uncle matt

"A new deer hunting law makes immediate changes to in-state and out-of0state residency requirements and adjusts fees and permit numbers for non-residents. The bill amends the Fish and Aquatic Life Code to say "domicilliary intent" is necessary to establish residency in the state. Evidence of this intent could include where a person votes, pays personal income tax or obtains a driver's license."

Here's the lowdown on the proposed new NR fees here in IL. Thanks to Nathan Baird of the Chicago Tribune. This is from the "Woods and waters" section of Sunday's Sports section.

"The bill also caps non-resident deer hunting permit fees at $300 in 2005, $350 in 2006 and $400 in 2007. For non-resident archery hunters, the fees will not exceed $325 in 2005, $375 in 2006 and $425 in 2007."

"The Department of Natural Resources also will allow atleast 20,000 non-resident either sex archery deer hunting permits, up from 15,000."

I hope this answers some of the questions folks have been asking.

I guess Illinois is a great place to live if you hunt deer like I do, (frequently & with a passion.) resident permits are $15.

Uncle Matt (in IL)

bwhunter501

Man, what is this state coming to.......all politics. Like people have said before this is going to turn into a rich mans sport.

BigOrangeBowHntr

I agree this will be my last year hunting in Illinois the licenses are just way to expensive. It is really sad all the people I have met there are awesome and reallymake you feel at home. to bad the powers that be don't share their the same views!

Pro-Line

I love how some residents say, "Good! Run the non-res's away!"

What do they think will happen to their license fees if the # of NR's decrease?

kevin1

Waaaayyyy too rich for my blood . Have fun blowing all your spare money on leasing and license fees , I think I'll stay home .

IL Rancher

Reading that report is sounds more as if it gives the DNR the option to raise it that high as in it says it will be no higher. That being said when don't government agencies charge as much as they can. It also doesn't sound like the language of the law that was passed put it that way but I don't have it infront of me.

It will be interesting to see what ends up happening with all of this, how many permits they actually sell at each price level. It never ceases to amaze me how people are willing to spend amounts of money on things that I wouldn't pay half as much for. If the reps and senate get more involved it probably will be at the Max sooner rather than later. There are a lot of people to blame when it comes to this.

The old permits were how expensive? 15,000 at 250 or somthing like that? If they lost that funding they would have to spread it over the 300,000 resident permits filed which basically translates to 12 bucks a permit, which is a doubler in prices basically. Wouldn't be good. The current administration has done a lot of dumb things when it comes to the future of Illinois wildlife funding. My favorite was the closing of some hatcheries thinking they could save some money that way. When fish populations go down, and they will due to all the pressures on them, people stop going fishing which means people stop buying fishing liscences which means even less funding. This is what happens in a State dominated politically by a major urban center, funding priorites are not given to the outdoors.

I have no idea why this font is so large.. Never had this problem before..

uncle matt

I have to wonder if the DNR feels their backs are to the wall on this. Getting much needed $$$ from these fees cause our dork a** gov is cutting their budgets and workers left and right.

I personally think we need to utilize the (what is it called) Pittman Roberson act MUCH MORE FULLY, declaring purchases of boots, sleeping bags, camp food, hunting fuel, socks, treestands, scopes. binoculars, long underwear, bumper dumpers, tents, solar showers, hatchets, guncases, ATV's (?), food plot seed, flashlights, ANYTHING declared for hunting, so that a small percentage would come back to us.

Best thing is (and it would p*ss him off royally!) Gov little lips couldn't touch it!

There could be some sort of notice at stores outlining the workings and you could indicate what was being used for hunting/fishing. Not just strictly guns & ammo.

Just another one of my "crazy" ideas? I really don't think so. It could be the cash the DNR so badly needs!

Uncle Matt (in IL)

IL Rancher

The problem with all of these funding is what they are really doing is directiing old money from the DNR that was funded by general taxes and putting them in the general fund budget instead of letting increased fees increase the DNR budget. I think eventually what would happen is the Pittman act (Did you know a similar tax was propsed to "nature.environmental groups for things like bird watching and hiking equipment and the manufactures and user groups wouldn't support it) would be able to fully fundy the DNR if they pushed this and Blago wouldn't be able to funnel any more money out of DNR. Problem is the funds are used for state parks as well and you know that is where the money would go to instead of habitat purchase or more game scientists for improving the natural resource.

I am sure the workers of the DNR do feel that way, at least the ones I have spoken too. Their director is just a freaking crony however and I am sure doesn't give a flying f.... as long as he is getting is paycheck.

Cougar Mag

Go to the Illinois DNR website. At last look final rules and how to apply for the non-resident archery hunter is supposed to be available today.

Buckhunter 17

hunting is turning into a sport of money. outfitters come in and buy land from farmers like crazy. putting many people out to buy or find other land. just because the farmer wanted the money. sorry to say but if someone came up to me and offered me money for some land. and it was an outragious price, and i had people hunting on my land and new they had no where else to hunt or couldn't afford to buy land. i wouldn't just kick them off the land. because the way i see it friendship is more important than money. not to start trouble or anything, but i'm just trying to say to all the outfitters that they need to think about who could be hunting on the land and who they would be hunting if they buy the land. i know lots of people who have had this done to them, only because they know the land is loaded with deer and know the farmer will take the way over priced offer.

The gov. of il takes money from everting they can. they cut jobs non-stop and the worst of all take money from the DNR. if the dipsh** govn. would just live in springfield and not fly to chicago everyday to sleep, and waste money on stupid stuff. they wouldn't have to take money from these things. i just can't wait till its time to vote! everyone thought he would be a good choice for govn., but then wham he does all this stupid stuff. gov. ryan dug IL in a huge hole and gov. blago. dug it even deeper. i just hope that when it comes time to vote that people don't vote for him!