IL authorities issue more than 1K hunting violations each year. These are the most common
The Illinois Department of Natural Resources and Illinois Conservation Police issued more than 1,600 hunting law violations annually in 2021 and 2022, and regulations relating to deer hunting were among the most commonly cited.
Freeburg Mayor Seth Speiser and his friend Danny Cox, a former St. Louis Cardinals pitcher and manager of the Gateway Grizzlies, were cited for numerous alleged violations of Illinois hunting law Nov. 18.
Among the sanctions the Illinois Conservation Police issued to Speiser, Cox and six others involved in the incidents were unlawful take of white-tailed deer, placement of corn bait for deer and firearm deer-hunting without a valid permit.
Records obtained by the News-Democrat through a Freedom of Information Act request show the most common hunting violations in 2021 and 2022 related to taking deer without a valid permit, using bait and other violations. IDNR issued 400 violations for deer-hunting related offenses in 2021 and 371 in 2022.
In 2021, IDNR issued 1,696 total hunting sanctions for violations ranging from hunting protected bird species to not seeking landowners’ permission. Last year, IDNR issued 1,609 total violations.
Here were some of the most common hunting violations issued by IDNR in 2021:
Deer hunting regulations including permit requirement, prohibition of baiting and more (2.26): 400 violations
Taking all-white whitetail deer or violating other provisions (2.24): 193 violations
Unlawfully hunting certain wild bird species (2.2): 162 violations
Carrying a gun by vehicle without following safety guidelines requiring it to be unloaded and put in a case, with certain exceptions (2.33N): 141 violations
Licensure and stamp requirements (3.1): 131 violations
Requirement to secure landowner permission to hunt on-site (2.33T): 105 violations
Use of vehicles and headlights while hunting (2.33I): 72 violations
Shotguns may not have the capacity to hold more than three shells in the magazine and chamber combined, with certain exceptions (2.33M): 60 violations
Here were some of the most common hunting violations IDNR issued in 2022:
Deer hunting regulations including permit requirement, prohibition of baiting and more (2.26): 371 violations
Taking all-white whitetail deer or violating other provisions (2.24): 180 violations
Unlawfully hunting certain wild bird species (2.2): 154 violations
Carrying a gun by vehicle without following safety guidelines requiring it to be unloaded and put in a case, with certain exceptions (2.33N): 126 violations
Requirement to secure landowner permission to hunt on-site (2.33T): 119 violations
Licensure and stamp requirements (3.1): 108 violations
Use of vehicles and headlights while hunting (2.33I): 63 violations
Shotguns may not have the capacity to hold more than three shells in the magazine and chamber combined, with certain exceptions (2.33M): 50 violations
These explanations of wildlife code sections are simplified. The full text of the Illinois Wildlife Code is available online.
Explore more information about IDNR-issued hunting violations in 2021 and 2022:
Deer hunting violations in Illinois
Illinois Conservation Police officer Steve Vasicek said in an interview with the News-Democrat one of the more common violations he sees is unlawful deer baiting. This regulation is in place to avoid the spreading of disease that can happen when deer congregate at one food source.
“At the end of the day, the resource health is the most important consideration when it comes to hunting regulations,” Vasicek said.
It can be lawful to hunt over a food source if it is grown and produced there, such as a soybean or corn crop, but hunters are not permitted to introduce food sources to attract deer.
A hunter who is found to have unlawfully baited deer would receive a Class B misdemeanor, Vasicek continued, and a minimum fine of $195. If any additional citations were issued, penalties would vary.
One of the most common violations in 2021 and 2022 was hunting deer without a valid permit. In Illinois, a firearm deer-hunting permit allows a hunter to lawfully kill one deer. The permit can be obtained by applying for the state’s lottery system, and any leftover permits may be purchased over the counter at the beginning of the season.
Deer-hunting regulations for archery permits and youth permits vary.
The lottery system typically opens in June or July, Vasicek said, and the number of available permits is based on the deer population of each county. Permits are specific to a county, so if you apply for a St. Clair County deer-hunting permit and receive it, you can lawfully kill one deer in St. Clair County.
“There’s generally enough that are allotted per county that, you know, virtually everyone will receive a permit if they go through the lottery in the summertime,” Vasicek said.
In nearby Missouri, hunters can purchase deer-hunting permits over the counter, online, through an app or by phone.
“And it’s managed more so (in Illinois) than other states, because like Missouri, Kentucky, you can generally buy a firearm permit over the counter and hunt the entire state in a lot of cases. So I think Illinois manages their deer a little closer than some of the other states,” Vasicek said.
Another provision of deer-hunting code commonly violated is the requirement to immediately tag deer upon kill.
“We get quite a few individuals who fail to tag their deer, and there’s a lot of reasons why. Some people just get caught up in the moment and they forget, and others are trying to maybe make it home and then go back out and they still have a deer permit,” Vasicek said.
When you use your permit to tag a deer, you’re invalidating that permit for any future use. Vasicek said he’s seen situations where a hunter tagged a deer to avoid a possible violation during transport, then went home and removed the tag and reattached it to the permit.
“It’s kind of discouraging to see families have a systemic type situation where people choose to violate and they never do grow out of it,” Vasicek said. “Our job is to educate the inadvertent violators and charge the ones that knowingly break wildlife laws accordingly to a degree where maybe they will change their ways.”
A small portion of hunters seem to account for a large percentage of overall violations, Vasicek added.
Charges for violating IL hunting laws
IDNR uses a point system to determine the severity of hunting violations. Here’s how penalties are determined:
3 points = petty offense
6 points = Class C misdemeanor
9 points = Class B misdemeanor
12 points = Class A misdemeanor
24 points = Class 4 felony
60 points = Class 3 felony or higher
Any violation committed during a suspension period results in 60 points added to a hunter’s record, IDNR says.
If someone is found guilty of multiple violations due in a single incident or act, full points are assessed only for the violation with the highest point value. This rule does not apply in cases where the highest level violation is a Class A misdemeanor or higher or when violations were committed during a suspension period. Additional points are assessed at different rates.
Hunting violations may also result in fines.
For Type 2 offenses, a hunter’s privileges will be revoked after they accumulate 13 or more points within 36 months. This suspension is in effect for one month for each accumulated point, and the points remain in effect for 36 months.
Hunting, trapping and fishing offenses are Type 2, while certain business and commercial activities are Type 1. More information about Type 1 offenses is available online.
Illinois hunters born after Jan. 1, 1980, must complete education requirements to lawfully hunt. Instructor-led courses and online classes are available, along with options for those younger than 18.
This story was originally published February 19, 2023 at 7:00 AM.
