Hunters Prepare For Second Firearm Deer Season in Illinois December 4-7

Hunters in Illinois Harvest 71,894 Deer During First Weekend of Firearm Deer Season

SPRINGFIELD , IL – Hunters in Illinois harvested a preliminary total of 71,894 deer during the opening weekend of the 2008 Illinois Firearm Deer season, Nov. 21-23, Illinois Department of Natural Resources Acting Director Sam Flood announced today.  The second portion of the firearm season will be Dec. 4-7.  

The preliminary total for the first three days of the 2008 firearm season compares with the first weekend harvest of 85,490 deer during the 2007 deer season.  The top county harvest total was in Pike with 2,194 deer, followed by Adams (1,900), Fulton (1,878), Randolph (1,770), and Jefferson (1,650).  The preliminary first-season figures reported for each county include those deer taken on special hunt areas within that county as well as on private land.

“Deer hunters in Illinois once again provided a good deer harvest for the first weekend of the firearm season,” said Flood.  “We offer some of the best deer hunting opportunity in the world here in Illinois , and the firearm deer season continues to be our most popular hunting season.” 

Illinois has issued approximately 350,000 firearm deer hunting permits for the 2008 season.  Most hunters register their deer harvest online through the IDNR web site or by phoning 1-866-ILCHECK (1-866-452-4325) by 10 p.m. on the day of harvest.  Hunters in Boone, DeKalb, Grundy, Kane, LaSalle, McHenry, Ogle, Stephenson and Winnebago counties take their deer to county check stations where IDNR conducts sampling for chronic wasting disease.

“The weather was unseasonably cold to start the season on Friday, but it appears many hunters were in the field enjoying some success on that day and throughout the first weekend of the firearm deer season,” said IDNR Forest Wildlife Program Manager Paul Shelton.  “Most corn had been harvested, although 10 to 12 percent remained in the fields in the northern part of the state.  

“The good news for managers and for deer hunters with permits remaining for the second season is that most of the decline in harvest was a drop in buck harvest,” Shelton added.  “This means that our doe harvest was fairly comparable to last year and that there are plenty of both bucks and does still out there for second season hunters.” 

Approximately 59 percent of the deer taken this past weekend were bucks, compared with 62 percent bucks taken during the first weekend of the firearm season in 2007.   

The Illinois firearm deer season concludes Dec. 4-7.  The muzzleloader-only deer season is Dec. 12-14.  The Late-Winter Antlerless-only firearm deer season and the Special CWD deer season are Jan. 16-18, 2009.  The state’s 2008-09 archery deer season continues through Jan. 15 (except closed in firearm counties during the second firearm season Dec. 4-7).   

The table below provides preliminary county harvest totals for the first segment of the firearm season and comparable figures for the first season in 2007.

County	2007	2008
Adams	2140	1900
Alexander	339	335
Bond	877	632
Boone	133	90
Brown	1135	996
Bureau	1205	1030
Calhoun	1036	889
Carroll	921	740
Cass	665	510
Champaign	272	195
Christian	574	466
Clark	1122	896
Clay	1177	998
Clinton	808	635
Coles	621	550
Crawford	950	831
Cumberland	693	654
DeKalb	213	136
DeWitt	320	303
Douglas	212	156
Edgar	608	555
Edwards	434	354
Effingham	923	795
Fayette	1684	1480
Ford	123	115
Franklin	979	827
Fulton	2003	1878
Gallatin	451	402
Greene	1209	989
Grundy	354	269
Hamilton	1036	901
Hancock	1698	1553
Hardin	907	780
Henderson	586	432
Henry	742	561
Iroquois	548	548
Jackson	1824	1612
Jasper	1049	915
Jefferson	1997	1650
Jersey	790	670
JoDaviess	2055	1518
Johnson	1435	1385
Kane	48	43
Kankakee	191	157
Kendall	67	53
Knox	1244	1048
Lake	25	19
LaSalle	1127	957
Lawrence	497	420
Lee	577	446
Livingston	498	392
Logan	401	298
Macon	252	217
Macoupin	1677	1228
Madison	995	648
Marion	1677	1404
Marshall	696	607
Mason	489	484
Massac	471	369
McDonough	902	759
McHenry	360	216
McLean	541	490
Menard	392	288
Mercer	828	632
Monroe	910	863
Montgomery	1149	861
Morgan	899	674
Moultrie	251	224
Ogle	1035	730
Peoria	1317	1133
Perry	1161	964
Piatt	184	134
Pike	2610	2194
Pope	1473	1301
Pulaski	547	533
Putnam	454	361
Randolph	1890	1770
Richland	745	635
Rock Island	806	610
Saline	734	726
Sangamon	743	598
Schuyler	1346	1166
Scott	508	374
Shelby	1193	1025
St. Clair	868	724
Stark	258	216
Stephenson	837	643
Tazewell	625	527
Union	1551	1323
Vermilion	719	648
Wabash	252	218
Warren	554	481
Washington	1083	864
Wayne	1446	1316
White	808	699
Whiteside	806	542
Will	287	267
Williamson	1391	1176
Winnebago	410	315
Woodford	837	753
Total	85490	71894

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Minnesota’s Agassiz Refuge To Open To Muzzleloader Hunting

Due to recent revisions to federal and state rules, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will open Agassiz National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) for the first time to muzzleloader deer hunting. The season opens Nov. 29 and closes Dec. 14.

According to Margaret Anderson, Agassiz NWR manager, this new hunting opportunity is a result of the 2005 Agassiz NWR Comprehensive Conservation Plan (CCP). During the CCP process, the public had several opportunities to provide input on refuge management and public use activities. New hunting opportunities were strongly supported.

In addition to a muzzleloader deer season, archery deer, grouse (beginning with the deer firearms season), and youth deer and waterfowl hunts in designated areas were also approved.

Agassiz NWR, which is located 12 miles north of Thief River Falls and 11 miles east on County Road 7, is located within deer permit area 203 (PA203). In 2008, PA203 is an intensive deer management unit, meaning that up to five deer can be harvested, with no more than one deer being antlered.

All of the special regulations that apply to deer firearms hunting within the NWR also apply to muzzleloader hunting. Permanently constructed tree stands are not allowed, nor are screw-in tree steps. Portable stands may be used, but cannot be left overnight. No camping is permitted on the refuge, but adjacent state Wildlife Management Areas offer free primitive camping within designated camping areas.

Maps of designated hunting areas on Agassiz NWR are available online at http://www.fws.gov/midwest/agassiz/

Deer hunting brochures are also available at the refuge office and kiosks.

For more information on deer hunting, hunting regulations and permits, visit http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/index.html

View Refuge Deer Hunting Brochure (2MB pdf format)

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2008 Firearm Deer Season Opens This Week in Illinois

Firearm hunters in the field Nov. 21-23 and Dec. 4-7

SPRINGFIELD, IL – The 2008 Illinois Firearm Deer Season, the state’s most popular hunting season, begins this week with hunters in the field Friday through Sunday, Nov. 21-23, followed by four days of hunting on Dec. 4-7.  Nearly 350,000 permits have been issued to hunters for the firearm season. 

“As hunters take to the field this week, we hope for a successful harvest and encourage hunters to make safety a priority,” said Illinois Department of Natural Resources Acting Director Sam Flood.  “Hunters need to take extra care, especially with firearm and tree-stand safety.”

Hunters in Illinois harvested a preliminary total of 117,425 deer during the seven-day firearm deer hunting season in 2007 and 114,835 deer during the 2006 firearm season.

The legal hunting hours for the firearm deer season are one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset.

Hunters successful in taking a deer during the firearm season in most counties must register – or “check in” – the deer they harvest by going online at www.dnr.state.il.us/vcheck or by phoning 1-866-IL-CHECK (1-866-452-4325).  Hunters using the online or phone-in system must register their harvest by 10 p.m. on the day they take the deer.  It is recommended that hunters using cellular phones to register their harvest wait until they are out of the field and have a clear cell phone signal before attempting to make the harvest report phone call.

Hunters in nine northern Illinois counties where IDNR is conducting chronic wasting disease (CWD) sampling must take deer they harvest to a deer check station by 8 p.m. on the day they take the deer.  The check stations in counties where CWD sampling is provided are listed below:

• Boone County – Boone County Fairgrounds, half-mile north of Rt. 76 and Business Rt. 20, Belvidere
• DeKalb County – Shabbona Lake State Park, 4201 Shabbona Grove Rd., Shabbona
• Grundy County – Gebhard Woods State Park, 401 Ottawa St., Morris
• Kane County – Shabbona Lake State Park, 4201 Shabbona Grove Rd., Shabbona
• LaSalle County – Buffalo Rock State Park, 3 miles west of Ottawa on Dee Bennett Rd., 1300 N. 27th Rd, Ottawa
• McHenry County – Moraine Hills State Park McHenry Dam Day Use Area, east of McHenry on River Road (2.2 miles south of Ill. Rt. 120)
• Ogle County – Nov. 21-23 at Castle Rock State Park, 1365 W. Castle Rd., Oregon; Dec. 4-7 at Lowden State Park, 1411 N. River Rd., Oregon
• Stephenson County – County Fairgrounds, Rt. 26 and Fairgrounds Rd., Freeport
• Winnebago County – Rockford Speedway, Hwy 173 at Forest Hills Rd., Rockford

Hunters who participate in the CWD sampling can check the status of their deer through the IDNR web site at http://dnr.state.il.us/cwd/. Hunters who provide samples from deer that test positive are notified by the IDNR.

While not believed to be contagious to humans or livestock, chronic wasting disease is known to spread from animal to animal among deer and elk. The disease affects the brain of the infected animal, causing them to become emaciated, display abnormal behavior, lose coordination and eventually die.  Illinois expanded its CWD surveillance effort in 2002 following the discovery of the disease in neighboring Wisconsin.

Hunting quick facts:

• Illinois law requires that anyone born on or after January 1, 1980, must successfully complete a hunter safety course before a regular Illinois hunting license is issued.
• The number one cause of hunting accidents in Illinois is falling from a tree stand.
• Last year in Illinois, there were 29 reported hunting accidents; 12 were the result of tree stand falls.  28 hunting accidents (2 fatalities) were reported in Illinois in 2006.

When using a tree stand, remember the following:

• Check ladder stands before you climb to make sure they are secure.
• Wear a safety harness when climbing a tree and when in a tree stand.
• Use a haul line to raise an unloaded firearm or bow into a stand.

When hunting with a firearm, sportsmen should remember three primary rules of firearm safety:

• Point the muzzle in a safe direction.
• Treat every firearm as if it were loaded.
• Know your target and what is beyond your target.

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Deer Hunters Encouraged to Donate to the Illinois Sportsmen Against Hunger Program

More than 1.8 million meals provided to needy families thanks to hunters

SPRINGFIELD, IL – With deer hunting season underway across the state, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) is encouraging hunters to donate whole deer to the Illinois Sportsmen Against Hunger program, which coordinates the donation and processing of venison provided to food banks, food pantries, and charitable organizations throughout the state.

Begun in 1989, the Illinois Sportsmen Against Hunger (ISAH) program has coordinated the donation of more than 467,000 pounds of venison, providing more than 1.8 million meals for families and individuals in need.

“Every year, thousands of deer hunters in Illinois help provide venison to food banks, food pantries, and the needy families those facilities serve by donating deer to the program,” said IDNR Acting Director Sam Flood.  “Everyone wins with the Illinois Sportsmen Against Hunger program.  Hunters help us manage the state’s deer population, while providing food for people who can use it.”

The IDNR and the Illinois Conservation Foundation encourage hunters to, if they wish, make a tax-deductible $50 contribution through the ICF to help cover the cost of processing the deer into ground venison.  Hunters may donate deer to the program without making an additional monetary contribution.

“The $50 donation that we receive from many hunters helps cover some of the costs of processing the venison,” said Greg Legan, executive director of the Illinois Conservation Foundation.  “Thanks to the support of hunters, donors, and participating meat processors throughout the state, thousands of Illinois families benefit from the Illinois Sportsmen Against Hunger program.”

Monetary donations to Illinois Sportsmen Against Hunger can be made to the Illinois Conservation Foundation, One Natural Resources Way, Springfield, IL 62702-1271.

The funds help cover the costs of processing venison by nearly 50 participating meat processors throughout the state.  

The IDNR also encourages hunters and landowners to obtain additional antlerless deer permits to assist in deer management and to support the ISAH program.  The IDNR earmarks $100,000 from the state Wildlife and Fish Fund to assist in covering the costs of processing venison for the ISAH program from deer taken by hunters in areas of the state with growing deer populations. The additional funding is provided through non-resident archery deer permit fees.

The deer hunting seasons for 2008-09 in Illinois include the Archery Deer Season (Oct. 1-Jan. 15), the Firearm Deer Season (Nov. 21-23 and Dec. 4-7), the Muzzleloader-only Deer Season (Dec. 12-14), and the Late Winter Antlerless-only Deer Season (Jan. 16-18, 2009).

For a list of meat processors handling venison for the Illinois Sportsmen Against Hunger Program, or for more information about the Illinois Sportsmen Against Hunger program, check the IDNR web site at http://dnr.state.il.us/legislation/isah/.

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