GRAFTON - Hunting season for whitetail deer using a firearm begins its first incarnation Friday through Sunday. 

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During firearm season, hunters may utilize handguns, shotguns and muzzle loaders in order to harvest a deer. Each deer harvested requires a tag through the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) for the county in which the deer is harvested. Chris Hespin, IDNR Supervisor of Pere Marquette State Park, said hunters may use land east of Graham Hollow Road for hunting within the parks bounds. Deer harvested in that section of the park require Jersey County tags to harvest. 

Pere Marquette State Park is not the only public land in Jersey County being utilized for hunting. 

"The park also manages the Copperhead Hollow Wildlife Preserve south of Fieldon," Hespin said. "You must have a Copperhead Hollow designated permit to harvest deer from there, though." 

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Twenty-two of 40 Copperhead Hollow permits were designated early Wednesday afternoon. 

The first season lasts from Nov. 18-20, and a second firearm season will last from Dec. 1-4. A special season designated entirely for the use of muzzle-loader rifles will last from Dec. 9-11. 

Hespin said many campers are harvesting large deer, but some are not so lucky. 

"Up here we have had some local hunters go out and have numerous encounters in the field," he said. "Some eight and 10 point bucks have been harvester. Some deer hunters have gone out and said they have not seen anything. I don't know if they are going out there with their radios on, talking loudly, or if they were just unlucky that day." 

More information regarding deer hunting in Illinois may be found at the IDNR's website: https://www.dnr.illinois.gov/hunting/Pages/DeerHunting.aspx

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