Illinois handgun hunting changes - action needed

[helobill]

Proposed rule 650 will allow you to carry and use a hadgun during any other firearm season. However it changes the legal cartridges to straight-wall only. Just talked to the folks in Springfield. The intent was to make the rule more liberal on what caliber you wanted to use, and get rid of black-powder handguns. I asked him if the "straight-wall" requirement would apply during January handgun season, he said that was not the intention and people were working on amended legislation allowing bottle-necks less than 1.4". He said he'd had lots of calls from folks shooting 300 whisper and 30 Bellm. He said the best thing I could do to make sure the amended legislation gets approved is send a written request to Jonathan Furr. The link to the proposed rule 650 which lists the address to send comments to is http://dnr.state.il.us/legal/650-Proposed.htm
Was told to make sure I said I was commenting on proposed rule 650, comments are accepted for 45 days, but I don't know what day they started, so sooner is better. Lets keep the rules as liberal as possible, if you hunt in Illinois pen a letter quickly.
Thanks,
Bill

[Gregory]

Bill
I sent an email to the DNR director expressing the same thoughts.  Thats why I was sighting in my 357 Max this past weekend.  Can't use my 300 Whisper.  I'll mail a letter to Mr. Furr tomorrow.

[Gregory]

Chris
We can use high powered rifles for coyotes, and squirrels but not for deer hunting.  The good news is we can now use handguns in the regular firearms season and not just in the January handgun only season.

[jcsabolt2]

In Ohio we use to be allowed to only shoot three handgun cartridges:  357 Mag/Max, 41 Rem, and the 44 Mag.  A little while ago they changed it to any straight wall cartridge.  Now we can shoot anything that is fired out of at least a 5" bbl.

However, I've always wondered since I can use an Encore with a 15" barrel with these rounds, what's the big difference with allowing the rifles with 16"-18" barrels?  They reach just a little farther.  It's not like they shoot twice as far.

[Gregory]

I just received tis letter today from the IL DNR concerning what handguns will be legal during the firearm deer season:

Thank you  for your comments about the proposed rules for the use of handguns during the firearm deer season.  We concur that the 300 Whisper would be a suitable gun for use during the firearm deer season, and it has been allowed previously during the handgun deer season.  We will incorporate new language into the proposed rule that allows the use of bottleneck cartridges of .30 caliber or larger with a case length not exceeding 1.4 inches, so long as they generate >500 ft. lbs. of energy at the muzzle.  This will allow the use of any bottleneck cartridges previously allowed during the handgun season, including the 300 Whisper.

Thanks again for taking the time to comment on the rule.
               
                     Sincerely,
      
                     John Buhnerkempe, Chief
                     Division of Wildlife Resources