State Senator Andrew Chesney (R-Freeport) welcomed the Illinois Department of Natural Resources’ decision to end its deer sharpshooting program, according to an April 17 announcement. The policy, aimed at controlling chronic wasting disease in deer populations, had been a source of controversy for years.
The issue is significant for hunters and landowners who have expressed concerns about the effectiveness and impact of the program. For more than twenty years, the department used targeted sharpshooting and bait sites on private land to remove large numbers of deer in areas affected by chronic wasting disease. Many hunters argued that this approach was ineffective and disruptive.
“After years of frustration from hunters and landowners, IDNR is finally pulling the plug on a program that never should have existed in the first place,” Senator Chesney said. “This was a top-down approach that upset local communities and undermined the role of hunters in managing our deer population.”
Chesney has consistently opposed the sharpshooting initiative. His first bill passed in the General Assembly required additional reporting to lawmakers on CWD management efforts. He also supported legislation seeking to eliminate the program entirely.
“It’s the hunters on the ground who understand and manage our deer population best,” Chesney said. “This decision is a step in the right direction. We should be working with them, not against them.”
Moving forward, officials plan to focus on public engagement, monitoring, and voluntary participation from hunters and landowners as part of their strategy against chronic wasting disease.
Chesney was elected as a Republican state senator representing Illinois’ 45th Senate District in 2023 after replacing Brian Stewart according to official records.
