Illinois Bill Hands Local Government Control of Deer Herd

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Grassroots action is needed to stop advancing Illinois legislation that will endanger hunting by stripping the Department of Natural Resources of authority to regulate deer populations.

 

House Bill 3425, introduced by Rep. Karen May, D-Highland Park, will allow local governments to manage deer herds using methods other than hunting. Under the bill, a local government that conducts a DNR-approved study of alternative deer population controls in addition to hunting may unilaterally implement the alternative methods deemed useful.

 

Sportsmen’s immediate action is needed,

as the bill is before the state Senate

and could be voted on at any time.

 

“Diverting wildlife management decision-making to local governments and away from the state is a dangerous step for Illinois sportsmen,” said Evan Heusinkveld, USSA associate director of state services. “It removes authority from wildlife professionals and creates a patchwork approach that will cripple successful wildlife management.”

 

House Bill 3425 creates a slippery slope. Today, the call is for local control of deer herds, but anti-hunters will run with the concept and advocate local management of all hunting and trapping.

 

“The anti’s support efforts to place hunting and trapping under local control so that they can more easily erode the outdoor heritage,” said Heusinkveld. “They want to strip the agency of its management authority and establish a patchwork of local anti-hunting regulations.”

 

Take Action! Illinois sportsmen should ask their state senators to vote against HB 3425. Let them know that it will create a patchwork approach to wildlife management that will take authority away from wildlife experts. To contact your senator, call (217) 782-5715 or use the Legislative Action Center at  www.ussportsmen.org.

 

The U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance is a national association of sportsmen and sportsmen’s organization that protects the rights of hunters, anglers and trappers in the courts, legislatures, at the ballot, in Congress and through public education programs.  For more information about the U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance and its work, call (614) 888-4868 or visit its website,  www.ussportsmen.org.

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HB 3425
Statutes Amended In Order of Appearance
520 ILCS 5/2.39 new


Synopsis As Introduced
Amends the Wildlife Code. Provides that if a municipality or other unit of local government conducts certain research and finds that the deer population of the municipality or other unit of local government may be managed, using an alternative strategy, in a way that results in sustainable deer populations, then the Department must either (i) permit the municipality or other unit of local government to implement the alternative method of deer population control on the lands of that municipality or other unit of local government; or (ii) provide funding for the municipality or other unit of local government to conduct any additional research, that is requested by the Department, on the alternative deer population control method. Effective immediately.

House Amendment No. 1
Deletes everything after the enacting clause. Reinserts the substantive provisions of the bill with changes. Provides that any alternative method of controlling the deer population developed by a municipality or unit of local government is in addition to the taking of deer. Provides that the alternative method of deer population control implemented by a municipality or unit of local government must be implemented at the expense of that municipality or unit of local government. Provides that the municipality or unit of local government must report to the Department, on an annual basis, the local deer population count, as required by administrative rule.

House Amendment No. 2
Provides that the scientific study conducted by a municipality or other unit of local government must be approved by the Department of Natural Resources. Provides that a Section concerning local control of deer population is repealed on January 1, 2014.

Fiscal Note (Dept. of Natural Resources)
Local units of government would experience the biggest fiscal impact. They would be responsible for funding research on new techniques to control deer population. Because the local unit of government would be evaluating the results of the research and not qualified scientists, the local unit of government takes a risk of implementing a deer management program that is costly, ineffective, and delays resolving their deer problems.

Fiscal Note, House Amendment No. 1 (Department of Natural Resources)
There is zero fiscal impact to the Department of Natural Resources.

Fiscal Note, House Amendment No. 2 (Department of Natural Resources)
There is zero fiscal impact to the Department of Natural Resources.

Fiscal Note (Dept. of Natural Resources)
There is zero fiscal impact to the Department of Natural Resources.