Illinois Rifle Season for Deer 2023

[Justice1327]

See link below. Good news for Illinois residents.
What cartridge/ rifle would you use to meet the new criteria?

Criteria: Limits legal ammunition for a centerfire handgun or rifle to a bottleneck centerfire cartridge of .30 caliber or larger with a case length not exceeding one and two-fifths inches, or a straight-walled centerfire cartridge of .30 caliber or larger, both of which must be available as a factory load with the published ballistic tables of the manufacturer showing a capability of at least 500 foot pounds of energy at the muzzle.

Law: https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/Bi...=16&DocTypeID=HB&SessionID=110&GA=102#actions

 

[74honker]

NO this is not good news! Don't get me wrong I like to shoot and hunt but the reason everyone wants to come here is to chase a better than average size whitetail. The reason we have a few more of these than other places is because you couldn't shoot rifles and shoot longer distances. Secondly, there is a much higher population density is this state than other places and even in rural areas there's houses, outbuildings, etc everywhere. There's a very high number of bad/careless hunters in this state even with a shotgun and now with rifles equals bad news. Yes I do understand that these are lower power, shorter range calibers comparitively, I know this, you may know this, but the other wishful thinkers will throw a round at anything they "think" they can hit which will lead to alot of crippled and lost deer and God forbid any other collateral damage. Another thing is the total lack of educated management from this states DNR for the last many years. We've had many areas that have been hit hard up to 3Xs in the last several years by EHD and numbers way down from the past and yet they still give out tags like candy. This state and its DNR is operated on one thing and one thing only, make money for the general fund. Doesn't matter how black and white the science, facts or truth is, just lie and make money. This is no different. Sorry for the rant.

 

[Justice1327]

No worries, and understand. Agree with some of what you stated and there can be bad hunters in any state.

 

[Rick Richard]

NO this is not good news! Don't get me wrong I like to shoot and hunt but the reason everyone wants to come here is to chase a better than average size whitetail. The reason we have a few more of these than other places is because you couldn't shoot rifles and shoot longer distances. Secondly, there is a much higher population density is this state than other places and even in rural areas there's houses, outbuildings, etc everywhere. There's a very high number of bad/careless hunters in this state even with a shotgun and now with rifles equals bad news. Yes I do understand that these are lower power, shorter range calibers comparitively, I know this, you may know this, but the other wishful thinkers will throw a round at anything they "think" they can hit which will lead to alot of crippled and lost deer and God forbid any other collateral damage. Another thing is the total lack of educated management from this states DNR for the last many years. We've had many areas that have been hit hard up to 3Xs in the last several years by EHD and numbers way down from the past and yet they still give out tags like candy. This state and its DNR is operated on one thing and one thing only, make money for the general fund. Doesn't matter how black and white the science, facts or truth is, just lie and make money. This is no different. Sorry for the rant.

Totally agree.

 

[ButterBean]

It's been a good thing in Indiana but I do miss the challenge of slug gun hunting

 

[HRM Johnny]

NO this is not good news! Don't get me wrong I like to shoot and hunt but the reason everyone wants to come here is to chase a better than average size whitetail. The reason we have a few more of these than other places is because you couldn't shoot rifles and shoot longer distances. Secondly, there is a much higher population density is this state than other places and even in rural areas there's houses, outbuildings, etc everywhere. There's a very high number of bad/careless hunters in this state even with a shotgun and now with rifles equals bad news. Yes I do understand that these are lower power, shorter range calibers comparitively, I know this, you may know this, but the other wishful thinkers will throw a round at anything they "think" they can hit which will lead to alot of crippled and lost deer and God forbid any other collateral damage. Another thing is the total lack of educated management from this states DNR for the last many years. We've had many areas that have been hit hard up to 3Xs in the last several years by EHD and numbers way down from the past and yet they still give out tags like candy. This state and its DNR is operated on one thing and one thing only, make money for the general fund. Doesn't matter how black and white the science, facts or truth is, just lie and make money. This is no different. Sorry for the rant.

Amen, yeah verily

 

[meatyrem]

That really doesn't leave much for options. Basically pistol cartridges only. Leaving out 460 45-70 450 marlin 444 marlin 500 S&W 450 bush 350 legend 357 max
So basically a 44 mag and no longer of a case than that? Am I reading it correctly? So no real advantage over a slug gun or even a muzzle loader.

 

[Savage99man]

NO this is not good news! Don't get me wrong I like to shoot and hunt but the reason everyone wants to come here is to chase a better than average size whitetail. The reason we have a few more of these than other places is because you couldn't shoot rifles and shoot longer distances. Secondly, there is a much higher population density is this state than other places and even in rural areas there's houses, outbuildings, etc everywhere. There's a very high number of bad/careless hunters in this state even with a shotgun and now with rifles equals bad news. Yes I do understand that these are lower power, shorter range calibers comparitively, I know this, you may know this, but the other wishful thinkers will throw a round at anything they "think" they can hit which will lead to alot of crippled and lost deer and God forbid any other collateral damage. Another thing is the total lack of educated management from this states DNR for the last many years. We've had many areas that have been hit hard up to 3Xs in the last several years by EHD and numbers way down from the past and yet they still give out tags like candy. This state and its DNR is operated on one thing and one thing only, make money for the general fund. Doesn't matter how black and white the science, facts or truth is, just lie and make money. This is no different. Sorry for the rant.

I've never hunted in Illinois so I'm curious as to what keeps someone from using a centerfire rifle? Do you have enough game wardens around to check every property where a shot is heard? Do you still have to check deerin? I understand the concern with people taking pot shots at deer with a 350 legend but I would be really surprised if there weren't people already doing that with 300 win mags and 22/250's or even 22lrs for that matter.

 

[WEATHERBY460]

I thought you could use the 450 Bushmaster?

 

[meatyrem]

One and two fifths length is 1.4" long of a case
Bushmaster is 1.7"

 

[WEATHERBY460]

Wow, that law is stupid.

 

[meatyrem]

So is michigans centerfire cartridge law.
No bottleneck and straight wall cartridges can't be longer than 1.8

 

[Mcranch]

NO this is not good news! Don't get me wrong I like to shoot and hunt but the reason everyone wants to come here is to chase a better than average size whitetail. The reason we have a few more of these than other places is because you couldn't shoot rifles and shoot longer distances. Secondly, there is a much higher population density is this state than other places and even in rural areas there's houses, outbuildings, etc everywhere. There's a very high number of bad/careless hunters in this state even with a shotgun and now with rifles equals bad news. Yes I do understand that these are lower power, shorter range calibers comparitively, I know this, you may know this, but the other wishful thinkers will throw a round at anything they "think" they can hit which will lead to alot of crippled and lost deer and God forbid any other collateral damage. Another thing is the total lack of educated management from this states DNR for the last many years. We've had many areas that have been hit hard up to 3Xs in the last several years by EHD and numbers way down from the past and yet they still give out tags like candy. This state and its DNR is operated on one thing and one thing only, make money for the general fund. Doesn't matter how black and white the science, facts or truth is, just lie and make money. This is no different. Sorry for the rant.

What is EDH?

 

[meatyrem]

EHD is basically blue tongue disease