Illinois State Run Public Hunting Disaster!
 

I know we had a topic on this before, but I wanted to share some information that was given to hunters at state meetings last night. Due to budget restraints, Illinois is trying to stop put and take pheasant hunts. At this point this public pheasant hunting is closer to being shut down than staying open right now. The state is trying to say they don't have the money, but manyof us who are trying to keep this program going have learned that anti hunters and gun control groups are also equally responsible for this! For most of us in Illinois, this is the only pheasant hunting we can find. Im hoping that some of you who read this are illinois public hunters or want to help out public hunters. They may start with public pheasant hunting, but if they get the ball rolling, public deer hunting may be next, its just a matter of time!

Im asking anyone who has time if they could send a letter to the state of Illinois abouttheir discontent of the state shutting down pheasant hunting. They say it is for financial reasons, but after attending these meetings, hunters have found out that this will save the state no money and this program has never used ANY taxpayer dollars. It all comes from money generated by licenses and such, as well as hunters paying a daily fee to hunt these birds.

This is the gentleman you should address your letters to. His name is Representative Dan Reitz , He is head of the Illinois Sportsmans Caucus , You can send your letter to:

Representative Dan Reitz
200-9S Stratton Office Building
Springfield, IL 62706

I encourage you all to write to support hunters rights. Thanks, those of us who count on public hunting appreciate it.

RE: Illinois State Run Public Hunting Disaster!
 

I am glad you posted this information. I will have a letter in the mail today. I find it funny that the State is stating budget restraints for wanting/needing to shut this down. After all, that State raised the number of NR tags again this by 5000, as well as raised the cost of NR tags. Doing so knowing that money generated from that is almost 100% profit, since most NR are coming to Illinois to hunt private land, either outfitters, friends, family. I also find this funny since the State just approved an additional 1 million dollars to be taken from revenue generated by the sell of hunting licenses and is having it re-directed to the rails to trails program. I guess the anti hunters don't mind running or biking on trails that hunters pay for, just as long as they don't have to pay for it. BTW, the put and take programs are almost 100% funded by the cost of the birds, the only money the State has to pay is for workers time, which they would have to pay for anyways unless they were planning on closing the State Parks which offer put and take programs. What a load of crap!!!!!!!!!!

RE: Illinois State Run Public Hunting Disaster!
 

Consider it done.....My signature says it all!

RE: Illinois State Run Public Hunting Disaster!
 

Always wanted to take part in one of these public phesant hunts, might not get a chance now. I'll write a letter as well!!!!

RE: Illinois State Run Public Hunting Disaster!
 

AMEN, BROTHER! As stated in the original post, the anti's have their fingerprints all over this. It is time to hand Blagosumbitch a defeat on this! Letter written and sent!

RE: Illinois State Run Public Hunting Disaster!
 

Rod is just that, a complete Rod. Not only has out of state deer hunting gone through the roof but now Pheasant? My dad used to meet me down in Metropolis to bowhunt with his friends from Arkansas, but the prices for tags have become outrageous I have to go to Northern Arkansas to hunt with him.

RE: Illinois State Run Public Hunting Disaster!
 

This was posted on SILO yesterday... seems like you fellas may be interested to read it...

SUPPORT measure = HJRCA28

Recall Election

With the Illinois General Assembly’s regular session dragging on for months of overtime with no action to squarely address important public policy issues, Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn Thursday announced his full support for a proposed amendment to the Illinois Constitution, introduced by Rep. Jack Franks (D-Woodstock) and Sen. Dan Cronin (R-Elmhurst), to allow citizen recall of Illinois elected public officials.

“When everyday people fail to perform on the job, their employers don’t have to wait for years to hand them a pink slip,” Quinn said. “The people of Illinois employ their elected officials and pay their salaries, and they should have the right to fire them if those officials don’t perform as promised.”

In August, Rep. Franks proposed House Joint Resolution Constitutional Amendment 28 (HJRCA 28), which would amend the Illinois Constitution to give citizens the right to recall state executive branch officers, members of the General Assembly, and supreme, appellate, and circuit judges. Sen. Cronin introduced the legislation as SJRCA 70 in the Illinois State Senate.

“Recall is an extraordinary remedy for removing elected officials," said Rep. Franks. "This remedy is necessary to protect the public from governmental abuses of power and to reinforce our system of checks and balances. Eighteen other states have recall provisions in their constitutions. The citizens of Illinois deserve and need the same right to remove incompetent elected officials from office."

Under the proposed constitutional amendment, an effort to recall a state constitutional officer – the Governor, Lt. Governor, Attorney General, Secretary of State, Comptroller or Treasurer – would require signatures equal to 12% of the previous vote total for that office. For example, turnout in the 2006 election of the Governor and Lt. Governor totaled 3,486,671. So it would require at least 418,401 signatures to put a recall initiative on the ballot, and it would require approval by more than 50 percent of voters to recall the official.

“This amendment sets a reasonably high standard for recall of elected officials,” said Quinn. “Under this proposal, no hard-working elected official need fear a frivolous recall action, but the voters would be given the right to show their displeasure over serious official mistakes.”

The proposed constitutional amendment also sets guidelines for the recall of state legislators, and supreme, appellate, and circuit judges.

At present, 18 states permit the recall of state officials. The District of Columbia also provides for recall, as do local jurisdictions at least 29 states. In 1996, Minnesota voters approved an amendment to the state constitution allowing recall of elected state officials, and in 1993 a recall amendment passed in New Jersey by a 3-1 margin. Michigan, one of the first states to allow recall of elected officials, included a recall referendum provision in its 1908 revision of the state constitution. In the Midwest, Kansas and Wisconsin also allow recall of state officials.

Quinn has supported the right to recall for three decades, both as a citizen and as an elected official. Although recall efforts should not be undertaken lightly, Quinn says the mere possibility of recall gives elected officials an added incentive to deal fairly with the voters who put them into office.

As founder of the all-volunteer Coalition for Political Honesty, Quinn in 1976 led the biggest petition drive in state history, collecting 635,158 signatures and ending a century-old practice allowing Illinois legislators to collect their entire year’s pay on their first day in office.

In 1980, Quinn led the statewide campaign for the Cutback Amendment to the Illinois Constitution, which reduced the size of the Illinois House of Representatives from 177 to 118 members. The Cutback Amendment was the first and only amendment to the Illinois Constitution ever adopted by a citizen initiative.

A recall amendment to the Illinois Constitution would require a three-fifths majority vote in both houses of the General Assembly. If approved by legislators, the proposed amendment would be placed on the Nov. 4, 2008 ballot. To pass, the amendment would require approval by at least three-fifths of those voting on the question or a majority of those voting in the election

http://www.standingupforillinois.org...ain.php?id=172

I talk to the Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn himself, last night, at the Illinois Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus, in Springfield. He asked us to pass this along to all concerned outdoorsmen. He knows that our IDNR has been hurt badly in recent years.

Once again, please support HJRCA28

RE: Illinois State Run Public Hunting Disaster!
 

Yeah, but they want to buy Wrigley Field.

BS!

RE: Illinois State Run Public Hunting Disaster!
 

Well of course they want to buy wrigley feild, just another way to put more money in their pockets. I feel like a bozo, I voted for gov. Baga****.

RE: Illinois State Run Public Hunting Disaster!
 

I almost voted that day too but found that smoking crack in the ghetto was more productive:D

RE: Illinois State Run Public Hunting Disaster!
 

Would somebody explain on what information folks believe that the state wants to eliminate its controlled hunts? I have not heard that one.

I've signed up for spots in advance and I've shown up for the lottery on hunting days. I hope the practice continues.

RE: Illinois State Run Public Hunting Disaster!
 

"The governor's office has said, however, that it is willing to work with the General Assembly to keep the controlled pheasant-hunting program operating. What that likely means is an increase in the cost of permits from $15 to $25 or even $30 for the upcoming hunting season."

http://www.bnd.com/sports/story/285905.html

RE: Illinois State Run Public Hunting Disaster!
 

Actually, Blagosumbitch wants the State to stop raising Pheasants. If that happens, there won't be any available for the "put and take" programs. Funny thing is, of the $1.3 million the state spends raising Pheasants every year, $938,000 goes to employee salaries, but the State doesn't plan on laying anyone off. The other $400,000 is offset by a like amount taken in from the $15 fee hunters pay when they hunt at the various "put andtake" sites. In reality, the state will see no real savings!

RE: Illinois State Run Public Hunting Disaster!
 

I don"t know whats worse, fighting the anti"s, or the state. Just hope that they can still hunt in the state parks.

RE: Illinois State Run Public Hunting Disaster!
 

It looks like the controlled pheasant hunting program is dead. At least, according to sources at DNR.

RE: Illinois State Run Public Hunting Disaster!
 

are you saying you cannot hunt pheasants on public land? or what are you saying? because if that's the case, thats the stupidest thing ever.

RE: Illinois State Run Public Hunting Disaster!
 

DNR was saying earlier today that the 'put and take' program is dead. I just got off the phone with dnr and now they say it WILL continue! The director has ordered them to make the raised pheasants available.

The price may go up (an increase requires a law change) but the controlled pheasant hunting program will continue. That is good news.

RE: Illinois State Run Public Hunting Disaster!
 

This was posted on another website in Illinois a few days ago. I hope your information is correct, I really don't want to see this programmed stopped. It will be near impossible to get it started again once we do. I'm hoping the DNR when you talked to them was referring to allState Run sites rather than just the T. Miller Sites. I really wish it was easier to raise the prices. I have no problem with them raising the price $10 a trip in needed to keep this alive. When we hunt these put and takes, we rarely get more than a bird a piece. None of havea dog and we just walk out butts off trying to get lucky and kick up a bird. We do it more just to hang out with the guys and relax. No work talk and no cell phones (actually one in case of emergency). Well, here's the info I got. Keep writing your state Reps. if you have the time and please post any new info you have.

salukipv1, They are not going to ban pheasant hunting all together on public ground, they just aren't going to release any bird onto public ground like they have for years. There are VERY few wild birds on public ground in Northern Illinois so this is the only way most of us can hunt pheasants.



DNR pheasant program faces deadline
April 16, 2008 at 01:33 PM
BY CHRIS YOUNG

Standing outside a legislative hearing room Wednesday morning in a khaki-colored work shirt and a Pheasants Forever cap, Kelly Howry looked a wee bit uncomfortable.

But even though Howry probably is more at home in the field than in the halls of government, he said it was important to show his support for the Illinois Department of Natural Resources’ controlled pheasant-hunting program.

DNR plans to discontinue the program to save money. The controlled pheasant-hunting program relies on captive raised birds that are stocked at special hunting areas at 18 sites around the state.

Supporters of the program say there aren’t enough birds in heavily farmed Illinois to satisfy everyone who wants to hunt pheasants. Pheasant hunters also say not everyone has access to private land or can afford to go to a hunting preserve.

Howry is the habitat chairmen of his local Pheasants Forever chapter in DeWitt County. He said his chapter provides volunteers and financial support for a youth hunt held at Clinton Lake.

Youth hunts at controlled pheasant hunting areas will be discontinued if the program is closed.

“I’m a strong believer in getting them out in the field—out in the timber and out by the creek,” said Howry. “Then you can keep them out of trouble.”

Under the proposal, Clinton Lake is one of 14 sites where the controlled pheasant-hunting program would be closed. Another four sites will stay open, because they buy birds from an outside vendor.

Howry attended a joint House and Senate committee meeting to discuss funds that have not been released for a variety of agricultural and natural resources programs even though they were appropriated by the Illinois General Assembly.

Ginger Ostro, director of the Governor’s Office of Management and Budget, said the money has been withheld because tax revenues for fiscal 2008 are falling $750 million short of what was projected.

The pheasant program cuts actually would take place in fiscal 2009, but supporters of the program say DNR faces an early to mid-May deadline to begin raising pheasants for fall.

“We’re going to lose the season by default and inaction,” says Jerry Rodeen, a member of Phesants Forever’s national board of directors.

He said controlled hunting areas provide good first experiences for young hunters since they have a reasonable chance at success.

“They are the only places these young men and women can hunt and be assured of a good shot,” he said.

Rep. Dan Reitz, D-Sparta, said he doesn’t see any real cost savings to the state if the pheasant program is discontinued.

Operating three propagation facilities, including one at Lincoln, costs about $1.3 million. About two-thirds of the expense is staff - 13 positions in all. The $15 fee paid by hunters (on top of their hunting license and habitat stamp) more than covers the other one-third, about $400,000 to $450,000.

The employees are to be reassigned to other duties, so Reitz says closing the program won’t really save any money.

“The numbers I have seen, (the controlled pheasant-hunting program) is a money-maker for DNR,” he said. “I really think doing away with this program makes no sense at all.”

Reitz said the program could generate more revenue by hiking the fee to $25 and then by $5 more every three years.

Rodeen said pheasant hunters likely would be willing to pay more to hunt.

“Sportsmen and women have always been willing to pay their way,” he said. “We should raise the fee (from $15) to $25 and put in a cost-of-living escalator so we don’t have to go through this crisis again.”[/align][/align][/align][/align]Let's hope for the rest and give these guys some credit for taking time out and doing what they did!![/align]

RE: Illinois State Run Public Hunting Disaster!
 

Well, looks like the pheasant hunters of Illinois came out on top! Checked the Illinois DNR page yesterday and the application page for the 2008 public pheasant permits are out! I breathed a little easier when I saw that. I don't think they accept applications for another 2 months but at least we know we will have some where to Pheasant hunt this year!