Ray, next time I'm at Cabela's up there, I be on the look for you.
There's no comprehensive list of municipal laws. It's kind of a nightmare to decipher the rules when you can find 'em.
I'm pretty sure C'ville, Both Dundees and Elgin have a no weapons discharge rule. They didn't enforce it
on the Fox River tho'. Generally, if you see goose blinds out there, you're in an area that it's safe to shoot a bow. The trick is to get out on the river. I launched out of that crummy launch on the north end of elgin (on the east side of the river) and never had a problem. I also launched out of Fox River Shores because the CPO told me it was okay, but I got conflicting info from the Forest preserve cops.
Shooting from the shore up there is going to be tough. I used to do it when the river was flooded and the carp were up in the timber and no one ever said anything but nowadays, I wouldn't be surprised if you find yourself surrounded by a SWAT team. People up there are so easily freaked out by any type of a 'weapon'. Try to find a private landowner that will let you shoot on their property.
I do know that a couple of our club members would bowfish from the shore of the Foxdown by Montgomery and that was perfectly legal.
New fish sticker
