The News Outside

Does anyone know if we (Illinois) are pursuing to amend the State Constitution to provide the right to hunt and fish?  There are many states that have already done this, and many more working toward this goal.

Unfortunately (or fortunately- depending on how you look at it) this won’t ever happen in Illinois. I know North Dakota is a right to hunt state. As long as its not posted, you can go hunt anyone’s land, anytime. Illinois has too much big business dependent on hunting and the “legend/mystique” of our deer herd. It sure would be a double edged sword if we ever had it here.

Lets hope they keep that idea as far from here as possible

I believe the idea behind the amendment is to keep PETA and other groups from writing laws preventing hunting, fishing, trapping, in general.  There are at least a dozen states that have made the change and several more following the lead.  Since it isn’t a “right” it can be taken away.  We currently have laws which forbid hunting unless permission is granted by the landowner.  I don’t think that will ever change.

Yeah, that’s what we need here in IL.  Make it easier for the trespassers.  Many people who own land don’t live on it, making it difficult enough to police.  Posted signs already aren’t enough for some of these trespassing d-bags.  I believe beginning the first of the year us landowners will already have to paint our trees purple to legally keep trespassers off our ground.

It has nothing to do with allowing people to trespass upon someones land folks, but everything about protecting your right to hunt, fish and trap within the state of Illinois. We need something like this, because if not we will be on the outside looking in someday. The rural population of the state of Illinois is shrinking more and more everyday, and if it continues to do so we will lose that connection between us and the land that some of us love so much. The loss of that connection would start us down a road of no return to were maybe hunting and fishing and trapping were no longer thought about, thus maybe some might think no longer needed. See how that all works….......RTT

RTT - right on.

Here’s some info.

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http://www.ncsl.org/issues-research/env-res/state-constitutional-right-to-hunt-and-fish.aspx

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Ringtailtrapper - 26 December 2012 10:08 AM

It has nothing to do with allowing people to trespass upon someones land folks, but everything about protecting your right to hunt, fish and trap within the state of Illinois. We need something like this, because if not we will be on the outside looking in someday. The rural population of the state of Illinois is shrinking more and more everyday, and if it continues to do so we will lose that connection between us and the land that some of us love so much. The loss of that connection would start us down a road of no return to were maybe hunting and fishing and trapping were no longer thought about, thus maybe some might think no longer needed. See how that all works….......RTT

BINGO.

These laws have nothing to do with sanctioning tresspassing.  We all have a right to free speach, religion, etc.  That doesn’t mean you can excercise them on someone else’s private property.  No one can parade around your living room or front yard just because they are spounting some protected “speach” at the time.
And RTT, you are spot on with the comment about the rural population shrinking.  These issues, and, I believe, gun issues as well, have more to do with the distinction between rural and urban than they do with traditional left/right politics.

Missouri just started the process to change their state constitution to include hunting, fishing…..and farming.  I guess they don’t want anyone telling them how many cows they can have…..