now have access to a wider range of hunting firearms to hunt down their deer prey. Davidsmeyer said another concern was the distance a bullet from a rifle can travel as opposed to a slug from a shotgun. .350 legend will be the closest to a traditional .30 cal rifle performance. Winchester's foray into this market is the 64-grain Power-Max Bonded. 1st or 2nd season? I have only taken one deer in my life with a shotgun, and I will never do it again. It may not display this or other websites correctly. Well touch on that in a moment but for now lets look at the pros and cons of Illinois rifle hunting. Reliability & a well placed humane shot to dispatch the quarry as quickly and effectively as possible . More hunting opportunities equal more deer harvested. The harder hitting .450 Bushmaster also has its proponents in other straight-walled states. Provides that rifle hunting permits issued by the Department of Natural Resources shall be approved by county ordinance. A .300 BLK centerfire rifle, for example,is extremely soft shooting in comparison, so many Illinois deer hunters are likely looking forward to making the switch. Can I use a centerfire rifle for hunting in Illinois? Although the use of centerfire single-shot rifles may appear strange to some, it is important to remember that these rifles are specifically designed for hunting deer. The governor is expected to sign it in the coming weeks. 1:46. What will now be allowed includes centerfire rifles that fit the following description: Single-shot rifles that use 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. Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, and Nevada are among the states mentioned. What most people dont understand is that the corn belt runs through Illinois. Guided hunts and leases have skyrocketed and most hunters that lease or hunt with an outfitter are only interested in harvesting a trophy buck.