By Nick Buggia, Upper Midwestern States Manager Illinois HB 3623, sponsored by Illinois Sportsmen’s Caucus Co-chair Representative Jerry Costello, looks to expand current apprentice licensing. This legislation amends the current law and would allow individuals to apply for an apprentice hunting license more than once. If passed, the bill would remove the “one-time” stipulation, allowing…
By Joel Hodgdon, Central Midwestern States Coordinator On August 18, Governors Sportsmen’s Caucus Member Governor Bruce Rauner signed two bills important to Illinois’ sportsmen and women into law. Taking effect January 1, 2019, IL H 4231 amends the Wildlife Code to allow hunters to wear blaze pink as an alternative to blaze orange when afield….
By Joel Hodgdon, Central Midwestern States Coordinator On August 2, the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF) and several other partners in the recreational boating and angling community signed on to a letter urging the US Corps of Engineer’s (USACE) expedited consideration of the Tentatively Selected Plan at Brandon Road Lock and Dam in Joliet, Illinois. The…
By Joel Hodgdon, Central Midwestern States Coordinator On May 31, the Illinois General Assembly finished its spring legislative sessions and is now in recess until mid-November. Thanks to the support of the bipartisan Illinois Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus, several pieces of positive hunting and fishing legislation are on their way to Governors Sportsmen’s Caucus Member Governor…
By Joel Hodgdon, Central Midwestern States Coordinator On April 17, the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF) joined the Illinois Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus to host the annual Illinois Caucus Dinner. This event brought together state legislators and members of Illinois’s hunting and angling community to discuss policy priorities in the state and across the Midwestern region. Caucus…
On September 8, Governors Sportsmen’s Caucus member Governor Bruce Rauner signed IL HB 2893 into law, which allows Illinois hunters to use crossbows to harvest wildlife during any archery seasons. The law goes into effect immediately. Previously, only certain hunters with a disability or hunters aged 62 and older or 18 years and younger were…
On September 1, National Assembly of Sportsmen’s Caucuses (NASC) Executive Council (EC) President Brandon Phelps stepped down from the Illinois General Assembly after serving the people of Illinois since 2003. Phelps held many leadership roles over his tenure in the legislature, including Illinois Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus Chairman, NASC EC Secretary, NASC EC Vice-President, and finally…
On June 25, the Illinois House of Representatives concurred with the Senate’s amendments to IL HB 2893, which was then sent to Governors Sportsmen’s Caucus member Governor Bruce Rauner for a signature. Once signed, Illinois hunters will be able to use crossbows to harvest wildlife during the appropriate archery season. Currently, only certain hunters with…
Passed by the Illinois Senate Committee on Environment and Conservation on March 16, IL S 1985 would ban the use of lead ammunition to take wildlife in state parks or natural areas. To date, there is no scientific evidence to indicate that the use of lead to harvest wildlife has had a significant, harmful impact on…
On March 15, the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF) joined the Illinois Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus in hosting the annual Illinois Wild Game Dinner in Springfield. This event gathered several state legislators as well as members of the sportsmen’s community to discuss sportsmen’s policy priorities within the state and across the Midwestern region. Representative Brandon Phelps, National…
Introduced on February 1, Illinois House Bill 1771 (IL H 1771) would allow hunters to use a crossbow to harvest any game animal during the appropriate archery season. Currently, only hunters with a disability, and those ages 62 and older or 18 years and younger may use crossbows during archery season. Crossbows are currently allowed…
Sponsored by Illinois Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus Member Senator Bill Haine, Illinois Senate Bill 50 was recently introduced and assigned to committee. This bill contains provisions that would remove the state’s prohibition on using a suppressor. SB 206, a similar measure introduced in 2015 by Caucus Member Senator Gary Forby, gained considerable traction in Illinois’s 2016…