Bill Lauded for Taking Aim at Nuisance Deer
Illinois Farm Bureau President Brian Duncan lauded the Illinois General Assembly’s recently passing of Senate Bill 710, which implements changes to the Wildlife Code to address costly damage from deer.
“Illinois farmers know all too well the costly damage nuisance deer can cause to crops and farmland,” said Duncan in a press release.
“This legislation will provide farmers with effective tools to help manage deer populations and protect farmland across the state. We thank Sen. Patrick Joyce and Rep. Marcus Evans for championing legislation that provides these practical tools, as well as the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) for their efforts.”
Under the new legislation, IDNR will implement rules for its Deer Removal Permit (DRP) procedures and criteria. It will also create two new provisions for nuisance permitting, allowing landowners experiencing damage further opportunities to destroy deer, and will allow anyone to destroy deer on behalf of a landowner with a DRP, as long as that person meets the requirements to hunt in Illinois.
Additionally, for every 240 acres of owned Illinois land, a landowner may designate a hunter to receive one guest landowner permit, including either one sex permit or one antlerless permit. Guest landowner permits are subject to the same season and take method as regular hunting season. A hunter using a guest landowner permit is required to pay all fees necessary for regular shotgun permits.
More information on Senate Bill 710 can be found at https://beta.ilga.gov/Legislation/BillStatus/FullText?GAID=18&DocNum=710&DocTypeID=SB&LegId=158421&SessionID=114.