I am somewhat new to bowhunting and have read the IDNR hunting and trapping regulations over and over to try and get a clear answer on this. Can you bow hunt during the 2 main firearm seasons in Illinois? The regulations digest is very confusing. In certain spots it seems that it is only legal in a few counties however in other sections it states it is legal if hunting on private land but must use a firearm tag. If anyone has a better understanding on this I would love to hear from you. I am located in southern Illinois and hunt private land mainly.
From the DNR handbook page 18 During Firearm Deer Season hunters with a valid, unfilled Firearm Deer Permit may, on private land only, use archery equipment meeting all legal requirements as outlined in the Archery Deer Hunting section hereafter.
I have read that part and that section makes me believe it is open however on page 13 under Archery (Counties with a firearm season and west of Route 47 in Kane County) it says Archery is open 1 Oct–21 Nov and 25 Nov–4 Dec and 9 Dec 2019–19 Jan 2020 which would have archery closed the 2 main firearm seasons 22-24 Nov and 5–8 Dec 2019.
What they did is make a bow a legal weapon to use with a firearm tag. The bow tags are invalid during shotgun season. Shoot the deer with your bow, put a shotgun tag on it. When you turn it in it will ask you what weapon was used say bow. Perfectly legal. Must wear hunter orange. Sent from my iPhone using Bowhunting.com Forums
Quick caveat, it has to be private property. Not yours, so long as you have been given permission. No public land archery during gun season, except maybe archery only counties. Sent from my iPad using Bowhunting.com Forums
Not 100% true big bend allows it and it only. Don’t think it’s the county either I think it’s site specific rock wood has always had shotgun deer hunting. Sent from my iPhone using Bowhunting.com Forums
Are you saying these public lands allow archery during gun season? I think the question was archery during gun season. 2020-2021 Illinois Hunting and Trapping Guide: “• Archery equipment use is legal on private land ONLY during Firearm Deer Season, provided the hunter has a valid county firearm deer permit. Archery hunting is not allowed using an Archery Deer Permit during the Firearm Deer Season in counties open to firearm deer hunting.” You have to wear blaze orange 400 sq inches. Sent from my iPhone using Bowhunting.com Forums
My understanding on it is: Archery hunting on private land allowed when a valid firearm permit is used for the kill. Archery hunting allowed in archery only designated Counties/Sites using an archery permit. What I do not know is if there are archery only Public Land sites within Counties that also are open for firearm season that allow archery hunting.
Yes that’s what I’m saying. They do not allow shotgun deer hunting on big bend but they do in rockwood park. They allow archery hunting on shotgun tags in big bend as long as you orange up per state regulation during shotgun season. Don’t think they allow both shotgun and archery deer hunting on the same public ground at the same time on any of the ones have looked at. Sent from my iPhone using Bowhunting.com Forums
jesus crimeny. This is the dumbest **** I have ever had the misery of reading. Only Illinois could F up deer hunting regs this bad. "it is legal to harvest a deer using archery equipment on the 3rd Sunday of the 2nd shotgun season using traditional equipment, but not the 2nd Saturday using a traditional compound; but a crossbow is legal for legally defined handicapped hunters on the 2nd Saturday when the barometric pressure is...." Screw you, Illinois. I take my thousands of hunting dollars per season elsewhere.
