Cougar Mag

legislation is being discussed to allow bowhunting during all the firearms seasons.

1. So in effect, it will now cost non-residents $400 plus $28.25 for a five day license plus $5.50 habitat stamp. Annual license is $50. Thats either $433.75 to hunt five days or $455 to hunt all season for one buck and one antlerless. What a shame to have to pay that much to hunt deer.

2. Quota increasing from 20,000 to 25,000 non-resident hunters. I have nothing against nr hunters but all this may do is increase the already rampant amount of outfitters popping up all over Illinois and increase crowding of public land. I say may because from what I am told 20,000 non-resident permits is about all that is applied for anyway.

3. Allowing bowhunting during all firearm season.....while it sounds good I am against it as is the Illinois bowhunting organizations and in the last poll taken of bowhunters, the majority were against it. Also there is talk of making bowhunters who already purchased bow permits to make them purchase permits to use during the gun season only.....more $$$ paid out to the state. My personal argument is this.......soon the firearm seasons would be extended, thus allowing even more firearm hunters and bowhunters in the woods at the same time. That means more crowding during firearms season. We bowhunters already have approximately 107 days in the woods, do we need more?

I think most hunters will acknowledge why the changes? Because its a way to increase money for state coffers, and don't be fooled into thinking the extra monies will go back toward wildlife, the DNR, or anything to help increase hunting opportunities. Most likely it will be siphoned off into the general fund.

All in all I see it as helping only the outfitters, local chamber of commerces, and state coffers. What our illustrious governor and liberal state senators are doing is taking advantage of both non-resident and resident hunters by making these changes.

Edit: thought I would let this sit here for a couple of days before moving it to the Midwest forum.

MECHDOC

This is the first I have heard of this.Does this look like it will be passed this year?And your right conservation will see none of the money as usual.
Buck Flagojevich and crew!!!!

OHbowhntr

If I'm spending that kind of $$$$, I'm just going to ante up and head out west to hunt something I CAN'T hunt here in OHIO. Mule deer, antelope, elk, anything but whitey's I can hunt right here in my backyard. $455 is less than $50 more than I paid for my elk tag 2 yrs. ago.

Cougar Mag

MECHDOC.......the price increase for non-resident hunters is already in force on the DNR website. The legislation to allow bowhunters to hunt during all firearm season is pending to the best of my knowledge.

OHbowhntr.........I agree and understand where you are coming from. Personally I too would rather pay a slightly higher fee and hunt elk. I can go hunt my home state of Indiana for around $180 total unless Indiana makes it reciprocal.

I hope the changes come back and bites the state of Illinois. We have gone to being one of the best managed deer hunting states to one of the worst within the last 10 years.

5575gb

These price increases are getting crazy.
I think other states need to fight back, say your from Ill and you want to hunt pheasants in SD. Guess what it will cost you $455. If your from Wy and want to hunt the same pheasants it will cost you $618 "new elk tag price"
If you want to hunt geese and ducks in the dakotas and your from Ill, yep payup $455. Or turkeys in florida $455, antelope in Montana $455, and so on. I think some states already do this with same game like deer price to deer price. But why end there, if you have something they want charge them what they charge you.
Another thing states should do is only allow you to hunt that other state for 7 days total, for anything.
I think this would make folks think twice about buying up or leasing hunting property in other states that they don't live in. I'm getting sick of this pay to play/hunt attitude, I feel sorry for the youg folks. It's crap like this that is going to ruin hunting. Hunting used to be a tool to control game populations, now some game and fish depts think it mainly to make big $$$.[:@][:@]

jmbuckhunter

OUCH!!!

I'll get one NR Landowner Tag for about 1/2 of that I think. Then if I want another bow tag, I'll be paying that to hunt on my own land.[:'(] Doesn't quite seem right/fair. But then nobody ever accused the GOVERNMENT of being fair.[:@]

I may have to lease my ground to an outfitter just to afford to hunt there.

Greg / MO

EXACTLY! I've been saying this exact same thing for YEARS!!

Illinois has just gone plain crazy, and it's beyond ridiculous. It's truly a shame how it's trying to rape and pillage sportsmen who wish to enjoy God's creation.

bawanajim

It won't cost you that much if you get caught hunting in PA without a license.

ranger56528

Why would I hunt in a state that dosnt even allow CCW......j/k...thats craaaaazeeee,for 415.00 bucks I can get a Muly and Antelope tag in North Dakota...

Dr Andy

That's our governor for ya! A couple years ago he missappropriated funds from the habitat stamps for other purposes (budget) so come dove season no sunflowers had been planted on the public lands around me. This money was supposed to go to habitat improvements instead it goes to his general budget. What a piece of work that guy is!