Pistol During Shotgun Season
 

What do you guys think about this?

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Illinois Department of Natural Resources
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 29, 2003

Regulations Being Developed Allowing Use of Handguns During Illinois Firearm Deer Season

SPRINGFIELD, ILL. - The Illinois Department of Natural Resources will allow the use of handguns during the firearm deer hunting season in the state this fall, Director Joel Brunsvold said today.

“We’re excited about this expansion of outdoor recreation opportunity in Illinois,” Brunsvold said. “Regulations are being drafted allowing handgun use during the firearm season.”

A change in state law adds handguns to the already authorized use of shotguns and muzzleloading rifles as allowable firearms for hunters to use during the state’s firearm deer hunting season.

More details on the new regulations will be announced this fall. The 2003 firearm deer hunting season in Illinois is Nov. 21-23 and Dec. 4-7.

Illinois also continues to provide additional firearm deer hunting opportunities through a muzzleloader-only season scheduled for Dec. 12-14 and a handgun-only season in select counties scheduled for Jan. 16-18, 2004.

RE: Pistol During Shotgun Season
 

Sounds like a fine idea if it works .
Does Il. mandate a Hunter Safety Course for potential pistol hunters ?
Do they need a permit to carry other than a hunting license ?
Pistol hunting is legal here , and I understand there are some differences in our gun and hunting laws .

I would gladly support such a law as it would provide more hunting opportunity for a greater number of people . A pistol of large enough caliber is capable of cleanly taking large game , which makes it ethical in my book .

RE: Pistol During Shotgun Season
 

The gun permits are by lottery. I dont have a problem with it in my mind they have to choose what gun to use with their permit.

I do wonder what the real picture is on this. Our Gov who wanted to raise the FOID cards, and who seems to not like handguns passed this with no problem.

IL Bowman, i could have fit in your trunk when you went out west Elk huntin!!!!:D

RE: Pistol During Shotgun Season
 

My only problem with this is people maybe carrying both shotgun and pistol. When they get done ripping off 3 shots at running deer they are going to pull out the pistol and let loose with 6 more. We have enough doinks running around here wounding the deer the way it is and I just don' t think this will help matters.

Hey don, I am sure a lot of people would have been willing to do that.

RE: Pistol During Shotgun Season
 

its been allowed for a few years in iowa. i have heard of no problems here. i carry my .357 durring both shotgun and muzzleloader seasons

RE: Pistol During Shotgun Season
 

It' s been allowed in Ohio for a while also. In fact, my dad used to shoot a Ruger Redhawk in .44 mag for deer.

RE: Pistol During Shotgun Season
 

Can you guys carry both the sidearm and the shotgun?

Just curioius

RE: Pistol During Shotgun Season
 

I didnt really think about carrying both guns. I asumed they would allow you to carry one, or the other.

Should be interesting to see what the rules will be on this.

I can see it now...............Ok buck.......did i fire 5 shots? or six?? Do you feel lucky???????


Il Bowman, just enjoyed your Elk story as i have withdrawl symtoms. this time last year i was getting ready to head out and hunt with Articbowman in MT.

RE: Pistol During Shotgun Season
 

You can carry both in Indiana.[8D]

RE: Pistol During Shotgun Season
 

I' m not sure on the regulations in Ohio anymore. Dad never did ... he only carried the revolver. I' m not sure why you would want to carry both though ... that could be a significant amount of extra weight, especially if you have a thick-framed revolver with a scope. Plus, I really don' t see the need for 11 shots (5-shotgun, 6-revolver). I' ve never needed that many when I lived and hunted up there.

RE: Pistol During Shotgun Season
 

dbb, if you get caught with a shotgun that holds 5 around here...you are in some big trouble.

All I can say to that is that you should come and watch some of these yahoos during shotgun season!

RE: Pistol During Shotgun Season
 

I hear ya IL_BOW_MAN ,
the first day of Firearms here always sounds like a hostile fire zone , and pretty much is . Oh how it makes me long for peace and tranquility of muzzleloader season ... Good thing it comes up a week later ! [8D]

RE: Pistol During Shotgun Season
 

Iowa has had it for awhile now with no problems that I have heard about. Few people actually carry both a shotgun and pistol. I know myself personally would not have time to empty a shotgun and still have a deer in pistol range. Besides if it is still in range I would be reloading the shotgun. I do carry the pistol during muzzleloader season though and have taken four deer with the .357. They make a great backup gun for when you need a quick follow up shot.

RE: Pistol During Shotgun Season
 

I would carry both when I used to ground hunt. That way if a deer snuck up on
me it was easier to lift my .357 and aim rather than turning my whole
body to aim the shotgun. Didnt happen often though. Sometimes I`ll still
pack em both with me in the tree, but not because I plan on shooting
a lot of rounds. Hopefully I will only need 1 shot.:)

RE: Pistol During Shotgun Season
 

So they make you plug the shotguns in IL for deer? That was never the case in Ohio. The only seasons you needed a plug for in Ohio was migratory birds. You could load ' em all up during deer season.

I understand what you' re saying about some people though. Even in Missouri where we' re allowed to use centerfire rifles it' s crazy at times ... though I do agree, shotgun season in Ohio was worse.

RE: Pistol During Shotgun Season
 

In Ohio you' re only allowed to hunt with one weapon at a time. Regardless of which weapon or which season, it' s only one at a time. Shotguns can only hold three shells. If it' s physically capable of holding more than three it must be plugged so it can only hold three.

Brandan

RE: Pistol During Shotgun Season
 

It must have changed since I hunted Deer there last. I think my last hunting trip in Ohio was 1989.

RE: Pistol During Shotgun Season
 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 18, 2003

HANDGUN DEER HUNTING REGULATIONS ANNOUNCED

SPRINGFIELD, ILL. - Natural Resources Director Joel Brunsvold today announced regulations governing sportsmen using handguns during this year’s firearm deer season.
" Many hunters have asked for this additional deer hunting opportunity and we’re pleased to be able to provide it this fall," Brunsvold said. " This is one of a number of increased opportunities we are bringing to sportsmen."
Handguns are being allowed during the regular firearm deer season for the first time this year. Illinois’ firearm deer hunting season is Nov. 21-23 and Dec. 4-7. A change in state law adds handguns to the already authorized use of shotguns and muzzleloading rifles as allowable firearms for hunters to use during the state’s firearm hunting season.

The regulations will allow any hunter with a permit for the firearm deer season to use centerfire revolvers or centerfire single-shot handguns of .30 caliber or larger with a minimum barrel length of four inches. Hunters can take a shotgun, muzzleloading rifle and/or a handgun with them during this season.

The legal ammunition for handgun hunting will be a straight-walled centerfire cartridge of .30 caliber or larger that is available as a factory load with the published ballistic tables of the manufacturer showing a capability of at least 500 foot pounds of energy at the muzzle. Non-expanding, military-style full metal jacket bullets cannot be used to harvest deer. Only soft point or expanding bullets, including copper or copper alloy rounds designed for hunting, are legal ammunition.
These regulations differ somewhat from past regulations for Illinois special handgun season held each January. The new regulations allow the use of a wider variety of centerfire handgun calibers. IDNR will continue its handgun-only season Jan. 16-18, 2004, in select counties to remove surplus deer.

While individuals with muzzleloader-only permits can hunt during the second half of the firearm deer season, individuals with those permits can use only muzzleloading rifles.
Hunters are reminded that all firearms, including handguns, should remain unloaded and in a case while being transported in any type of vehicle.

Deer hunters have a wealth of hunting opportunities in Illinois. In addition to the firearm and handgun-only seasons, Illinois has muzzleloader-only and archery deer seasons. The muzzleloader-only season is Dec. 12-14 and thousands of additional permits have just been made available for this year. The archery deer season opens Oct. 1 and runs through Jan. 15. The archery season is closed during firearm season, except in Cook, DuPage, Kane and Lake counties where firearm deer hunting is not permitted.

RE: Pistol During Shotgun Season
 

The scariest part is that people have been known to chase deer on ATV' s in a make shift drive. Now they will have pistols on their side while chasing them. That is a scary combination to me.

But hey, we will keep turning these guys in and maybe one day they will get caught.

RE: Pistol During Shotgun Season
 

I carry my .357 during our (Indiana) firearms season and have taken deer with it. Maybe I am a little different than most, but I don' t carry it for extra shots. I carry my muzzleloader and the .357 at the same time. Anything 25 yards and under gets the handgun, beyond that I use the ML.