Firearm deer season opens today

SPRINGFIELD - The 2008 Illinois Firearm Deer Season, the state's most popular hunting season, begins this week with hunters in the field today, Friday, Nov. 21, through Sunday, Nov. 23. Deer season continues with four days of hunting on Dec. 4-7. Nearly 350,000 permits have been issued to hunters for the firearm season. “As hunters take to the field this week, we hope for a successful harvest and encourage hunters to make safety a priority,” Illinois Department of Natural Resources Acting Director Sam Flood said. “Hunters need to take extra care, especially with firearm and tree-stand safety.” Hunters in Illinois harvested a preliminary total of 117,425 deer during the seven-day firearm deer hunting season in 2007, and 114,835 deer during