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While we wonder about the future of concealed carry in The Land of Lincoln, there’s no mistaking the fact that the rest of Illinois is a gun-friendly state. To wit: “An Illinois state representative has proposed a new method for killing Asian Carp: shooting them with shotguns,” dispatch.com reports. “The proposal, introduced in the Illinois Legislature this week, would create ‘an Asian carp pilot program to permit licensed individuals to shoot Asian carp with a shotgun off of a motorboat in the Illinois River.'” I am SO there. No really. If this passes, I suggest we organize a TTAG carp hunting party. Oh hold on . . .

The sponsor of the Illinois bill, Rep. Dave Winters, R-Rockford, said he isn’t entirely serious about his proposal. He said shooting Asian carp was recently made legal in Indiana.

“It’s going to be a fun debate,” Winters said.

Yeah, right until it dies in committee. Oh well.

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21 COMMENTS

  1. Illinois is divided much like Germany was in the Cold War. The Chicago Politburo runs the political system of the state, but only controls a tiny corner of the northeast section of territory.Much like East Germany, many in the middle and downstate regions toil under the communist tyranny of a political system that is unwanted and unwelcome.

  2. Would you need a fishing AND hunting license?(not to mention your FOID) Would you have to use steel shot, or is good old lead ok? Why would a legislator introduce a bill that even he does not seriously support? For a fun debate??

    • Definitely steel shot. Dumping that much lead into a river ecosystem? No way. I know people have been bow hunting these things for years. Not a bad idea to where a full-face helmet.

  3. I’d be ALL over this. I’ve seen them shot with bows but the thought of using a twelver on them would be the ultimate. I wonder what size shot would be ideal. According to the Wiki they can hit 100lbs. Turkey loads with #6 would probably be a good start and I imagine the requirement of non-toxic shot would be a no brainer. If only………….

  4. All I can picture is a bunch of little boats in a circle…. Kinda like a circular firing squad. Can you imagine the millions of little holes in aluminum boats?

    What about the poor guy with only a fishing rod who doesn’t know about 10 gauge, 3 1/2 inch magnum loads and shot whistling about 18″ above the water for a 100 yards or so. It would really suck to fish all day and just as you pull in your first big catch it gets shredded right above the water and all you are left with is the head.
    This may not be the best idea I’ve ever heard.

    • I’d imagine a grass-fed animal would have a good shot at being decent eating. Throw them on the menu of a fancy ass restaurant and I’m sure it would sell well to the clientele that want bragging rights to a dish that no one knows what the hell it is. Squirrel, possum, ‘coons and armadillo can be very good from what I hear. Create a market of some sort for any species and mankind has an unparalleled ability to hunt it to borderline extinction.

      It shouldn’t be any worse than javelina. The evening I shot mine we dressed it, careful to get NO oily bristles in the meat, and roasted it over the campfire in tinfoil with a bit of salt and pepper. Not the best meat I’ve had but not bad. The things live on cactus and mesquite beans so the meat is obviously about as lean as it gets.

  5. I can see how shooting fish in a barrel lake could really tighten up your sporting clays game, plus you never have to yell “pull.”

    Carp diem, baby!

  6. Wait a minute–taking a sport where drinking beer and lying about what really happened is not only commonplace but expected–this is going to go along well with shotguns?

  7. The restaurant speculation is overboard. These fish will be nothing but shredded river meat if one makes a killing shot. A few pellets and these tough b’ds’ll just swim away to spawn again. Would your retriever fetch a mouthful of shredded fish? I sense the ammunition lobby in the shadows on this one. Carp shooting and 3-gun? Buy Olin. It’s in the middle of its 52 week range at 21.84 and I’ve heard whispers about a new Starlings-and-carp Indiana 4-gun in August, adding 4 gauge ATV-mounted punt guns.

  8. The supporters who pushed through the legalizing of the damned Asian carp farms laughed at the concerns of marine ecologists and fishery experts who were warned about the consequences of the carp escaping. The supporters played the usual pc labeling game of calling many of those opposed racist and insensitive to providing access of the carp to American Asian communities.

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