A bowfishing state record award certificate will be awarded to the angle who catches a fish, of eligible species, which equals or exceeds the weight of the current bowfishing state record. All bowfishing state record fish must be certified by a DNR fisheries biologist. Applications for the bowfishing state record award are available to download.
Completed applications with DNR certification, and a photo documenting
your catch must be mailed into the Bowfishing Association of Illinois.
Rules for Bowfishing State Record Award
The
rules for a Bowfishing State Record Award are the same as for a State
Record Award for a fish taken with a rod and reel, except it must be a
legally taken with a Bow, including Crossbow, and Arrow in the state of
Illinois.
Eligible Species
Species
that may be legally taken with a bow and arrow are all species of carp,
carpsuckers, shad, drum, buffalo, sucker, gar (except alligator gar),
and bowfin.
Instruction for New Illinois Bowfishing State Record
1. Shoot new state record fish
2.
Photograph fish (ideally with you holding it - something that you would
like to see in a magazine like maybe the cover of the Fishing Digest).
3. Download Bowfishing State record application form
4.
Have fish weighed on certified scale (one legally certified for trade)
in front of two witnesses (e.g., the owner/operator of the certified
scale and your fishing buddy)
5. Complete the form, be precise on the species (e.g., common carp, bighead carp, threadfin shad, etc.)
6. Take completed form along with intact fish to an IDNR Biologist for certification
7. Make a copy of complete form (better safe than sorry)
8. Mail completed form and photograph to:
Illinois Bowfishing Records
12517 S. 90th Avenue
Palos Park, IL. 60464