Lighted Nocks, Legal in IL? Your state?
 

Buckmark sent me a PM regarding my statement about lighted nocks being illegal in IL.

If I remember correctly, I read it here, or it was told to me on here but also, my outfitter last year in IL told me that lighted nocks were not legal so I did not use them.

I wonder however because I've seen TV "celebs" use them on their shows in IL and I wondered why they would be blatantly breaking the law, or are they?

Anyone clarify the legalities of lighted nocks in IL. How about your state?

I know they are legal in PA.

not sure about IL but i know you can't enter your buck into Pope & Young if you used a lighted knock.

Not legally....lol.

Be realistic.....how many are gonna lie?

Completely legal in NC.

Went over the Illinois regs again and still no mention of lighted nocks being illegal.

I'm not too sure about IL.

OK for KY, illegal in AK, and I haven't looked up IN or AZ regs yet. Odds are, I won't be shooting em this season anyway.

They are LEGAL in Illinois.

What states are they NOT LEGAL? In Ohio you can use them........

I cant understand why pope and young wont accept deer that have been taken with lighted nocks it helps in the recovery .

Christine, did this change last year? Again, my outfitter/guide told me they were illegal and I swear I read it here too.

Sorry Buckmark if I listed bad information in that thread. Interesting.

Hey Rob, Nothing to be sorry for. The hunting regs vary so much from state to state, hard enough to know your own states regs, let alone some others as well. Anyway it gave me a good reason to run over them to see if anything major did change...

Anyone coming to Colorado best leave them at home.... They are Illegal and I ain't talkin' bout a sick bird.

No in ND


Deer Bow Season – A bow must be pulled, held, and released by hand. Any release aid may be used providing it is hand operated, the shooter supports the draw weight of the bow, and the release is not attached to any part of the bow other than at the bowstring. A compound bow used for hunting deer must have at least 35 pounds of draw at 28 inches or less draw length. Recurve and long bows used for hunting deer must have at least 35 pounds of draw at 28 inches. Arrows must be at least 24 inches long, tipped with a metal broadhead, with at least two sharp cutting edges, and have a cutting diameter of at least 3/4 inch (i.e., not able to pass through a 3/4 inch ring). It is illegal to hunt big game with barbed arrows. Broadheads with mechanical or retractable blades not manufactured to stay open are legal. Telescopic sights, range finding devices, battery-powered or electronically lighted sights or other electronic devices attached to the bow, or the arrow, are not permitted. Handheld range finding devices are legal. Arrows capable of causing damage or injury in excess of that inflicted by the cutting edges of the broadhead are prohibited (e.g., explosive arrow points, arrows tipped with drugs or chemicals, and pneumatic or hydraulic shafts are illegal). No firearms, except handguns, may be in the hunter’s possession while hunting with a deer bow license. However, handguns may not be used in any manner to assist in the harvest of a deer with an archery license.

by the way, they are legal in Florida. Florida only prohibits electronic sights and lasers on bows.

I don't understand why the lighted nock would be illegal. It does not give a hunter any kind of advantage prior to the release of the arrow. The lighted nock's only advantage is that after the release you have a better visual as to the quality of the shot and improves the hunters ability to recover his/her arrow. Please help me if I am missing something....

Illinois regs
 

don't mention anything about lighted nocks. Though it does mention electronic tracking devices are illegal.

"Electronic
tracking systems utilizing radio telemetry are illegal."

Maybe your guide misunderstood this reg and assumed it also pertained to lighted nocks. I know several people here in Illinois who use them.

I had one person tell me that the best thing I could do if I had a question about something was to call the conservation police and ask them.