125py

ILLINOIS residents...Someone told me its illegal to feed deer in IL in the off season...b/c of CWD..This is the first time I have ever heard of this. Has anyone else ever heard of it?

CDG

Yes it is illegal. Also, if you read the regs on the DNR site you cant leave crops in the field for them and you cant plant foodplots. Or at least thats the way i read it.I dont think they worry to much about the crops or foodplots but the feeding they do.

il coyote

Yep. illegal. It used to be OK to put out salt/co-cain/etc. as long as it was removed 10 days prior to the opener. But now it is 100% illegal to use any bait(including feeders)for deer, anywhere, even if only for photography or recreational viewing. Keeps deer from trading spit; it's a health issue, not a 'easier hunting' issue. Funny how you can still buy bait in most any sporting goods department...

Not sure on the food plots or fields, though.

And this isn't anything new, it's been law for 3-4 years.

johnst43

Does anyone have any more info on the foodplot issue?? I was unaware that this was illegal...

titleist_03

I didn't know anything about the food plots either. I have over 3 food plots now and was planning on planting another this spring and possible planting corn and leaving it standing.

Lanse couche couche

This is the first I've hear of this. I dunno how they could really enforce the rule on standing crops. Lot's of farmers in the past would leave a row of corn standing here and there for all the local game. Other times, there is stuff left standing because of a muddy section of field or a fallen tree. Are they going to go after folks that have a stand up any where near stuff like that?

CDG

My bad. I just went and reread on the DNR site that it is legal to plant standing crops and leave them. Just says no salt or "bait" can be hunted over. Its on page 8 of the hunting and trapping regs. Sorry bout that.

Beau Ouiville

I gotta tell ya. This weekend I was after Canadas in a Central IL state park and I'm throwing away my Egg McMuffin bag in the parking lot garbage can before dragging my stuff a half a mile. When I looked in the can there were at least two empty fifty pound bags of cracked corn. This p*ssed me off because its illegal to hunt over a baited field for 10 days and it don't matter if you know the stuff is there or not.

So, yes, illegal baiting is goingon in Illinois. Let the hunter beware.

uncle matt

Beau those bags might very well have been from some uneducated people feeding deer or squirrels or something. I see folks like thatquite frequently.

Now that these new rules about not feeding the wildlife are in place I really think that ALOT more signs are in order - statewide. And maybe some information sheets explaining why it's important because people seem to think the animals won't survive without them feeding them and are seemingly totally ignorant of CWD.

ejpaul1

I was born and raised in southern illinios. Seemed to me that everything under the sun was illegal. I didnt start hunting until I moved to colorado and now wished I had hunted in illinios when I lived there. Those game rangers were ruthless too! We fed deer all of my adult life and I think my ole grandpa still does, I will have to call him up and tell him to stop it. Thanks guys! EJ