The Illinois Department of Natural Resources has announced the pause of its targeted deer culling program, citing the spread of chronic wasting disease in additional counties and the inability of sharpshooting to solve the problem.

“While IDNR had the best intentions with this program, the shift in strategy of sharpshooting is the best step forward,” state Rep. Tony McCombie, R-Savanna, said in response to the pause. “Sharpshooting has increasingly become a concern – impacting herd health, disrupting deer populations, and creating real challenges for landowners. A one-size-fits-all approach does not work and the concerns from hunters, landowners, and local communities in northwest Illinois spoke volumes."

“This is an opportunity to take a step back, listen to stakeholders on the ground, and develop a more balanced, locally informed strategy that protects both the health of the herd and the rights of those who live and work closest to it,” she said,

She said she looks forward to more community-based discussions with hunters and landowners to assess what more can be done legislatively to address deer management and the state’s CWD response.