Seperate seasons

[GRIMJIM]

I used to like having the seasons seperated. Now it's just firearms season and you can use whichever firearm you want. I still keep the seasons the same. Shotgun for most, muzzle loader season and handgun in Jan.

I think the main reason I liked it is because I hunt mostly on public land and in January there would be hardly anyone in the woods, at least compared to shotgun season when everyone and their brother is out there.

What do you guys think?

[S.B.]

Where I hunt for deer(MWA), there are virtually hundreds of applicant every morning for the drawing?

[Cement Man]

I always hunt northern Wisconsin - rifle, which is the same opener as Illinois first season.  I hunt Illinois the second season, and this year we had a late antlerless season (which was so doggone cold!), so I think this year we did get the benefit of a third season with fewer hunters out.  Although I have used shotgun, handgun, and muzzleloaders, I don't have a strong preference on how the seasons are assigned, although I like that handguns are legal in any season because I think it legitimizes handguns to some extent.  I can see your point of public land though.  The January handgun (only) season did not have many hunters out in the field.
I can remember when seeing a deer in Illinois was quite a deal.  Times are good!

[Cheesehead]

So all firearms for all seasons, including rifle?

Cheese

[S.B.]

Rumor I hear is Rod has a buddy (read campaign contributor) in Chicago that was hunting January handgun season and he complained he couldn't take a buck during this season so Rod legalized handguns during the November gun (read shotgun) season? Mind you, I'm not complaining, I used to have to go Mo. (read the land of milk and honey) to handgun hunt and pay their nonresident tag price, $125+ instead of the resident Illinois $15.
Often feel milked but, seldom got called honey.

[Cement Man]

I live in the NW corner of the state and hunt around home, as well as in far southern Massac county.  I think we are doing exceptionally well in Illinois.  I know I dodge enough of them when driving around home. You can check the stats, I believe, on our DNR website.  Some CWD filtering down in the northern counties.  Finding a place to hunt is tougher here than WI/MN unless you pay big time.  Lots of book deer being taken in this state now too.

I have to learn how to post pix.  A few years ago I had about 7 of them bedded in the back yard in the snow.

Cheese - no rifles anywhere in Illinois.  Slugs, Muzz, of handguns (with pistol cartridges only)

[S.B.]

You know Jim, you've got me to thinking(yea, I know, that's dangerous) would be nice if they would extend the season to all the days in between the two current seasons? They say we have so many deer now, that they must increase the bag limiit (due to CWD and lyme) so why don't they extend the length of the season? Then it would be more than a mad rush for two weekends, cause some people work during the week and others don't. If you get a chance, tallk to the DNR, will ya, please?

[GRIMJIM]

Sounds to me like you don't bow hunt. That runs from Oct.1 thru Jan 15. It's only closed during firearm season. Get you a bow and you can get yelled at by your wife for not being home on weekends all winter like me.

[S.B.]

Jim, I've bow hunted since before I gun hunted for deer. Evern go after carp with my bow.

[GRIMJIM]

I always wanted to try bow fishing. I'd really lke to go for those asian carp on the Illinois river. Shooting a jumping fish right out of the air sounds like a lot of fun.