Illinois Gubernatorial Candidates
 

I figured with the state of the Illinois herd, one of the main ways we can effect positive change is through the upcoming 2014 elections. I did a little research and the Illinois primaries will be held on March 14 and the general election will be November 4. Here is a list of the Illinois Gubernatorial candidates:

Pat Quinn (D)

Tio Hardiman (D) - Community Organizer & Progressive Activist

Bill Brady (R) - State Sen., Developer & ‘06/‘10 Candidate

Kirk Dillard (R) - State Sen., Ex-State Claims Court Judge, Ex-Gubernatorial Chief of Staff & ‘10 Candidate

Peter Edward Jones (R)

Bruce Rauner (R) - Venture Capitalist

Dan Rutherford (R) - State Treasurer, Ex-State Sen., Ex-State Rep. & Businessman

Chad Grimm (Libertarian) - Fitness Club Manager, ‘12 State Rep. Candidate & ‘13 Peoria City Council Candidate

I’m going to do see some more research and see if there is any info on where they stand on conservation.

I was thinking that it might be a good idea to put together a questionaire and send it to each of the candidates. The questions would address issues that are important to hunters and sportsmen in general. Then we could post the results on various forum pages etc. The problem is, I have no idea what the actual questions would be. Any ideas?

The problem is....getting an honest answer! Not to mention they promise the world but don't deliver, remember term limits?

I totally agree with you lifesadrag but at least it's a start. We might be able to weed out a few of the candidates based upon their answers.

I found this questionnaire sent to Washington gubernatorial candidates in 2012. I haven't really had a chance to go through it to closely (obviously it would have to be modified toward Illinois):

•Do you hunt or fish in Washington State? When was the last time?
•Do you possess a current Washington resident hunting or fishing license, or a combo Hunting/Fishing license?
•If not, why not?
•Do you belong to or support any outdoor, hunting or shooting organizations (i.e. Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, Washington Arms Collectors, Mule Deer Foundation, Second Amendment Foundation, Pheasants Forever, National Rifle Association, Ruffed Grouse Society, Ducks Unlimited)?
•What is your opinion of game management in Washington State?
•The Fish & Wildlife Department has been increasingly criticized over the years by sportsmen for declining hunting opportunities. Would your administration support an independent performance audit of the agency to determine whether it is fulfilling its responsibilities to consumptive hunters and anglers?
•In your opinion, does the Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) place too much, just enough, or not enough emphasis on managing resident game species including, deer, elk, black bears, wild turkey, mountain lions, mountain goats, moose and sheep for maximum sustainable yield, and should this be the agency’s concern?
•What about migratory waterfowl?
•Do you support or oppose expansion of pheasant release programs on WDFW wildlife recreation areas, and would you like to see that effort expanded back to the level it was in the 1960s and 1970s in eastern Washington?
•Are you in favor of, or opposed to, Resource Allocation management of elk and deer seasons that limit hunting opportunity based on weapons choice (i.e. archery, black powder or modern firearms including handguns)?
•If elected governor would you press for a restoration of waterfowl habitat in the lower Skagit River estuary?
•Do you believe it is essential for members of the state Fish & Wildlife Commission to be active hunters?
•Are you supportive of regional delisting or the statewide recovery goals of wolves in WA?
•Do you support or oppose translocation, moving wolves around in-state to reach recovery goals?
•Will your administration do anything more to protect/better monitor the state's game herds?
•As governor, would you encourage the Fish & Wildlife Department to step up its predator control efforts, perhaps by removing the requirement to have a hunting license in order to shoot coyotes?
•As governor, would you ask the State Legislature for additional funding to provide safe public shooting areas on state Fish & Wildlife Department and Department of Natural Resources lands?
•Would you support full restoration of hound hunting for mountain lions and black bears in Washington State?
•Should the Department of Fish & Wildlife change its name back to the Department of Fish & GAME to better define its mission to serve the state’s hunters and anglers who provide the lion’s share of its budget from the sale of licenses, stamps, tags, punch cards and federal wildlife and fish restoration funds?
•There is currently a severe shortage of volunteer hunter education instructors, thanks in part to recent changes in the WDFW’s administration of that program. If elected, would your administration ask for a performance audit of the hunter education program?
•Would you support adding firearms safety education, with parental permission, to the public school curriculum?

Thoughts?