Hey Guys and Gals, We need your help. A bill has been introduced that will add shad and drum to the list of legal species for Bowfishing.

Here's what you can do...

Call your State Senator and ask them to support SB2129. Better yet, ask them to be a co-sponsor. Then call your State Representative and ask them to support this bill when it comes to the House of Representatives.
You can go to http://www.ilga.gov/ to find your Senators and Rep's.

A little background...
This started over a year ago. When people talk about legal speicies for bowfishing, many time Shad and Drum are mentioned. The problem is that they are not currently legal species. So we decided "Why not see if we could make them legal".

I have talked with several IDNR Fisheries Biologists. None of the Biologists I talked with had any reservations about the change. Joe Ferencek originally tried to use the ad rule approach to make this change. After he checked, he told me that the best route would be legislative. He wrote the appropriate changes and faxed it to us and I forwarded it to Sen. Dan Rutherford's office.

The bill was introduced on Friday, February 20.

Here is a link to the bill...

http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/BillStatus.asp?DocNum=2129&GAID=10&DocTypeID=SB&LegId=45052&SessionID=76&GA=96


Kendall Carrigan

it seems to me that shad are at risk from asian carp. do we really need to add more pressure to this precious food source for other game fish?

One guy with a shad net will probably take more shad than all the bowfishers in Illinois would take all year long.

Most shad are incredibly dinky, fast moving fish. Incredibly difficult to hit with an arrow. Kendall and I went to a tournament in KY where you needed a shad in addition to four other fish species. It took the two of us an hour to get one single shad. I can't tell you how many times we shot. It was great fun tho', and I'd like to see that opportunity here in IL.

Shad are legal for bowfishers to take in just about every other state. The resource can handle the little pressure we might apply. (besides, unlike most folks who buy a sport fishing license we actually take out large numbers of the invasive fish that are threatening our waters...) ;)

That sounds great! Many times Ive seen some real good sized drum on the kankakee that I would have loved to put in the cooler. Ill let our guys know about it and send the info to everyone on our email lists, hopefully about 800 people will all email their reps. Ill also see if the media people we know so well can also help.

Dont know if I would put it out on too many public forums until passed though as we all know the carp huggers will start protesting it.

Phish', Christine is right about the cast net. One cast into a school of shad will take more shad than bowfishing will take in a year in IL.

One guy with a shad net will probably take more shad than all the bowfishers in Illinois would take all year long.

...besides, unlike most folks who buy a sport fishing license we actually take out large numbers of the invasive fish that are threatening our waters...

Not to mention gar. The number of gar we take at the Billy Davis Memorial Classic or at the Illinois State Championship will make up for more shad than we could ever shoot.

Ed, I don't think the CAG guys will be too worried about Shad and Drum. Hopefully the Politicians will be more interested in what the Biologists have to say than a few detractors. Besides with your 800 and 75,000 from IFOR (Illinois Federation for Outdoor Resources) there should be enough support to convince them.

The bill has been moving along.

John Jones has co-sponsored the bill (very good for us) and it was moved out of comittee Tuesday the 10th. It was up for secound reading and amendment on Thursday the 12th. I have not heard yet if any amendmants were attached. Hopefully not and it can be voted on soon. Then on the the house of reps to start the process again. :rolleyes:

Short Description: FISH-SHAD AND DRUM-TAKING

Senate Sponsors
Sen. Dan Rutherford - John O. Jones

Last Action
Date Chamber Action
4/2/2009 Senate Third Reading - Passed; 059-000-000

Statutes Amended In Order of Appearance
515 ILCS 5/10-110 from Ch. 56, par. 10-110


Synopsis As Introduced
Amends the Fish and Aquatic Life Code. Authorizes persons to take shad and drum by means of a pitchfork, underwater spear gun, bow and arrow device, spear, or gig. Effective immediately.

Actions
Date Chamber Action
2/20/2009 Senate Filed with Secretary by Sen. Dan Rutherford
2/20/2009 Senate First Reading
2/20/2009 Senate Referred to Assignments
3/4/2009 Senate Assigned to Agriculture and Conservation
3/10/2009 Senate Added as Chief Co-Sponsor Sen. John O. Jones
3/11/2009 Senate Do Pass Agriculture and Conservation; 009-000-000
3/11/2009 Senate Placed on Calendar Order of 2nd Reading March 12, 2009
3/24/2009 Senate Second Reading
3/24/2009 Senate Placed on Calendar Order of 3rd Reading March 25, 2009
4/1/2009 Senate Placed on Calendar Order of 3rd Reading ** April 2, 2009
4/2/2009 Senate Third Reading - Passed; 059-000-000



To the house of Representatives it goes...

I like the look of passing 59 to 0.

Now it's time to conact your State Reps.

Thanks to everyone who helped by contacting their Senators.

Any update on this bil yet?

Hope it passes soon.....Ive been seeing some real nice drum on the Kankakee around the islands!

Any update on this bil yet?

Latest news is that it has had it's second reading and debate.

Debate???:confused: I bet that was short.

Anyway, It is on the schedule for third reading and debate. At that time, I believe it will be voted on. To date it has had zero no votes in the committees and the Senate.

If it does become law, (and it should) I will let you know right before I head out the door to go shoot shad and Drum. LOL :D

Woo hoo! Got a call today that S.B. 2129 was called to a vote and passed the house 114-0-0.

I asked how long it will be before we can expect it to be signed. No good answer but I am hopeful it will be soon. :cool:

Any word yet?

Still on the Gov's desk.

Believe me you'll know when it get's signed. You'll hear me whoopin' and hollerin' :D LOL

Kendall
Even if the Gov does not sign it, it will automatically become law after 60 days.
JUST as long as he does NOT veto it !!! ( Which I see almost no chance of )

With everything else the state has to deal with right now, the Governor has to focus his attention on the high priority stuff right now OR people will use that against him later. ;)

He has also other bills sitting on on his desk to that will probably be signed, when & IF this budget stuff ever gets ironed out. :rolleyes:
Our bill to allow hunters to LEGALLY shoot coyotes from a treestand, is also just waiting a John Hancock too. :)

GOOD WORK, on the bowfishing bill !!!!!
I know you guys & gals, put a lot of work into pushing this through.

THANKS for all hard work & keeping us informed !!

I sent my emails off long ago for this:D
Hope it passes for you guys:)

It's illegal to shoot coyotes from a stand???:confused:???

I sent my emails off long ago for this:D
Hope it passes for you guys:)

It's illegal to shoot coyotes from a stand???:confused:???

Thanks for the support.


Yeah the coyote thing goes back to coon hunters cutting trees to get to furbearers...It's actually a technicality, but the way it reads you could get a ticket for shooting a coyote from a tree stand.
It's something that almost everyone can agree on, so why not clear up the language.
(That's my take on it)

Sorry for highjacking my own thread...lol