IL Deer Task Force Final Recommendations.
 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 7, 2009

Joint Deer Population Task Force Makes Final Recommendations

Committee focused on ways to manage deer populations

SPRINGFIELD – The Joint Task Force on Deer Population Control (JTF) has made final recommendations on ways to manage the Illinois deer population, provide additional deer hunting opportunities, and reduce deer/vehicle accidents throughout the state. The recommendations include extending portions of some deer seasons, expanding educational outreach efforts, and making certain seasonal permits available to the public more readily and for longer periods of time.

“I want to thank the members of this task force and the public for their dedication to this important issue,” said Illinois Department of Natural Resources Acting Director Sam Flood. “Managing the state’s deer population is an ongoing responsibility, and I commend this group for its well thought out, data driven recommendations to better manage the state’s deer herd.”

The JTF recommends that the rate of deer/vehicle accidents be used as the objective to guide deer management and to judge the success or failure of the state’s deer management programs. The specific target rate (both statewide and at the county level) was set at halfway between the minimum and maximum rates measured during the period 1994 through 2007. The statewide target rate corresponds to a 14 percent decrease in the accident rate from the statewide peak observed during 2003.

The Joint Task Force on Deer Population Control was created by House Joint Resolution 65 of the 95th General Assembly, with the mission “to examine and make recommendations on ways to manage the Illinois deer population.” The Joint Task Force consisted of 15 members including members of the General Assembly (or their appointee), state agencies including the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) and constituent groups. The JTF met four times between April and October 2008, and conducted a series of six public meetings around the state to seek public comment about changes that were being considered.

The JTF recommends the following changes in Illinois deer management:

That deer permits for the antlerless-only Late-Winter Season be made available to hunters over-the-counter (OTC) at license vendors throughout the state, rather than through the current application and lottery system;

That counties included in the Late-Winter Deer Season be categorized into two groups for permitting purposes, based upon their deer population status: (a) counties that are slightly above goal levels, in which only one permit could be purchased; and (b) counties that are significantly above goal levels, in which an unlimited number of permits could be purchased.

That the length of the Late-Winter Deer Season be extended from three to nine days.

That permits for the regular Firearm Deer Season which remain unallocated after two lottery drawings be sold OTC on a first-come, first served basis until the end of that season.

That the length of the first segment of the regular Firearm Deer Season be extended from three to four days, beginning on a Friday and ending on a Monday.

Expansion of educational outreach programs relating to deer, including creation of a new web site (“Living with Illinois Deer”); increased support for the Sportsman Against Hunter program (venison donations); support for some type of Hunter Access Program to improve hunter access to private lands; working with the Illinois Department of Transportation to enhance traffic safety programs related to deer-vehicle accidents; and working with the Illinois Secretary of State’s Office to develop materials related to deer for the Drivers’ Safety program.

Formation of a task force to review programs designed to reduce crop damage by deer.

The recommendations are currently being reviewed by IDNR wildlife staff to determine feasibility and timetables for implementation. None of the changes recommended by the JTF require new legislation; all could be accomplished via administrative rule.

The complete report of the Joint Task Force on Deer Population Control is available online at through the IDNR web site at http://dnr.state.il.us.

RE: IL Deer Task Force Final Recommendations.
 

Looks good to me.

RE: IL Deer Task Force Final Recommendations.
 

Is Alt out there? When threy start jabbering about deer/car it means the insurance industry said wipe em' out. Good Luck, you have a great deer hunting tradition there, now the Pols are going to screw it up!

RE: IL Deer Task Force Final Recommendations.
 

Unfortunately, for many people actually living there,a "great deer hunting tradition"translates into rising number of deer/auto crashes, crop damage, damage to gardens, etc.

RE: IL Deer Task Force Final Recommendations.
 

Still no check stations.[>:]I can't see the Monday before Thanksgiving being a big hunting day. 9 day doe only season? Yikes......thats a long time.

RE: IL Deer Task Force Final Recommendations.
 

Let the poachers keep poaching. How many anterled bucks do you think will be called as doesduring the upcoming anterless only season?

RE: IL Deer Task Force Final Recommendations.
 

9 day antlerless only season? I hate that idea, it just leads to more poaching and shooting of bucks that have dropped their antlers. 9 days is just too many. I also don't like the unlimited number of doe tags. That means some farmers will go out there with 20 doe tags and kill every deer they see. Ive heard of problems in WI with the unlimited number of doe tags really making a negative impact on the numbers. Maybe one tag a day for the 3 day season, but 9 days with unlimited tags is not a good idea.

I agree, bring back the check stations. I visit one in Michigan every year and love being able to check in my deer. The technology they have to help with the population is incredible now. I gaurentee that MI is in worse shape financially than IL. Someone in Springfield just needs to get there head out of the behind. I just don't understand why they get one person to run each check station and have biology students at the local colleges work them for extra credit. There are enough colleges in this state that this would easily work.

RE: IL Deer Task Force Final Recommendations.
 

I'm not really sure how it will lead to more poaching. If I want to poach a deer I will wait until all the seasons are closed anyway since the game wardens pretty much disappear. And if the bucks have dropped their antlers then there is really no reason to want to purposely shoot them. If some get shot accidentally, then fine with me. The general idea is to lower the population. There is never gonna be a plan that will please everyone, but this is one hell of a good try at it.

RE: IL Deer Task Force Final Recommendations.
 

Well, you are right...It doesn't please me at all. BRING BACK THE CHECK STATIONS!!

I think 3 days for 1st gun is plenty, leave it alone.

I also think 3 days for does only is plenty. As far as I am concerned, that does only season should be muzzleloader or bow only, using up your unfilled, already purchased tags from previous seasons.

Illinois is broke like most areas of the US right now and looking to drum up some more funds in license sales. I am an Illinois native that now reside in Michigan, but spend my hunting time in Illinois. If Illinois keeps things going in the direction theyhave beenheading, we all may be looking for a "new" state to hunt good bucks in!

More hunters every year, higher tag prices, higher lease prices,less trophy bucks... sound like an accurate assessment? Very sad to see these recommendations....hunters should have a voice here not the "task force"...hunters are the people thatpay the fiddler, let them call a tune!

RE: IL Deer Task Force Final Recommendations.
 

Lanse,

It seems your are about population control and not about managing a herd. IL. has become a trophy buck state due to short gun seasons and herd management clear up until these last few years. Most of us want to keep it that way. When we are talking about poaching we are meaning with the new call in system there are several bucks that are being called in as does. Also, the question comes up as to how many deer are being killed with the same tag?? Say you kill a deer and you tag it and call it in and you butcher it yourself. How many of these guys are just taking the tag off of that deer and killing another one the next day and using the same tag? To the passerby it looks legit. The tag is on the deer with the confirmation number. I really don't mind what they have done here with their suggestions, but until we get the check stations back we will never get an accurate harvest number. Without an accurate harvest number we will never be able to manage our herd.

RE: IL Deer Task Force Final Recommendations.
 

The tag systemwas consistently abused when they had check stations and it will continue to be abusedif they bring it back.And yes, I am all about population control. Not to be harsh, but the people who want to keep things the way they are generally arent the same people who have to deal with crop and property damage from too many deer. I dont really care about the the whole trophy state thing. It is funny that folks like the idea of Illinois being a trophy state, but then complain bitterly about outfitters, leasing, and high land prices that result from the trophy hunting mentality. You see a significant reduction in the deer population, including bucks, and those problems start going away.

The funny thing is that I used to think my way of thinking on the topic was way out of the ordinary. However, over the holidays, I discussed the situation with several folks in my part of Illinois who are pretty hardcore deer hunters and who like to go after the big bucks. Surprisingly, they tended to agree with me. And I know that the majority of large landowners in my area (many of whom don't even hunt) agree with me.

RE: IL Deer Task Force Final Recommendations.
 

I'm not sure we need a longer doe season in my county. Everyone I talked to saw far fewer deer this year than in years past. I haven't killed a doe since 2006, thats the last time I had one in range.[&:]I see tons of spikes and runt bucks, as well as a few nice bucks. Next weekend is the killem all doe season, if I even see a doe it will be a nicehunt IMO.

RE: IL Deer Task Force Final Recommendations.
 

Where are you hunting at? In the counties that I am familiar with in southeastern Illinois, guys damn nearhave to push their way thru the does just to get to their stand.[:-]My last day in Illinois for Christmas, I was driving around Crawford and Richland County and almost hit two does out in the open in the middle of the day.

RE: IL Deer Task Force Final Recommendations.
 

Not too far from your stomping grounds Lanse. I live in Marion County near Salem. I hunt there, Fayette County near Vandalia and Clinton County near Patoka. I see deer, just very few does.

RE: IL Deer Task Force Final Recommendations.
 

Oh okay. Sounds like they really need to thin out the bucks in your area.

My frame of reference is counties like Jasper, Crawford, Richland, Lawrence, and Wayne. When I drive home to Illinois, I cross into Illininois at Terre Haute and drive south on hwy 1 from Marshall, then west on hwy 50, then have several miles of blacktop and gravel roads. I pretty much have to keep on my toes as i have already hit one deer and have had a couple of close calls on that stretchof road, especially lower highway 1. Its even worse in a lot of rural Richland county. It is easy to hit one or have a close call just driving 35 miles an hour down a gravel road. The local paper now often has a special section in the police reports just to cover the deer related accidents. My family that still lives out in the country have to build fences that look likeVietnam firebase around their gardens just to keep the deer damage at a minimum. That is a hell of a change since the 1970s. I guess that for people whocame of age since the population exploded in the late 1980s and 1990s, all this seems normal. But for other folks it's not.

RE: IL Deer Task Force Final Recommendations.
 

Lanse and 2Lunger, I read both your comments alot on this board and really like what both of you have to say. In this instance, I agree with you both. Lanse, after thinking about it, I tend to agree with you a little more. I agree that the high price of the outfitters tends to make less people a larger area therefor making the buck quality much better. I think the problem for me is that I really can't afford to take one of these outfitter hunts therefor I hate seeing all these big deer taken and not getting the opportunity at them. Its one of those situations where you love it and hate it at the same time.

These areas that are overcrowded with deer are probably the big 200+ acre parcels of land that have 3 guys trophy hunting it and therefor let all the does walk. Then you get a bunch of 40 acre parcels in another area where you get 2 or 3 guys hunting that land and try to take meat for the freezer and then hope for a big buck. The deer population just varies so much county to county. You'll get guys complaining of no deer on a 50 acre parcel but 5 miles away on a 300 acre parcel they'll be deer everywhere. Personally, I wish these outfitters would make there clients take a doe when they fill there buck tag. Even if they donate it, it sure would help. After I got my buck in Illinois this year, I was looking forward to taking a doe and helping a person less fortunate but was unable to due to a health issue with my buddies wife.

I wish there was a way to convince some of these trophy hunters to take a doe and donate it to someone less fortunate. I know there are programs set up around the state, but I seem to never be able to find one when I have an extra tag to fill, I'd love to make it easier. I have no problem spending the extra $15 for a tag and 30 mins gutting and loading a deer if I know I can get it to someone in need. That, though, is when I can find a place to hunt in Illinois!

I feel that they issue enough tags, its just getting those tags filled in the right areas and not overhunting one area and underhunting another. People drive through a 1000 acre farm and complain about almost hitting a deer, but then 3 miles away there is nothing. Its all about shooting the deer in the right areas.

I'm not even going to get into poaching, It just makes me mad the way people don't callin deer or reuse tags.

Heres a quick example of my hunting experiences with some of my favorite pictures:

Here is the first buck I got in Michigan after hunting gun season there for 8 seasons on one piece of property:
(This is an average buck shot on this property over the past 15 year)



Here is the opening day buckpole, same county 6 miles away, same year. I think there are around 14 guys in camp.
(Note: These are guys I know through a friend of a friend, so if it's your buckpole I hope you don't mond me using it!)
They are hunting on 400 acres I believe.



Here is me on a nice size parcel of ground in S. Illinois first time hunting it on opening day:




I think the key is just to get people who own big chunks of land to take out enough does so there property isn't a sanctuary. I do feel for the farmers in areas that get a lot of there crops eaten by deer, but they may be the same farmers leasing there land to these outfitters who only let there clients take 130+ bucks. Its a tough medium, thats for sure. I think its up to the hunters more than the government to get a acceptable deer population where we obviously have too many.

RE: IL Deer Task Force Final Recommendations.
 

Lanse,

Don't get me wrong. I agree that something needs to be done about the deer population. Our doe population is out of control! With that being said, I love deer hunting in IL. for one reason and one reason only. Big Bucks!IL. will always have big bucks. With that we will always have outfitters. With outfitters we will always have a large doe population. With our current tag system we will never come close to having an accurate harvest number. Our harvest number was down over 80,000 deer this year bow and gun season combined. That right there tells me the call in system does not work. Sure the check station method was abused as well, but not nearly as bad as the call in system.

If we continue with what we are doing right now the problem will take care of itself. Eventually we will run out of quality deer and the out of state hunters will seek other states like Iowa and the new sleeper state of Indiana for large bucks. This will include the guy from PA that I ran off of my hunting ground three times during gun season. The third time the game warden was called and he was given a ticket after I called the landowner and he came to the scene. The exact words from this guys mouth was, " This $250 fine is a lot cheaper than a guided hunt in Pike Co."

To make any difference with our exploding doe population we will have to lean towards a earn abuck program and re-instate check stations. You will get your buck tag when you check your doe in at the check station. Buck tags would not be able to be sold over the counter. This will never happen in IL. do to the Chicago politics who do not care about funding our DNR.

RE: IL Deer Task Force Final Recommendations.
 

Earn a 2nd buck tag I thought sounded like a great idea.

You could still get your buck opening morning, and you'd have to harvest a doe if you want to keep your season alive for another buck.

As sportsmen in IL I think we should just all agree to take a 1 or more does for every buck we take.

RE: IL Deer Task Force Final Recommendations.
 

I'm not real worried about a big buck so much anymore. I've killed a few nice bucks, This year I killed my two does by the 10th of October. Guys kill the deer, Screw the outfitters, stop and talk to the guy that's farming, get pemission and kill some deer. Up in winnabago county they have been having the county kill the deer due to C.W.D. they don't care, buck, doe, spike it all goes down.

RE: IL Deer Task Force Final Recommendations.
 

Well, I dont want to make the outfitters the scapegoats for the whole problem. The simple fact is that over the last couple decades we have had plenty of mild winters, plenty of food, andbag limits on deer thatdid not keep up with the rise in deer population. Throw in the increasing big rack mentality and it is a recipe for problems. Lots of large private landowners post their property for their own use and only take a few big bucks as well. Even worse, you can get landowners who acknowledge that they have too manydeer on their land, but look at you like you are crazy if you suggest opening it up to a lot of other people for deer hunting. Lots of different directions to point fingers. I just know that the current plans allow lots of chances to reduce the doe population, so it will be interesting to seehow much of it gets implemented and if it works.

RE: IL Deer Task Force Final Recommendations.
 

I have three little letters I recommend be used for atleast the next few years.

EAB

RE: IL Deer Task Force Final Recommendations.
 

9 days for the late season seems extreme. Mid-January is a terrible time to have the late season hunt anyway......too many bucks killed that have lost antlers.

I have no problem with a four day first gun season, it will have minimal effect.

The biggest effect Illinois could have on deer populations is to enhance hunting opportunities on private land. Nothing was proposed. Oh they talked about it, but thats it. One last thing.........its not over yet. This year they will be discussing simplying obtaining nuisance deer permits including using them in the non-hunting season.[:@]

RE: IL Deer Task Force Final Recommendations.
 

Lanse, I guess you are not used to it. I live in Crawford and hunt in both Crawford and Lawrence counties. I can guarantee that these counties are not even close in deer population compared to many other counties. We are probably in the middle. I've hunted for over 32 years and bowhunt religiously, driving on the average of 18 miles one way to my hunting grounds. In all of those years I have only hit one deer with a truck. I also call Terre Haute, Ind. my 2nd home as I am there about every other week visiting my sisters and taking the family out. Never hit a deer once driving on Route 1 or U.S. 41. A buddy of mine drives 43 miles from Casey to Robinson to work every day for 6 years now and has never hit a deer. By the way, sometime ya need to let me know when you are going down 1 on your way to Lawrenceville. We'll meet in Robinson somewhere and have a bite to eat.

RE: IL Deer Task Force Final Recommendations.
 

Mag,

I'm certainly not used to the numbers of deer on the roads over the past decade or so compared to when I was growing up in that part of the country in the late 70s/early 80s. Like I said, I've hit one deer on lower hwy 1 and have hadother close callsin that whole area that I mentioned above in recent years. I guess my sense of adventure and willingness totolerate that situation has weakened now that I have Little Lanse sitting in his car seat with me.

I've got a buddy up by Terre Haute (outside of Paris)that is now up to at least three collisions with deer in the recent past. For every person who has had few if any run ins with deer on the road in southeastern Illinois, there are others who have had far toomany close encounters of the wrong kind.

I may be in Richland County this weekend for the end of rabbit season. Doubt that I will make it up to Robinson, but you are welcome to come down and stomp some brush with us. Dont think anybody will be hunting my land, so you would be welcome to come early and try to drop a deer to warm up for the rabbit hunt.

RE: IL Deer Task Force Final Recommendations.
 

The offer is appreciated but I don't have a deer firearms permit. Good luck with the rabbits, don't see many around anymore along with quail. Too many yotes, hawks, owls and yes kitty cats running around.

RE: IL Deer Task Force Final Recommendations.
 

We still have a few bunnies left in richland county. The coyotes have been thinned out a little because some of the younger folks in the area have been taking up trapping and have been good at catching them. We also have two different groups of guys who come thru running coyotes with dogs and they have done a good job too. There is a decent quail population largely because hardly anyone hunts them with dogs. So, unless you knock one or two down after jumping them while rabbit hunting they dont have much to fear, except for the cats.

RE: IL Deer Task Force Final Recommendations.
 

Lanse and 2 Lunger....both of you bring up valid points. I highly agree with the call in system being a total joke, there is no way 80,000 less deer were taken. Maybethe harvest was less, but not by that amount. There is zero accountability with this call in system, it's all dependant on the "good faith" of hunters, and we all know that there are some real idiots out there, and during shotgun season they come crawling out of the wood work like an ant infestation.

And whoever said Crawford Co. didn't have the deer numbers has been misinformed, it's in the top 5% of the entire state as deer per acre.

I am glad this so called "Task Force" didn't go with the early Doe only season that was talked about at the end of October, that makes me think they did listen to the concerns about us bow hunters.

I like the idea of "earn a 2nd buck", but then again, the call in method will hamper it'sability to function correctly.

RE: IL Deer Task Force Final Recommendations.
 

I agree 100%. The only way this will work is to go back to check in stations and the EAB tag is only available at the check in station upon checking in your doe. No over the counter BS.

RE: IL Deer Task Force Final Recommendations.
 

Great idea, but Illinois will never do it[:o].

Shhhhhhhhhhh! There are already enough people from the Dixie states up here.

RE: IL Deer Task Force Final Recommendations.
 

This is the real problem in IL: HUNTER ACCESS. In a state with maybe 1-4% public land. Hunter Access is the problem. Hunter Access, Hunter Access, Hunter Access..

Let's fix this problem first.[:@]

RE: IL Deer Task Force Final Recommendations.
 

I think that the issue of access to private ground is something listed as meriting further discussion. That is something that depends much on the landowners though. Hard to be too sympathetic about crop damage when the person suffering it doesnt allow folks on his land to shoot the deer.
Of course, on a related note, it might help if the state would also work toexpand public access hunting areas.

RE: IL Deer Task Force Final Recommendations.
 

It does depend on the landowners. But, I have some ideas on that, and I'm curious to hear other thoughts out there...

Let's take CRP for instance. The $$$$ that go to landowners for CRP payments come from taxpayers.

I've seen a lot of CRP that's not fit for crops (flood plain etc etc), but they are collecting the money. That should be changed. If you are collecting money for CRP on land that is not fit for farming, then hunters should be allowed to use it. Very simple.

RE: IL Deer Task Force Final Recommendations.
 

You can sit here and dream up all kinds of great programs for the better of the deer herd. The problem is you have to get the POLITICS out of the DNR. The deer herd needs to be run by the DNR and their Boilogists. Right now we have the most corrupt political system in the US and Blago just gave a buddy of his the head of the DNR position. We need the right people in the DNR.

Until that happens you can dream, wish and sit here all day and debate...............

RE: IL Deer Task Force Final Recommendations.
 

Don, who is this appointment? I've heard about this twice now, but can't find any news story on it? Can you paste a link? Tks!

RE: IL Deer Task Force Final Recommendations.
 

I found it. What a joke:

http://www.sj-r.com/blagojevich/x1369594468/New-DNR-director-likely-to-see-40K-a-year-pension-boost

RE: IL Deer Task Force Final Recommendations.
 

Well the good thing is if Blago looses his job and Quinn takes over the first thing hes going to do is change this...


By Pete Nickeas, Springfield Bureau, [email protected]
More photos from this shoot Photo: Robert Leistra Lt. Governor Pat Quinn SPRINGFIELD -- Lt. Gov. Patrick Quinn’s isn’t governor yet but he is already taking on some of the responsibilities of the office.
With Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s impeachment trial beginning Monday, no one knows for sure who will be governor in coming weeks-- Quinn or Blagojevich.
But already Quinn is the go-to guy for some gubernatorial matters. For example, Quinn’s office has been working with the federal government to undo a legislative blunder that could cost the state $24 million.
Federal officials appear to be dealing with Quinn with the presumption that he will soon be governor.
Marc Miller, a senior policy advisor for the lieutenant governor, has been in contact with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to keep Illinois’ Department of Natural Resources eligible for federal money, according to Jason Holm, a spokesman for the federal agency.
"Miller asked good questions. He asked about time frames, what needs to be done, what to do to avoid the diversion of money, actions the state needs to take, and whether the decision or deadline can be delayed," Holm said.
A spokesman for the governor’s office pointed out that the DNR is under Blagojevich’s control – not Quinn’s-- and interaction with the Fish and Wildlife Service regarding the federal money in question is supposed to be handled by the Blagojevich administration.
"It has not been assigned to the lieutenant governor’s office. If they’re calling as an interested party that’s one thing but officially, the governor oversees the DNR," said Lucio Guerrero, the governor’s spokesman.
Guerrero said that Fish and Wildlife may be assuming Quinn will be the next governor and for that reason is working with Quinn’s office.
"We’re willing to talk to any state officials that contact us about any of the issues that relate to the programs we operate under," said John Christian, an assistant regional director at the Fish and Wildlife Service.
The Fish and Wildlife Service sent a letter to Blagojevich’s office on Dec.19 and gave Illinois until Feb. 2 to transfer more than $9 million back into dedicated wildlife funds. Last year the legislature "swept" the restricted money out of state funds and later used it to pay for shortfalls elsewhere in the budget.
If the money isn’t paid back, with interest, Illinois could lose eligibility for future federal money. That leaves up to $24 million of federal wildlife money in limbo.
Miller said he first contacted the Fish and Wildlife Service last October and has been working with them since on various issues.
After meeting with the acting director and assistant director of the Fish and Wildlife Service while in Washington, D.C. for inauguration festivities, Miller sent a letter Thursday formally requesting a 90-day deadline extension.
"The Fish and Wildlife Service will take a position on the extension request and they’re not sure they’re going to grant it. It’s in their court," Miller said.
Lawmakers approved a bill last week that would keep the state eligible for the federal money, but the governor hasn’t indicated whether he would sign the legislation by the deadline.
The Senate has 30 days -- until Feb. 12 -- to physically transfer the bill to the governor’s office. Blagojevich may not be governor then. The last scheduled day for the impeachment trial is Feb. 5.
A deadline extension from Fish and Wildlife could allow Senate President John Cullerton -- who ultimately decides when to transfer the legislative paperwork to the governor’s office -- to wait until after the trial.
Quinn spokeswoman Libby White said it would be presumptuous to say whether Quinn would sign the bill if he becomes governor.
Mike Lawrence, former director of the Paul Simon Institute for Public Policy at Southern Illinois University, said he isn’t surprised by Quinn’s actions.
"There is an imminent deadline here and it appears as if he’s hoping the federal government will recognize that he soon will be governor of the state. I think this is a sign that he’s preparing to become governor and that he hopes the outside world will delay decisions and actions until he becomes chief executive," said Lawrence, who was also a senior advisor to Gov. Jim Edgar.
Miller said the state’s unique situation dictated Quinn’s course of action.
"There’s a strong interest in natural resources and conservation in our office and we do a lot of work. We are concerned about these funds affecting work we do with rivers and water quality," Miller said.

RE: IL Deer Task Force Final Recommendations.
 

Only thing is Blago did this knowing hisbuddy wouldnt stay in there very long. And he still gets his 40 grand increase on his pension..........

Illinois Politics at its finest.............[:@]

RE: IL Deer Task Force Final Recommendations.
 

We've been ripped to shreds by Blago..

RE: IL Deer Task Force Final Recommendations.
 

When you talk about folks whose land is in CRP being required to allow public access to it for hunting, you have some folks get hot around the collar. I'm not sure what the rules are in terms of if someone is permitted to lease land for hunting that is also in CRP.

RE: IL Deer Task Force Final Recommendations.
 

Well, they can get hot around the collar, but it is our money that's paying the CRP. I'm not talking about leasing (paying a fee). We shouldn't have to pay. We already do with our taxes. Especially the land that's not fit for planting, we should be allowed to hunt it. Who besides me has thought about this? Lanse, what do you think? Am I on to something here?