Conservation police in Illinois issued more than 50 citations for illegal deer hunting in November.
Ed Cross, director of communications for the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, said officials see four common laws being broken by hunters throughout the state each year.
“Some of the most common laws we see being broken are trespassing on someone’s property, hunting without a license, using someone else’s permit and baiting,” Cross said. “All these are laws we see being broken from year to year.”
It is illegal for hunters to attract or lure white-tailed deer by using bait such as corn or peanut butter. Mineral licks also are illegal. Cross said a misconception for hunters is that because mineral licks are sold in Illinois stores, they are legal to use. Cross said the items cannot be outlawed from being sold, and many hunters buy and use the licks in states where they are legal, such as Iowa and Missouri.
Cross said another mistake hunters often make is hunting on property that is not theirs.
“One thing we always recommend is that where you’re going to hunt at, if it’s not your property, to double-check with the owners, or if it’s public land, to check with the boundaries,” Cross said.
Staying in compliance with state rules can be as easy as keeping up to date with the newest state Hunting and Trapping Digest when it comes out each year, Cross said. Cross also said a hunter’s local conservation official is an important wealth of knowledge.
“They know the books from front to back and if you ever have a question about something you are not sure of, they are a great way to make sure you get the proper information,” Cross said.
Other citations issued In November included the transport of firearms, untagged deer and hunting permits, the department said.
