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Shining Cases On Rise In Central Illinois

The Department of Natural Resources is seeing a spike in an illegal activity in recent weeks.

Shining is using an artificial light to locate wild animals, which is illegal in Illinois. DNR Conservation Police Officer Ray Wichus says they are seeing an increase in reports of shining in the area. Wichus says shining violations also include pulling a car over and shining the headlights into a field to look at deer or other wild animals.

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Shining is not as common in central Illinois as it is in Western and Southern Illinois, however, Wichus says they do get shining cases just about everywhere in this part of the state. He explains they will wait out after dark and monitor the rural areas for people shining.

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Violations for shining can vary from just a warning or a minor violation all the way up to a major violation depending on weapons in the vehicle, and whether they are cased or loaded. Wichus says they are mainly targeting poachers who are knowingly shining.

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Wichus warns casual drivers who pull their vehicles over to shine the lights into a field to watch the deer with the kids or grandkids, they can be pulled over and there is a chance they could be sited. He says generally, CPO's use discretion in those situations.

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