Illinois State Put & Take Hunting

[Denny]

People,
I have friends who monitor closely all issues state wide concerning outdoor rights within the state of Illinois and across the nation. There are rumbling down state of a movement to do away with the state operated pheasant hunting programs at different sites. Better to be proactive than after the fact on these issues. It would be good for many of you hunters to dig into this issue to voice your views to your representatives. The hunter within the state is for the most part a silent citizen. But if we let those who want to apply the leverage remove such a program it is just another foot in the door against Gun ownership. The state programs cycles 30,000 hunters through it's program. Be a shame for this to go away. Just wanted to share this with you all.
Denny

[Captain Jim]

Thanks Denny, you know I'm not going to be quiet on this one!

Are there any other groups or organizations you might recomend the folks interested, could support?

Keep us well informed here as any news comes up Denny, and thanks for posting this here!

[Bill P]

Controlled Pheasant Hunts Under Attack in Illinois!

Friday, March 14, 2008

One of the efforts promoted by the anti-hunting “animal rights” extremists at The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) is calling for an end to state-run Pheasant Stocking Programs. These programs provide game birds for hunting opportunities, but in Illinois, the program is under attack! NRA has been told that the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) has been instructed by Governor Rod Blagojevich's (D) Administration, that due to budget cuts, it will have to close down pheasant propagation sites, thus putting an end to IDNR's Controlled Pheasant Hunts. This, in spite of the fact that the program is heavily funded by fees paid by hunters, themselves. These Hunts are often the only opportunity for hunters in Illinois to take part in harvesting pheasant. Governor Blagojevich masquerades as a supporter of hunters and law-abiding gun owners, while consistently promoting anti-hunting and anti-gun efforts. It is no wonder he is highly regarded by HSUS. NRA has always held that anti-gun zealots first target certain guns, then target hunters, and this effort is more confirmation of such tactics.

While the Illinois General Assembly continues what seems to be a never-ending struggle over the Illinois budget, several Town Hall Meetings have been scheduled throughout the state to allow citizens to offer their input on budget-related issues. Below, you will find a listing of the dates, times, and locations of events we encourage hunters to attend, to make sure their opposition to ending these Controlled Pheasant Hunts is understood. Please make plans to attend one near you, and bring your fellow hunters and supporters of hunting along.

Northwest Suburbs: 3/17/2008 at 6:30pm
State Representatives Crespo, Froehlich (Hosts)
Prairie Center for the Arts – Theatre
201 Schaumburg Ct.
Schaumburg, IL
Tazewell County: 3/17/2008 at 6:00pm
State Representative Smith (Host)
The Festival Building
2200 E. Washington
East Peoria, IL

Champaign: 3/18/2008 at 6:00pm
State Representative Jakobsson (Host)
Parkland College
2400 West Bradley Avenue Room D244
Champaign, IL

Aurora: 3/18/2008 at 6:00pm
State Representative Chapa LaVia (Host)
Copley Theater
8 E. Galena Blvd.
Aurora, IL

McHenry County: 3/19/2008 at 6:30pm
State Representative Franks (Host)
McHenry College Conference Center
8900 US Highway 14
Crystal Lake, IL

Cicero: 3/19/08 at 6:00pm
State Representative Hernandez (Host)
Morton College, Building A
Jedlicka Performing Arts Center
3801 South Central Ave.
Cicero, IL

Joliet:
State Representative McGuire (Host)
03/20/08 at 6:00pm
Joliet Township High School
West Campus
401 North Larkin
Joliet, IL

Rock Island:
State Representatives Boland, Verschoore (Hosts)
03/24/08 at 6:00pm
County Building
3rd Floor, County Board Room
1504 3rd Avenue
Rock Island, IL

North Suburbs:
State Representatives Nekritz, May, Ryg, Hamos, Washington (Hosts)
03/24/08 at 3:00pm
Northbrook Village Hall
City Council Chambers
1225 Cedar Lane
Northbrook, IL

Kankakee:
State Representatives Dugan, Gordon (Hosts)
03/24/08 at 6:00pm
Kankakee Community College-Auditorium
100 College Dr.
Kankakee, IL

South Suburbs:
State Representatives Miller, W. Davis, Riley, Scully (Hosts)
03/25/08 at 6:00pm
South Suburban College
Kindig Performing Arts Auditorium
15800 State St.
South Holland, IL

Chicago: South
State Representatives Golar, Howard, M. Davis, Dunkin, Colvin, Jefferies, Flowers, Patterson, Rita (Hosts)
03/25/08 at 5:30pm
Kennedy-King College Theatre
6301 S. Halsted St.
Chicago, IL 60621

Rockford:
State Representative Jefferson (Hosts)
03/25/08 at 6:00pm
Zeke Giorgi Building-Auditorium
200 S. Wyman
Rockford, IL

Chicago: West:
State Representatives Arroyo, Graham, Yarbrough, Ford, Turner, Collins, Soto,
Mendoza (Hosts)
03/26/08 at 6:00pm
Bethel New Life Auditorium
1150 N. Lamon St.
Chicago, IL

Metro East:
State Representatives Beiser, Hannig, Holbrook, Reitz, Younge (Hosts)
03/26/08 at 6:00pm
Belleville West High School
Commons Area
4063 Frank Scott Parkway
Belleville, IL

Chicago: North
State Representatives D'Amico, Lang, Lyons, Feigenholtz, Fritchey, Harris, R. Bradley (Hosts)
03/27/08 at 6:00pm
Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center - Olson Auditorium
836 W. Wellington Ave.
Chicago, IL

Chicago: Southwest
State Representatives Brosnahan, Burke, Joyce, McCarthy, Molaro (Hosts)
03/27/08 at 6:00pm
Oak View Community Center
4625 W. 110th St.
Oak Lawn, IL

[Denny]

Bill P posted some great info. Contact other sportsman groups. All facets should stick together on this topic. If sportsman get divided they will lose. apathy is the other sides greatest allie. If you as sportsman don't contact your representatives and voice your beliefs you only have to look in the mirror to see why you lost. These bodies want everything their way and not allowing any activities like hunting. It's one step at a time for them. Don't wait.

Denny

[Captain Jim]

Well, I'll be going to a couple of these if there is anyone in my area who would like to hook up for a ride.

I'd be happy to have some good conversation on the subject on the way there.


Planning to go tonight, and then again on Wed.
Send me a PM or email if interested in catching a ride with me.

[Denny]

Well gentlemen,
I have received a note from a friend of mine that talked to the Site Manager at Des Plaines. He told my friend that as of right now there will be no Pheasant Hunting programs within the state next year due to budget problems. We better attend those meetings and voice our thoughts. Hey they will come back with if there is no hunting in the state why should you have a gun. Lets make our voices heard guys.

[Denny]

It is put up or shut up time now guys. If you doing speak now. Just look in the mirror when you have no rights in the outdoor world. We all have to stand up for our rights. There are Town Meetings in different places tonight and tomorrow nite. I am going to the one at McHenry Co. College. We have to not be apythetic about this topic. You all should going to attend these meetings. They are planning massive IDNR budget cuts that will affect all of us.
Don't let them walk on you.
Denny

[Captain Jim]

Anybody know which building is the conference center at MCC?

[Captain Jim]

Ok, for those interested, the Conference Center is building B and here is the link to a map.

http://www.mchenry.edu/Maps/index.asp

[spoonman]

Does anyone know how much revenue is taken in from hunting licenses and how much of that is in the budget for hunting? Or is Blago stealing most of it?

[Captain Jim]

Well, I was totally disapointed at the fact I was only one of three or four to speak on behalf of Illinois sportsmen last night at the Regional Budget Hearing at MCC.

I can only hope there are more of you attending these hearings in your areas and voicing your opinions, and providing new ideas for your reps to take back to Springfield!

Seems there is plenty of hot air on the web sites, but very little action when there needs to be!

Maybe none of the sportsmen here use the State Parks anymore? If you don't start standing up and speaking out, you won't be using them even if you want to!

[Mother]

Thanks for showing up and being one of the few that voiced his/her oppinois Jim. I knew I had a limited ammount of time, so, I only sighned up as a spectator and not a speaker. Unfortunatley, I had to leave pretty early and missed our main point of interest. How did it go?

[Denny]

All monies taken in for lic. and support materials, i.e. ammo,etc. goes into a general fund that is then dispersed by the way the budget is set up.
Right now the IDNR budget is 3.1% if I remember from the handout last nite. It is going down to 2.7% This means programs to be cut. Bottom line is this if you sit back and let it happen. All you get are foot prints all over your back. You do have the right to voice your thoughts to your representatives. We don't want budget cuts in the IDNR. When it starts it will steam roll. Jim and I sat there for four hours before we each got two min. to speak. If it made a difference I don't know. I am following up to each rep. with a detailed tally sheet on costs and dollars that emcompassed within the program. I won't go lying down. Nor should you all.

[RickB]

I was waaay late in finding out about this, so I could not get to any of the meetings.

Yesterday I sent emails to my state rep and to the govenor.

Today I am realizing that an email is too easy and cheap. I will be calling the offices today.

It is totally stupid... all the state has to do is increase the fee. Most hunters will continue to pay, because. like me, this is the only opportunity to bird hunt. An increase fee will make the system self sufficient and keep money in Illinois. Win/win.

Ow! I had another thought. Unfortunately, in this day and age, most anything that gets accomplished is via litigation. Maybe there is some way to sue them into keeping the program. I don't like it, but I am brainstorming here. Maybe something along the line of: since you aren't releasing birds anymore, then you need to improve the habitat so birds can reproduce naturally. It'll be much cheaper to avoid litigation and release birds at an increased rate than to create a wild population.

I don't think the above is a very good idea, but I'd be interested in hearing some good ones that might "force the issue".

RickB

[Denny]

The problem is that all monies for fee's and lic. now go into a general fund and not back to where they originate. If they could be sent back to IDNR programs there wouldn't be a problem. But with you lic. taxes of huting Lic. you are now helping homeless shelters some where or some other program. Which not bad, but it doesn't help this cause for the money spent.