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Thursday, November 19, 2009 11:29 PM CST
Finally: Illinois gun deer season is here
By Dave Shadow, Hunting and fishing columnist
If you’re an avid gun hunter, this is the morning you’ve been waiting for. The first 2009 Illinois firearm season convenes a half hour before sunrise today and runs through Sunday, ending each day a half hour after sunset.
These half-hour periods before and after sunrise and sunset are the most hazardous of the day, and special care should be taken to positively identify your target before firing. Wait until “safe light” exists in the morning, not just sunrise. Just because the lunar table say’s it’s time doesn’t mean you can actually see well enough where you happen to be. Overcast days and darkening conditions in the wooded areas make “safe light” a much different thing than the published shooting hours.
The evening hours may be even more hazardous since you’ll be exiting the fields or woods at the same time as other hunters. Always carry a “walking light” and use it as a means of identification even if you don’t need it to see where you are walking.
Hunter orange apparel is required during the firearm season and is restricted to amount and type. The following is from the Illinois Digest of Hunting Regulations’ blaze orange clothing requirements: It is unlawful to hunt deer with any firearm when not wearing a solid blaze orange cap/hat and an upper outer garment displaying at least 400 square inches of solid blaze orange material. Note: Camouflage blaze orange material does not meet the requirements.
The harvesting of deer in Illinois is an essential part of their existence as well as providing some fine eating for our families and the continuation of a wholesome sport. If we were to not harvest a portion of the crop each year, very serious results would soon follow. The overpopulation would devastate farm crops, gardens and lawn shrubbery as the deer overgrazed the available habitat. This same population explosion effect would result in an enormous escalation in auto/deer accidents, resulting in higher insurance rates as well as injuries and lives lost. The overpopulation would eventually result in diseases and a loss of good genetics in the overall herd.
Population control by hunting is the logical and beneficial way to protect our natural resource. Having said that however, it is also important to look at the betterment of the species. Harvesting does will control the herd size to a beneficial level. Allowing the young bucks to walk on by will result in larger, better quality bucks to be seen and harvested In the future.
Most deer hunters hunt from elevated deer stands these days, and they work very well. However, most hunters do not climb regularly, and many do not use proper caution and care. Every year several hunters are hurt or killed in accidents resulting from falling from stands or steps and ladders while entering or leaving their stands. Hunter safety systems are readily available and have become much more convenient and comfortable in the past few years. They only help if you use them, however. Muddy boots and “nodding off” are the cause of a bunch of these accidents.
I can’t overemphasize how important extra care is in the firearm season. Be sure you have permission to hunt, and try to know who else is in your area.
Read and understand the regulations in the Illinois Digest.
Hunting is a very fulfilling sport. Be careful, your wives and girlfriends are looking for you to come home with a deer, not a broken back!
It’s health, happiness and hunting.
Dave Shadow is the Journal Gazette/Times-Courier’s hunting and fishing columnist.
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