As for Allerton Park--THAT IS NOT A FOREST PRESERVE---I know this because I grew up hunting Allerton Park, the Sangamon River flood plains and the rest of Piatt County--having grown up in Bement. AGAIN--we are NOT talking about just HUNTING--this is an agenda pushed by politics, not ecology or sport hunting. The restrictions PLACED BY THE BOARD ON THIS PROPOSED HUNTING PROGRAM AS IT IS WRITTEN, AND AS THEY HAVE REPEATEDLY BEEN PROPOSED BY EVERY OTHER FOREST PRESERVE DISTRICT IN ILLINOIS THAT HAS DONE SO, HAVE FAILED BECAUSE THEY DO NOT ALLOW IT TO WORK because it is too restrictive--whether or not you are pro or anti hunting, it is the program you have to dissect, not my opinion.
You guys are arguing apples and oranges--this is an urban Forest Preserve, including designated Nature Preserves and multi-use activity areas. It, as proposed, requires multiple staff on site at all times, preserves to be closed, buffers above and beyond IDNR regulations--IF it was allowed in a form similar to Allerton, Champaign County CONSERVATION DISTRICT, Kankakee State Park, etc. hunting would work--but as the plan is being proposed in the areas it is targeting it will not work. There are a MAXIMUM of 14 hunters in 5 preserves as it stands--even if you break them up into 2 weekend seasons, you can't remove even 10% of the numbers needed to get to the PROPOSED targets/goals...2 seasons means 28 hunters and 18 staff. I am not saying HUNTING DOESN'T WORK FOR ANYTHING, but it won't work AS PROPOSED for this plan. Read the plan or go to the Board meetings--Oh, and make sure the person you are trying to educate doesn't know more about something--say like a hunting program in Allerton Park--before you lay it all out there...one more time for the slow folks...Allerton Park is not a Forest Preserve District.