Deer hunters are reminded to focus on safety as the 2018 Illinois Firearm Deer Season opens this week.
The seven day season opens tomorrow through Sunday and the second round runs from November 29th through December 2nd. Legal hunting hours for the season are one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset. Illinois Department of Natural Resources Director Wayne Rosenthal said, “Our firearm deer weekends are Illinois’ most popular hunting season and safe hunting is the best hunting.” The IDNR Office of Law Enforcement – which administers the Illinois Hunters Safety Education Program reports there were 19 hunting incidents last year during all seasons, three involved fatalities. Ten of those incidents involved hunters falling from elevated tree stands or from falling while climbing into or out of tree stands. Those using tree stands are reminded to use a Fall Arrest System safety harness. More than 80% of tree stand incidents occur because a hunter wasn’t using a fall restraint system. Hunters should check the harness, straps, ladder and other equipment to make sure they are in good working order. Hunters should also be aware of weather conditions that could make stands and steps slippery – and always have a mobile phone within reach to call for help if needed. Safety educators and IDNR Conservation Police remind everyone hunting with a firearm to treat every firearm as if it is loaded. Always point a firearm in a safe direction. Be sure of the target – make sure there are no other hunters, homes, buildings, vehicles or other animals beyond the target. Other deer hunting seasons in the state include the three-day muzzle loader-only deer season December 7th through the 9th, late-winter antler-less only deer season December 27th through the 30th and January 18th through the 20th. The Illinois Archery Deer Season which opened October 1st is open through January 20th. More tree stand and other safety measures are available online.
