Illinois changes deer regulations to reduce non-resident hunter

PEORIA, Ill. -- Over the past few decades, Illinois has built a reputation among whitetail deer hunters as a place with abundant opportunities to take trophy bucks.

Out-of-state hunters normally flock here for the chance to kill a big deer with an impressive set of antlers, results of successful herd management and months of grazing on corn and other crops. This season, however, the state Department of Natural Resources is changing the rules regarding nonresidents, capping how many can hunt deer here and increasing fees for the privilege.

At issue is a problem many Illinois hunters face no matter what game they pursue -- access to hunting land. Supporters hope the new measures will stem the tide of nonresident hunters and free up some land for residents. Hunting guides/outfitters and their out-of-state customers, however, are outraged.

"My gut feeling, my heart, tells me I hate it," said Curt Wiesner of O'Fallon, Mo., who hunts in Illinois.

Adopted in August, the changes were suggested by an advisory committee that spent two years studying deer regulations. Committee member Tim Walmsley, who lives near Quincy, said Illinois' relatively small amount of public hunting land isn't enough to serve the state's deer hunters and many Illinois hunters are being outbid for private leases.

"The general public's consensus is they cannot compete with the leasing fees that are paid by outfitters and leasing fees for out-of-staters. Illinois hunters are being displaced because of that," Walmsley said.

The new rules apply to out-of-state hunters who use a bow, the most popular method of hunting in Illinois since bow season runs from Oct. 1 to mid-January while gun season is only seven days.

Doubling the price

Nonresidents can no longer buy permits at sporting goods stores but must order them by telephone or get them at DNR offices. They are now limited to a single tag that entitles them to take one buck and one doe. Nonresident permits also are increasing from $121 to $226, while Illinoisans pay only $26.

Most important, out-of-state permits are limited to about 12,800 -- the number that were issued last year. Resident permits remain unlimited.

Paul Shelton, manager of the DNR's forest wildlife program, said the ranks of nonresident hunters have jumped 20 to 30 percent a year since 1995, when only 3,904 nonresident permits were sold.

The number of deer taken by nonresidents isn't an issue. Last season, bowhunters killed 41,310 deer; only 3,900 were killed by nonresidents. But as their numbers have increased, so has the amount of land leased to accommodate them.

Shelton said a survey found many resident hunters haven't hunted deer in recent years because land where they once had permission, often farmland, is now leased out by farmers.

Big business

Deer hunting in Illinois is unquestionably big business. Each year, the state posts more than its share of deer in Boone and Crocket and Pope and Young, the national record books. Hunters hoping to bag a trophy pay fees ranging up to $5,000 a week to hunt from a full-service lodge.

Gary Harpole, who owns Heartland Lodge in Nebo, about 45 miles southeast of Quincy, said he serves about 100 deer hunters a year who pay about $3,000 for five days of hunting on the 10,000 acres he leases.

Harpole, who also served on the committee, said he expects the rule changes will cost him about $6,000 in revenue this year. His lodge and other outfitters were counting on revenues to increase each year as the industry grew, he added.

Wiesner, the hunter from Missouri, is a Heartland Lodge client who fears he will eventually have to quit hunting in Illinois. Although he said he understands that states must take care of resident hunters first, he said permit limits and increasing fees could keep him out of the market.

Such restrictions on nonresidents won't free up leased land, Harpole contends. He suggested increasing license and other fees, and using the money to buy more land and open it to the public.

"That's the only way to solve the long-term problem," said Harpole, who's had one client cancel because of the changes. "I'm concerned, very concerned. They're limiting growth of a business."