Good Luck and Be Safe Illinois Shotgun Deer Hunters

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Published on November 20 2015 9:10 am
Last Updated on November 20 2015 3:42 pm
Written by Greg Sapp

Firearm deer hunters are taking to the field in Illinois for the start of the state’s regular firearm deer season today through Sunday, and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) is encouraging hunters to keep safety at the top of their priority lists as they prepare for the season.

The seven-day firearm deer season in Illinois this year begins today through Sunday, Nov. 20-22, and will conclude on Thursday through Sunday, Dec. 3-6.

“The firearm deer hunt is a tradition shared by generations of Illinoisans and visitors to our state, and the seven-day season is our busiest hunting season of the year,” said IDNR Director Wayne Rosenthal. “The best way to enjoy time afield during deer season, and anytime in the outdoors in Illinois, is to be aware, be alert, and be safe.”

In 2014, there were 20 hunting incidents, two of which resulted in fatalities, reported in all hunting seasons in Illinois. Among the hunting incidents reported last year, 10 involved tree stand falls. The IDNR Division of Safety Education reminds hunters using tree stands to use a Fall Arrest System (FAS) safety harness.

(A REMINDER THAT THE TREC TRAIL IS CLOSED DURING THE TWO WEEKENDS OF SHOTGUN DEER HUNTING SEASON)

Safety educators and IDNR Conservation Police also remind everyone hunting with a firearm to:

• Treat every firearm as if it is loaded, and never assume a firearm is unloaded;

• Always point a firearm in a safe direction;

• Be sure of the target, and make sure there are no other hunters, homes, buildings, vehicles or other animals beyond the target;

• Keep their finger out of the trigger guard and off the trigger until they are ready to shoot.

The Illinois Firearm Deer Season legal hunting hours are one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset.

Hunters who take a deer during the firearm season in most Illinois counties must register the deer they harvest online or by toll-free phone check-in system. The online deer registration is available through this link:  http://www.dnr.illinois.gov/hunting/Pages/HarvestReporting.aspx

 The toll-free phone deer registration line is 1-866-IL-CHECK (1-866-452-4325). Hunters registering deer through the online or phone systems must do so by 10 p.m. on the day they take the deer.