Illinois hunters adjusted quickly to new regulations allowing certain single-shot rifles to be used during firearm deer seasons.
An informal poll of check stations on opening day of the first part of firearm season indicated preliminary numbers of 15% to 20% of those checking in deer used a rifle, said Dan Skinner, the forest-wildlife program manager for the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.
Those numbers appear to be even higher for the youth season, ‘‘north of 30%’’ preliminarily, Skinner said. Most popular were the .350 Legend and the .450 Bushmaster.
The first nomination for Buck (or Deer) of the Week was for Alexa Tazelaar, 9, who killed her first deer on opening day of the youth season Oct. 7 in Peoria County.
“We took advantage of the new law in Illinois and used a .350 Legend,’’ dad Ron emailed.
When I asked why, he explained: “Recoil is a major win with the .350 Legend, and my daughter shot it with ease. But also the ballistics and accuracy are very appealing, as well as its popularity, making ammo readily available. They are also very affordable. I went on a hog hunt in Tennessee in October, and they had a .350 Legend, as well as ammo for it. I was shocked.”
Public Act 102-0932, which allows certain single-shot rifles to be used for deer hunting in Illinois, became effective Jan. 1, 2023. For practical purposes, it took effect during the youth season in early October and the first part of firearm deer season on Nov. 17-19.
In general, rifles shoot bullets at a higher speed and with a flatter trajectory than shotguns shoot slugs.
Gary Bloom took advantage of the new law in his own way.
“I took two guns in the field,’’ he messaged. “Had a single-shot CVA Legend in .350. ... Had the rifle for longer (up to 150 yards).”
He only had one tag and filled it with a doe he shot in Edgar County at 25 yards, using a slug from his scoped 12-gauge 870 with a rifled barrel.
It’s not only youth who can benefit from what is generally less recoil from a rifle.
“Loving the virtually recoil-free .350 Legend, saving my repaired shoulders from my slug gun,” Bob Coine responded. “Accuracy is awesome, and the longer range for coyotes while deer hunting is priceless.”
Veteran deer processor Jim Carmical observed: “From what I’ve seen in the shop, there is less trauma around the wound area with a rifle compared to slugs.”
For questions about using rifles for deer hunting in Illinois, go to the IDNR’s FAQ page: dnr.illinois.gov/hunting/law-change-that-affects-hunting-season.html.
Illinois hunting
Hunters harvested 53,348 deer during the first part of the firearm season, up slightly from 52,354 in the first part in 2022. The second part of firearm season is Thursday through Sunday.
Wild things
Multiple readers reported more sandhill cranes moving in the last week. It showed up in the count of 32,938 on Tuesday at Jasper-Pulaski Fish and Wildlife Area in Indiana. That’s more than double the count last week.
Stray cast
I already pine for baseball, as much as I do for wet-wading.
