Governor signs hunting, fishing law
Governor signs hunting, fishing law
Southern Illinois seniors age 75 years and older can now fish and hunt for less — and that’s a perk Sen. Gary Forby says is long overdue.
Gov. Pat Quinn visited Crab Orchard Lake on Friday to sign a bill into law sponsored by Forby, D-Benton, reducing sport fishing and hunting license fees to $1 for this age group.
Already, adults age 65 or older pay $7.25 for resident fishing and $6 for hunting licenses, which is half the normal fee. The fees were cut further for those 75 years and older.
The law also completely waives the cost of salmon, inland trout, migratory waterfowl, pheasant and habitat stamps.
“When you get to senior citizen age, the money gets tight and you’re just helping them out a little bit to do stuff they like to do but may not want to spend an extra time to do,” Forby said.
Forby said hunting and fishing is something every senior should be able to do “regardless if they’re on a fixed income.”
The law, House Bill 4329, takes effect immediately.
“Illinois’ older adults who hunt and fish have supported these natural treasurers for a lifetime,” Quinn said in a news release. “It is time to honor them for their commitment to Illinois’ hunting and fishing opportunities by making it easier for them to renew their licenses.”
Forby and the governor’s office said the fees were not wiped out completely because maintaining the $1 fee allows Illinois to capture federal funds appropriated to states according to how many licenses are sold, the state’s land area and other factors.
“It is responsible management of our hunting and fishing license dollars to be sure we continue to receive federal funds that help us manage and maintain our fisheries, public hunting lands and other infrastructure,” Illinois Department of Natural Resources Director Marc Miller said in a statement. “The $1 we collect insures that our hunters and anglers over 75 years of age are counted, and their dollars spent on sporting equipment are properly returned to Illinois.”
Illinois has about one million people who fish and more than 500,000 who hunt. According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, people who hunt and fish in Illinois spend about $2 billion on hunting and fishing trips, equipment and other expenses, the governor’s office reported.
molly.parker@thesouthern.com
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