SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) — A law taking effect Jan. 1 will give landowners and farmers more flexibility to hunt deer on their property.
Farmers across the state have told Democrats and Republicans that nuisance deer have caused extensive and costly damage to their crops and farmland.
The law will allow Illinois to issue antlerless-only deer removal permits based on the percentage of permits redeemed in the previous season. It also expands youth hunting tags from one to two.
"I have a single farmer on the Coles Edgar County line who lost $45,000 to crop damage from deer," said Sen. Chapin Rose (R-Mahomet). "Everybody in this room, everyone in this state buys food. At the end of the day, that food went up by $45,000."
The Illinois Farm Bureau said this change will protect natural resources and give farmers another way to protect their property.
"It's very important to the farming community around the state, many of them who have suffered crop damage," said Rep. Marcus Evans (D-Chicago). "Using a survey of Illinois farmers, it's estimated that deer damage causes over $400 million to corn and soybean production alone."
The law passed unanimously out of both chambers this spring.
"Illinois farmers who are experiencing substantial crop damage and lower yields need a better way to manage deer populations on their farms," said Sen. Patrick Joyce (D-Essex). "Let's give these farmers the tools they need to handle nuisance deer during the growing season."
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