Going through IL with guns to go out west hunting

[fasteddie48]

anyone know how to get thru ill with out having any problem 4 men going to south dakota hunting gonna have 12 guns and 5000 rounds of ammo just dont wanna have trouble

 

[sj kahr k40]

drive the speed limit and don"t stop!

 

[shibumiseeker]

12 guns and 5000 rounds of ammo???

Don't get stopped. Anywhere. It may be perfectly legal to transport them, but the interstate transport clause is a defense, it won't stop you from getting charged, just convicted. And you catch the wrong officer and the wrong DA on the wrong day and they'll make political hay with you with 12 guns and 5000 rounds of ammo. It's wrong, I agree completely, but considering the noise the media makes when someone has a gun and a hundred rounds of ammo...


Unloaded in locked containers out of reach of the passenger compartment.

 

[Yamaha]

Are you going to try to take over south dakota?

That said, look above, locked cases, unloaded, etc. Don't say anything about them while over there, nor do anything to get stopped. And if stopped, expect hell.....

 

[gunman41mag]

anyone know how to get thru ill with out having any problem 4 men going to south dakota hunting gonna have 12 guns and 5000 rounds of ammo just dont wanna have trouble

Don't get charged as a DOMESTIC TERRORIST

 

[fasteddie48]

were going prairie dog hunt for 3 day well shoot about 300 round each day per person taking 3 calibers of guns

 

[sloughfoot]

4500 rounds is OK though....

Seriously though, why are you just worried about Illinois? Wisconsin and Minnesota can bite you in the butt too. why not SD too?

As for me, I just don't worry about it, since I completely lack mens rea.

(criminal intent)

 

[JoshuaW]

Drive the speed limit, and DO NOT STOP. Not for gas, not for a leak, not for fast food. Keep every firearm locked in the trunk, out of site. Do not volunteer that you have firearms if you are stopped. Avoid driving through a certain urban area in the northern part of the state.

The most important thing is to not stop. Period. If you stop, your destination is now in Illinois, which removes the protection of interstate transport.

 

[Hoosier8]

I have driven through Illinois often armed. Rifles are not the problem for Illinois so keep them in the trunk, unloaded. Don't worry about stopping just act like anyone else and you will be OK.

Now, if you are all skinheads or thugs and are tattooed everywhere including your face and make threatening remarks to people at Cracker Barrel, then expect problems.

 

[VERT]

I have been through IL going to SD with guns several times. Unload them and lock them in a case. Put them in the trunk or out of sight. No reason for you to stop in IL. Once you get to SD you are good to go. The state is very gun friendly.

12 guns for 4 people sound about right. You can start with rimfire early in the day when the dogs are close. Then pop them mid range with the ARs until the barrels get hot. Move to the long range guns later when the little vermin start getting smart. I lived in the Dakotas for 6 years. Never tried my hand at dog hunting, because I knew it would be like giving crack to a dope addict.

 

[DRob]

Drive on

We've been on that route several times a year for several years with a truckload of guns and ammo. It's not like they stop cars/trucks just to search them for guns. Now, if you pass an Illinois Trooper while going 25 over the speed limit and wave a can of beer or a pistol out the window at him, you might have a problem!

Stop for a meal at The Iowa Machine Shed in either Davenport or Des Moines, breakfast if possible. Betcha' can't eat a whole cinnamon roll!

When are you going? I'm hoping there will be a p dog or two left when we get there in June.

 

[stangman35]

just drive south and go around Ill ,why drive thru that communist state.
You can also open carry your handgun all the way if you go around

 

[tv1217]

Don't listen to these guys. If you take I-80, you're good once you pass cook county

 

[maxmayhem]

for SD:
for IL..Dont stop and Dont buy anything in IL

 

[shibumiseeker]

Don't listen to these guys. If you take I-80, you're good once you pass cook county

I've done that drive (In to SD) three times in the past 4 months and had a couple of handguns with me the whole way no problems. I74 across Ill then pick up 80 in Iowa, avoid Cook County like the plague it is.

I drive the speed limit the whole way. I'm not really so worried about being stopped and searched, but with the number of guns and ammo the OP will be carrying the consequences of a stop are higher.

 

[femurphy77]

Illinois is a bothersome place for free people! We're going out to Oklahoma to visit dad in May and I'm thinking about routing down thru Kaintucky, Tenn, then Ark this time around just for some different scenery.

 

[melensdad]

I drive into Illinois EVERY WEEKDAY with a gun or two in the car. Contrary to popular disbelief, Illinois has some very good firearm transport laws but I suggest that you follow them.

Basically they are:
Gun unloaded + Gun stored inside a gun container/case.
Ammo in a box, sealed or closed. I'd suggest that you actually put your boxes of ammo inside a box/crate/ammo can/etc.

But that is pretty much all you need to do.

As for not stopping in Illinois, don't worry about it. Most people in Illinois seem to be pretty gun friendly outside of the Chicago area and many are hunters and shooters who hate their own state laws. But their state laws for firearms transport are actually better/easier to comply with, than our Indiana transport laws. The main reason you may not want to stop in Illinois is because they charge more for gas than we charge in Indiana so fill up before you cross the state line and you'll save a dime (or more) per gallon.

Seriously, Illinois is not as gun-un-friendly as most people think, especially for hunters transporting long arms.

 

[spec4]

The gun is supposed to be in a case, unloaded, case zipped. So I guess if you put a rifle in a case, but don't zip it up you are technically illegal. That's their goofy wildlife code. While not a requirement, I would keep all guns in the trunk if your vehicle has one. If stopped, never volunteer anything. Of course you will check that all guns are unloaded before leaving. I used to live in Illannoy.

 

[Wild Deuce]

Don't stop in Illinois. Not because you will get in trouble but rather, so you will not be tempted to spend a dime there (gas, food or drink).* Be sure to fill up the gas tank and empty the bladder on this side of the state line.

*If you plan on buying a gun or donating to a pro-gun group in Illinois, that's ok.

 

[Indydrew]

As a former Illinois resident and now Indiana transplant, I second what someone else said; I-74 is your best bet through the state, "a gun friendly corridor" as it were. Just pick up I-80 on the other side somewhere and you should have no problems.

Additional free tip, box and lock EVERYTHING gun-related just in case before you go into Illinois. Just my $.02.

-Drew