Late antlerless only handgun season?

[Pinefarm]

What would you guys think about a late antlerless only handgun season? Would you guys participate? Many of our border states have one. I think it'd be pretty cool. The rule book would have to stress making sure that you look to make sure it isn't a buck that dropped it's antlers. But since most shooting will be very close range, identifying bucks that dropped or buttons should be pretty easy. Plus it may be a good compromise for the pesky Farm Bureau. Make it only regular handgun calibers. No pistols chambered for rifle ammo. What do you think?

[MIBIGHNTR]

Bob -

Are you talking about state-wide, public and private?

You are able to use handguns right now for the late-antlerless private land hunts, right???

I'm in......

How's the ice around Baldwin?

MIBIGHNTR

[FixedBlade]

I use a hand gun during regular firearms seasons. I don't see the need for another season.

[lawnboy]

I would love to see something in January or February. Slow time of the year for most.

[Pinefarm]

No, I mean a season in January. Statewide, as long as you have an antlerless permit. Gives us a reason to get out in mid-Jan. As long as you have a permit and you didn't fill, I don't see the difference. Here's the set up for the Illinois late handgun season. Of course, since the have check stations, they only allow permits where there are surplus deer. But check it out...

HANDGUN DEER HUNTING SEASON INFORMATION


Opening Counties to Hunting
The Illinois Department of Natural Resources will announce in October the counties that will be open to handgun deer hunting. Counties cannot be opened to handgun deer hunting until it is determined that a surplus number of deer exist in a given county.

Legal Handgun Equipment and Restrictions
Centerfire handguns of .30 caliber or larger with a minimum barrel length of 4 inches, and single-shot muzzleloading handguns (black-powder handguns that are incapable of being loaded from the breech end) of .50 caliber or larger capable of producing at least 500 foot pounds of energy at the muzzle according to published ballistic tables from the manufacturer. Semi-automatic handguns, or handguns altered to allow for shoulder firing, are not permitted. Centerfire handgun ammunition must be .30 caliber or larger, with a case length not to exceed 1.4 inches, and 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. Single-shot muzzleloading handguns must use a projectile of .44 caliber or larger with sufficient black powder or "blackpowder substitute" (such as Pyrodex) to produce at least 500 foot pounds of energy at the muzzle. Modern smokeless powders (nitrocellu-lose-based) do not qualify as a "black powder substitute." Non-expanding military-style full metal jacket bullets cannot be used to harvest white-tailed deer; only soft-point or expanding bullets (including copper/copper alloy rounds designed for hunting) are legal ammunition.

It is unlawful to use or possess any other firearm or ammunition than listed above while hunting deer with a handgun during the hand-gun deer season.

Permit Applications
Everyone who applied for a handgun deer permit last year will receive an application in the mail. To receive application forms for a handgun deer hunting permit, please contact your Illinois Department of Natural Resources Regional Office or call the Permit Office in Springfield at 217/782-7305.

Permit Requirements and Application Periods
Resident hunters who will be at least 18 years of age by the opening date of the hand-gun season may apply mid-October through November 14 for a single antlerless-only handgun deer permit to be allocated by lottery. There are no subsequent drawing periods for the handgun season.

Check Station Requirements
It is unlawful to harvest a deer by handgun without checking it in within 48 hours to a county archery check station. The location and hours of deer check stations will be provided on the information sheet provided with the permit.

[One Eye]

I am sure the Farm boys would love that! Of course, you still would have the access issues, but that is another topic. I am curious how you would "legislate" the bucks with dropped antlers thing? This is not addressed very well now, as I am seeing several bucks now that have dropped their horns, and they can be legally shot on private land today with a rifle!

Is Illinois' late season strictly handguns, or are they allowing other short range weapons during this hunt? I am not opposed, but I would be cautious until I heard more details.

Dan

[Pinefarm]

It's handgun only there. For Michigan, I'm not talking about issuing additional tags. I'm saying if you wanted to save an antlerless tag until January. There is the late rifle antlerless season now, but with the holidays, it's tough to find time for that season. In January, there's nothing but time to hunt. You could fill any leftover antlerless tags that you had already bought.

[eddiemq1]

I think it would be a great season for hunters that weren't able to fill their antlerless tags. Plus, with the limited range of handguns, the button bucks and bucks that shed their antlers would be easily identifiable to most. It would be a really challenging season in most areas!

[broncbuster2]

Thats all we need;

Did you find more deer in your area Bob?
if there not there how can you justify another season there, or anywhere for that matter?
:confused:

[hypox]

I say let's have a spear season!!!

[One Eye]

I don't think there is enough deer in the areas that I hunt to justify increased pressure on them. This may be feasible down South where are the overcrowding must be. Hell, I am beginning to question the amount of pressure we are currently putting on them??

Dan

[2PawsRiver]

I'm thinking maybe a "Hug Season". After the long months of hunting I think we should spend January going around finding deer and hugging them. This would also give us the opportunity to do some quality scouting, get to know the deer a little better.

That or maybe "Big Time Wrestling Season". Where you have to stalk your deer, chase it into a ring and wrestle it to the ground.
Here in the southwest part of the state where we have lots of deer we could do cage matches, tag team matches, who knows maybe work in some specialty matches......one hunter against say, 30 rabbits, or 20 squirrels. Squirrels are tougher then rabbits.

My last suggestion would be "Chore Season." This is where you capture the deer then force it to help you shovel the drive way, make those repairs to the house you've been putting off, change the oil in the truck, give the dogs a bath, put those boxes away, pay the bills, basicly work that poor deer to death. Only thing is theres not alot of meat on them when you hunt them this way.

Wasn't being sarcastic Bob, just had a little extra time. I personally like a year round hunt, but then again this is my third wife.lololololol

[Pinefarm]

LOL No, I didn't find anymore deer. But we did shoot some doe's at the camp this Fall. My buddies and I were talking about how we wouldn't have shot them during bow or gun season if we thought we could have saved our tags for a late handgun season. It makes it a challange and is a reason to go out in the winter. Shooting a doe with a bow in October or a rifle in November is a little routine. Just trying to spice things up a bit. I think it'd be fun. And as long as there were the same amount of antlerless tags per DMU, I don't really see the difference. I was merely bringing it up as an idea.