Deer harvest reporting begins Oct. 1

Hunters can register by telephone or Internet              

[SEPT. 24, 2005]  SPRINGFIELD -- The Illinois Department of Natural Resources will require deer hunters in most Illinois counties to register their harvest by telephone or by logging onto the department's Internet site. This registration process will begin with the 2005-06 archery deer-hunting season, which starts on Oct. 1. Harvest reporting through county check stations this fall will be conducted only during the firearm deer season in those counties where the department will be doing surveillance sampling for chronic wasting disease (see list of counties and check stations below).

"Telephone and Internet harvest reporting through the new DNR Direct system will be more convenient for hunters and more efficient for our wildlife management program," said Joel Brunsvold, department director. "Turkey hunters have enjoyed the benefits of calling in their harvest in recent years, and the convenience and efficiency of this new system makes sense for deer hunting as well."

Prior to this year, successful deer hunters were required to register their deer at a county check station by 8 p.m. on the same day it was harvested. Under the new reporting system, the temporary harvest leg tag that is part of the deer permit should be placed on the deer immediately upon retrieval, and the deer must remain whole or field-dressed until it is registered. Hunters will phone in or go online to report their harvest by 10 p.m. on the same day the deer is taken.

Except in CWD surveillance counties, successful deer hunters will register their harvest via a toll-free call to 1 (866) ILCHECK [1 [phone]] or at http://dnr.state.il.us/vchec  by 10 p.m. that same day. Hunters either calling in or using the Web to register their harvest will be given a confirmation number to verify that they registered their deer. The number must be written on the temporary harvest leg tag.

Hunters should examine their deer permits closely for details on the information they will be asked to provide when phoning in or going online to register their harvest. Hunters will be asked to provide information about the sex and age of the deer they are registering, the number of points on antlered deer, and whether they saw any bobcats or wild turkeys while in the field. In some cases, they may be asked for a measurement from the deer's antlers or hoof.

"We require deer hunters to register their harvest to gather biological information that is necessary for proper wildlife management," said Paul Shelton, forest wildlife manager for the Department of Natural Resources. "Use of deer check stations on a statewide basis was a good way of doing business in the past. The new DNR Direct check-in system will provide us with the same kind of information, and we will have access to the data right away."

Hunters are reminded that while the way of registering deer is changing, checking in the deer they harvest is still mandatory.

"Enforcing the wildlife code and wildlife regulations is necessary to ensure that good data are being collected and that the Illinois deer herd is protected," said Galen Westerfield, law enforcement chief for the Department of Natural Resources. "While we are making it easier for hunters to check in their deer, those who decide to violate the law or regulations will face the same penalties as those who decided not to take their deer to the check station under the old system."

Successful deer hunters will also have an opportunity to obtain a deer pin signifying their taking of a deer during the 2005-06 season. Successful hunters interested in receiving a free deer pin may submit an application on the Web, and their deer pin will be mailed to them.

The 2005-06 deer hunting seasons are:

• Archery -- Oct. 1-Jan. 12 (closed Nov. 18-20 and Dec. 1-4 in firearm counties)
• Firearm -- Nov. 18-20 and Dec. 1-4
• Muzzleloader-only -- Dec. 9-11
• Late winter firearm (select counties) -- Jan. 13-15, 2006

For more information on Illinois deer hunting permits and regulations, check http://dnr.state.il.us/admin/systems/index.htm.

2005 firearm deer check stations in CWD-sampling counties
(Firearm hunters register deer by phone or via the Web in all other counties.)

1. Boone County -- Boone County Fairgrounds, Illinois Route 76 and Business Route 20, Belvidere
2. DeKalb County -- Shabbona Lake State Park, 4201 Shabbona Grove Road, Shabbona
3. Kane County -- Shabbona Lake State Park, 4201 Shabbona Grove Road, Shabbona
4. McHenry County -- Sportsman's Choice, intersection of Illinois Route 14 and 47, Woodstock
5. Ogle County -- Castle Rock State Park, Illinois Route 2, three miles south of Oregon
6. Stephenson County -- County fairgrounds, Illinois Route 26 and Fairgrounds Road, Freeport
7. Winnebago County -- Rockford Speedway, Illinois Route 173 at Forest Hills Road

[Illinois Department of Natural Resources news release]