Doc and Steve continue their commitment to keeping Illinois hunters on the right side of the law with essential reminders about deer hunting requirements.
Steve is a hunter safety instructor at Smokin Gun Worx, where he teaches the nuances of legal deer hunting.
Key legal requirements for 2024
For Firearms:
- If using a bolt action rifle, the magazine must be completely removed or fitted with a single-shot sled
- Shotguns must have plugs limiting them to two additional shells – having only two shells loaded without a plug is still illegal
- Only straight-wall cartridges are permitted (see the full list here)
Required Hunting Documentation
- Signed hunting license
- Signed habitat stamp
- Signed firearms tags (must be signed before entering the field)
- Photo ID
- FOID card for firearm season
Required Hunting Safety Gear
- Blaze orange hat
- 400 square inches of blaze orange vest
Doc and Steve emphasize that conservation officers check these requirements carefully. Smokin Gun Worx can assist hunters who need help verifying their equipment’s compliance.
We are committed to helping the hunting community stay safe and legal. Have a successful hunt!
Video Transcript
Doc: Hi everybody. It’s Doc and Steve from Smokin Gun Worx. I’m going to go over a few more little nuances about being a legal deer hunter out there this season. Again we’ve discussed before about the straight wall cartridges that are available in single shot platform only. Again, the rifle cartridges that are legal are posted on our website. Make sure if you’re using a bolt action, you do not even have this magazine on your person.
Make sure that you either leave the magazine completely out or use one of these sleds to make this bolt action, the single shot only. Now, Steve is a hunter safety instructor here at Smokin Gun Worx. He’s going to go over some other nuances for legal deer hunting.
Steve: So real quick to reiterate on the shotguns that we’ve talked about previously, there’s two common versions like the Savage 220 here, it’s a bolt action shotgun with a detachable magazine or the pump-action shotgun that has a five-round magazine too. One of the requirements for the state of Illinois is that you have to have a plug in your shotgun for it to be legal. What this accomplishes is that it limits this magazine tube down to two additional shells.
You have to have this installed. If you have any questions of verifying that you that have owning your guns or need help installing one, you can always get a hold of us here at Smokin Gun Worx, we are more than happy to help you out.
Doc: And we encourage you to check those on shotgun tubes like that, Mr. Steve was talking about. It needs to be restricted to two rounds only. Even if it’s– you only have two rounds in there and you don’t have the plug, you’re hunting illegally and you’ll be arrested for that.
Steve: So, some other things that you’re required to have on you, while, you are hunting in the state of Illinois, make sure you have your blaze orange hat and your 400 square inches of vest. You have to have your license along with your habitat stamp, and your permit and firearms tags. The important thing with these tags and your license is they have to be signed. If you don’t sign your tags before you go, you’re technically illegal.
Doc: So the signature on that is a very important thing. And it gives you a signature line. And like Steve was saying, it has to be signed before you step out in the field to go hunting. It’s one of the first things the officers will be looking for. And they’ll also ask you for your photo ID.
Steve: And on top of firearm season, as you do have to have your FOID card as well.
Doc: Yes. So those are some of the other features we want to make sure you’re aware of when you’re out there hunting. We want everybody out there, legally, safely, and a successful hunting deer season. Thank you.
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