TITLE 17: CONSERVATION
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AUTHORITY: Implementing and authorized by Sections 1.3 and 1.4 of the Wildlife Code [520 ILCS 5].
SOURCE: Adopted at 5 Ill. Reg. 8792, effective August 25, 1981; codified at 5 Ill. Reg. 10644; amended at 6 Ill. Reg. 9631, effective July 21, 1982; emergency amendment at 6 Ill. Reg. 10040, effective August 2, 1982, for a maximum of 150 days; emergency expired December 30, 1982; amended at 7 Ill. Reg. 10767, effective August 24, 1983; emergency amendment at 7 Ill. Reg. 10999, effective August 24, 1983, for a maximum of 150 days; amended at 8 Ill. Reg. 13680, effective July 25, 1984; amended at 9 Ill. Reg. 11601, effective July 16, 1985; emergency amendment at 9 Ill. Reg. 14025, effective September 4, 1985, for a maximum of 150 days; amended at 10 Ill. Reg. 15590, effective September 16, 1986; amended at 11 Ill. Reg. 9526, effective May 5, 1987; amended at 11 Ill. Reg. 11346, effective June 10, 1987; amended at 12 Ill. Reg. 12186, effective July 15, 1988; amended at 13 Ill. Reg. 10513, effective June 15, 1989; amended at 14 Ill. Reg. 11193, effective June 29, 1990; amended at 15 Ill. Reg. 9951, effective June 24, 1991; amended at 16 Ill. Reg. 11041, effective June 30, 1992; amended at 17 Ill. Reg. 10761, effective July 1, 1993; amended at 18 Ill. Reg. 10009, effective June 21, 1994; amended at 19 Ill. Reg. 10588, effective July 1, 1995; amended at 20 Ill. Reg. 10861, effective August 5, 1996; amended at 21 Ill. Reg. 11700, effective August 12, 1997; amended at 22 Ill. Reg. 14792, effective August 3, 1998; amended at 23 Ill. Reg. 9043, effective July 28, 1999; amended at 24 Ill. Reg. 8911, effective June 19, 2000; amended at 25 Ill. Reg. 11373, effective August 14, 2001; amended at 26 Ill. Reg. 13590, effective September 3, 2002; amended at 27 Ill. Reg. 12666, effective July 21, 2003; amended at 28 Ill. Reg. 12865, effective September 1, 2004; amended at 29 Ill. Reg. 9797, effective June 24, 2005; amended at 30 Ill. Reg. 12251, effective June 28, 2006; amended at 31 Ill. Reg. 11738, effective July 27, 2007; amended at 32 Ill. Reg. 14857, effective August 27, 2008; amended at 33 Ill. Reg. 9702, effective June 26, 2009; amended at 34 Ill. Reg. 12831, effective August 20, 2010; amended at 35 Ill. Reg. 13234, effective July 26, 2011; amended at 37 Ill. Reg. 20717, effective December 12, 2013; amended at 39 Ill. Reg. 11014, effective July 27, 2015; amended at 40 Ill. Reg. 10672, effective July 20, 2016; amended at 41 Ill. Reg. 8779, effective June 28, 2017; amended at 42 Ill. Reg. 13222, effective June 22, 2018; amended at 43 Ill. Reg. 9625, effective August 23, 2019; amended at 45 Ill. Reg. 12818, effective September 24, 2021; amended at 46 Ill. Reg. 18798, effective November 2, 2022; amended at 48 Ill. Reg. 4078, effective March 1, 2024.
Section 730.10 Statewide Regulations
a) Dove regulations are in accordance with Federal Regulations, unless the regulations in this rule are more restrictive. (50 CFR 20.103, 1990)
b) Season dates, daily limits and possession limits for mourning doves and white-winged doves are in accordance with federal regulations. White-winged doves (Genus Streptopelia) shall be included in the daily limits and possession limits established for mourning doves. There is no daily bag limit or possession limit on collared and ringed turtle doves. If hunters reach their daily bag limit of mourning/white-winged doves, they may not remain in the field for the purpose of taking more Eurasian-collared doves or ringed turtle doves.
c) Hunting hours: Sunrise to sunset.
d) Violation is a Class B misdemeanor (see 520 ILCS 5/2.18), except that hunting prior to ˝ hour before sunrise or after ˝ hour after sunset is a Class A misdemeanor with a minimum $500 fine and a maximum $5,000 fine in addition to other statutory penalties (see 520 ILCS 5/2.33(y)).
(Source: Amended at 35 Ill. Reg. 13234, effective July 26, 2011)
Section 730.20 Regulations at Various Department-Owned, -Leased or -Managed Sites
a) All the regulations in 17 Ill. Adm. Code 510 – General Hunting and Trapping apply in this Section, unless this Section is more restrictive.
b) General Regulations
1) Hunters shall possess only lead or an approved non-toxic (as defined by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in 50 CFR 20) shot, such as bismuth, of size #7.5 or smaller, or steel shot size #6 or smaller for taking of doves, except as noted in subsection (b)(2), and except these restrictions do not apply after October 31.
2) Only U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service approved non-toxic shot may be possessed for doves on the following areas:
Anderson Lake State Conservation Area
Banner Marsh State Fish and Wildlife Area
Big Bend State Fish and Wildlife Area (#)
Big River State Forest
Burning Star State Fish and Wildlife Area
Cache River State Natural Area
Cape Bend State Fish and Wildlife Area
Carlyle Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area
Chain O'Lakes State Park
Clinton Lake State Recreation Area (dove management fields only)
Coffeen Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area
Copperhead Hollow State Fish and Wildlife Area
Crawford County State Fish and Wildlife Area
Des Plaines State Conservation Area
Dixon Springs State Park
Double T State Fish and Wildlife Area
Edward Madigan State Park (dove management fields only)
Eldon Hazlet State Park
Fox Ridge State Park
Green River State Wildlife Area
Harry "Babe" Woodyard State Natural Area
Hennepin Canal Parkway State Park
Horseshoe Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area (Alexander County)
Horseshoe Lake State Park (Madison County)
Horseshoe Lake State Park (Madison County) Gabaret, Mosenthein, Chouteau Island Unit
Jim Edgar Panther Creek State Fish and Wildlife Area
Johnson-Sauk Trail State Park
Jubilee College State Park
Kankakee River State Park
Kaskaskia River State Fish and Wildlife Area (designated areas)
Kickapoo State Recreation Area
Lake Le Aqua Na State Park
Mackinaw River State Fish and Wildlife Area
Marshall State Fish and Wildlife Area
Matthiessen State Park
Mautino State Fish and Wildlife Area
Middle Fork State Fish and Wildlife Area
Mississippi River Pools 16, 17 and 18
Mississippi River State Fish and Wildlife Area (Pools 25 and 26)
Moraine View State Park
Mt. Vernon Game Propagation Center
Peabody River King State Fish and Wildlife Area
Pere Marquette State Park
Pyramid State Park – Captain, Denmark, East Conant and Galum Units
Ramsey Lake State Park
Ray Norbut State Fish and Wildlife Area
Rend Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area and Corps of Engineers managed areas of Rend Lake
Rice Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area
Sam Parr State Fish and Wildlife Area
Sand Prairie Pheasant Habitat Area
Sanganois State Fish and Wildlife Area
Sangchris Lake State Park
Shabbona Lake State Park
Shelbyville State Fish and Wildlife Area
Siloam Springs State Park
Siloam Springs State Park – Buckhorn Unit
Silver Springs State Fish and Wildlife Area
Skinner Farm State Habitat Area
Snakeden Hollow State Fish and Wildlife Area/Victoria Pheasant Habitat Area
Spoon River State Forest
Starved Rock State Park
Stephen A. Forbes State Recreation Area
Ten Mile Creek State Fish and Wildlife Area (areas posted as rest area)
Union County State Fish and Wildlife Area
Weinberg-King State Park
3) On areas where hunters are required to hunt from marked or staked sites, hunters must hunt within 10 feet of the marked site.
4) No hunting is allowed within 100 yards of a designated dove management field except for hunters who are part of the hunter quota for that field.
5) At sites indicated by (#), hunters are required to check in and/or sign out as provided in 17 Ill. Adm. Code 510. Sites that require use of windshield cards by hunters as specified in 17 Ill. Adm. Code 510.10 are followed by (1).
6) At sites where additional regulations apply, they are noted in parentheses after the site name.
7) Hunting hours and hunting dates at all sites that are open during the upland game season shall coincide with hunting hours and hunting dates listed for the respective sites listed in 17 Ill. Adm. Code 530.
c) Statewide season regulations as provided for in this rule shall apply at the following sites:
Argyle Lake State Park (season opens day after Labor Day) (1)
Burning Star State Fish and Wildlife Area (1)
Cache River State Natural Area (#)
Campbell Pond State Wildlife Management Area (1)
Cape Bend State Fish and Wildlife Area (#)
Carlyle Lake Lands and Waters – Corps of Engineers managed lands (#)
Carlyle Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area (1)
Chauncey Marsh State Natural Area (permit required; may be obtained at Red Hills State Park headquarters; permits must be returned by 15 February) (1)
Clinton Lake State Recreation Area (except dove management fields; hunting hours are 12:00 to 5:00 p.m. from September 1 – 5; statewide hours/season thereafter) (1)
Copperhead Hollow State Fish and Wildlife Area (1)
Corps of Engineers managed areas of Rend Lake
Cypress Pond State Natural Area (#)
Deer Pond State Natural Area (#)
Devil's Island State Fish and Wildlife Area
Dixon Springs State Park (2)
Dog Island State Wildlife Management Area (1)
Ferne Clyffe State Park (#)
Ft. de Chartres State Historic Site (muzzleloading shotgun only) (#)
Ft. Massac State Park (1)
Freeman Mine (permit required)
Giant City State Park (#)
Hidden Springs State Forest (1)
Horseshoe Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area (Alexander County) (shooting hours from noon to 5:00 p.m. September 1 through 5; sunrise to sunset thereafter to October 28) (#)
Marseilles State Fish and Wildlife Area (after Labor Day closed Friday, Saturday and Sunday through October) (#)
Marshall State Fish and Wildlife Area (1)
Meeker State Habitat Area (1)
Mermet Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area (1)
Mississippi River Pools 16, 17 and 18
Mississippi River Pools 21, 22, 24
Moraine View State Park (season September 1 through October 15) (1)
Nauvoo State Park – Max Rowe Unit (1)
Oakford State Conservation Area
Pere Marquette State Park (1)
Ray Norbut State Fish and Wildlife Area (1)
Red Hills State Park (1)
Sahara Woods State Fish and Wildlife Area (1)
Sand Ridge State Forest (season open from opening day of dove season through October 31) (1)
Sangamon County State Conservation Area
Sanganois State Fish and Wildlife Area (1)
Sielbeck Forest State Natural Area (1)
Siloam Springs State Park (1)
Siloam Springs State Park – Buckhorn Unit (1)
Spoon River State Forest (1)
Trail of Tears State Forest (#)
Union County State Fish and Wildlife Area – Controlled Hunting Area (shooting hours from noon to 5 p.m., September 1-5 and sunrise to sunset from September 6-October 28) (#)
Weinberg-King State Park (1)
Weinberg-King State Park – Scripps and Spunky Bottoms Units (1)
Wildcat Hollow State Forest (1)
Wise Ridge State Natural Area
d) Statewide regulations as provided in this Part shall apply at the following sites except that hunting hours are 12 noon to 5 p.m. daily September 1-5; season closes September 30. A drawing will be held at 11 a.m. if more hunters show up than can be accommodated.
Banner Marsh State Fish and Wildlife Area (sunrise to noon daily September 1-5, drawing one hour before sunrise) (#)
Chain O'Lakes State Park (1)
Double T State Fish and Wildlife Area (sunrise to noon daily September 1-5, drawing one hour before sunrise) (#)
Hennepin Canal State Park (#)
Jubilee College State Park (hunting allowed only on opening day, Saturdays, Sundays, Wednesdays and holidays) (#)
Mautino State Fish and Wildlife Area (#)
Morrison Rockwood State Park (#)
Rice Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area (sunrise to noon daily September 1-5, drawing one hour before sunrise) (#)
Sam Dale Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area (1)
Shabbona Lake State Park (1)
Snakeden Hollow State Fish and Wildlife Area/Victoria Pheasant Habitat Area
e) Statewide regulations as provided for in this Part shall apply at the following sites, except that hunting hours are 12 noon to 5 p.m. daily September 1-5. A drawing will be held at 11 a.m. if more hunters show up than can be accommodated.
Anderson Lake State Conservation Area (#)
Big River State Forest (1)
Clinton Lake State Recreation Area (dove management fields only) (1)
Fox Ridge State Park (dove management fields only) (1)
Harry "Babe" Woodyard State Natural Area (permit required) (1)
Kaskaskia River State Fish and Wildlife Area (Doza Creek Waterfowl Management Area closes October 14; the defined Baldwin Lake Waterfowl Rest Area is closed) (#)
Kinkaid State Fish and Wildlife Area (#)
Middle Fork State Fish and Wildlife Area (dove management fields only) (1)
Newton Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area (dove management units) (1)
Peabody River King State Fish and Wildlife Area (East Subunit closes October 14) (#)
Randolph County State Conservation Area (#)
Shelbyville State Fish and Wildlife Area (1)
Skinner Farm State Habitat Area (#)
Turkey Bluffs State Fish and Wildlife Area (#)
Washington County State Conservation Area (closes October 14) (#)
World Shooting and Recreation Complex (designated dove management fields only) (#)
f) Statewide regulations as provided for in this Part shall apply at the following sites, except that hunting hours are 12 noon to 5 p.m. daily September 1-30. A drawing will be held at 11 a.m. if more hunters show up than can be accommodated.
Crawford County State Fish and Wildlife Area (1)
Hamilton County State Fish and Wildlife Area (1)
Lake Le Aqua Na State Park (#)
Sam Parr State Fish and Wildlife Area (1)
g) Statewide regulations as provided for in this Part shall apply at the following sites, except that hunting hours are 12 noon to 5 p.m. daily. Hunting is allowed on opening day, Wednesday, and Saturday only. A drawing will be held at 11 a.m. if more hunters show up than can be accommodated.
Saline County State Fish and Wildlife Area (1)
h) Statewide regulations apply except that hunting hours are 12 noon to 5 p.m. from September 1-5; hunters must obtain a free permit from the Department; permits must be in possession while hunting on the site. Permit must be returned and harvest reported by February 15 or hunter will forfeit hunting privileges for that site for the following season.
Fox Ridge State Park (except dove management units; shooting hours after September 5 are 12 noon to sunset) (1)
Kickapoo State Recreation Area (1)
Lake Shelbyville – Eagle Creek State Park (season opens day after Labor Day; closes October 14; shooting hours are 12 noon to sunset) (1)
Middle Fork State Fish and Wildlife Area (except dove management units) (1)
Newton Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area (except dove management units) (1)
i) Statewide regulations as provided for in this Part shall apply at the following sites, except that hunting hours are sunrise to 11:30 a.m. daily September 1-5; season closes September 30. A drawing will be held one hour before sunrise if more hunters show up than can be accommodated.
Coffeen Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area (#)
Eldon Hazlet State Park (1)
Mt. Vernon Game Propagation Center (#)
Pyramid State Park (All hunting units) (all hunters must register as a group not to exceed 4 names per card; a hunter’s name may only appear on one draw card and cards shall be in possession of the hunters or group while hunting) (1)
Ramsey Lake State Park (#)
Rend Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area (#)
Stephen A. Forbes State Park (1)
Ten Mile Creek State Fish and Wildlife Area (season closes on statewide closing date) (1)
j) Permit Areas
1) Permit Season Regulations
A) Permit season dates shall be September 1-5 and hunting hours are 12 noon to 5 p.m. at the sites listed in subsection (j)(3). At sites designated as (a), hunting hours are sunrise to 11:30 a.m.
B) Permit Applications
Permit applications will be accepted starting in June. Initial acceptance dates and methods for making applications will be publicly announced. A hunter can obtain up to 2 dove permits as follows: Only applications submitted by Illinois residents will be processed during the first lottery to apply for up to one dove permit. Non-residents and residents who did not receive a permit or did not apply in the first lottery will be eligible to participate in the second lottery to apply for their first dove permit. Residents will have priority in the 2nd lottery. Residents and non-residents can apply for a 2nd permit during the phone-in reservation period to be held after the lottery. Successful applicants will be sent confirmation via email or can access the Reservation Inquiry System to see if they were awarded a permit.
C) Drawings for permits at specific sites may be canceled at any time due to flooding, inclement weather, staff shortages or other adverse conditions beyond the Department's control. Hunters are urged to select a second choice of sites on their permit application.
D) Permits are not transferrable.
E) Permits will be issued from the Springfield Permit Office for permit controlled sites. For other information, go to www.dnr.illinois.gov.
F) Hunting at these areas is by special permit only for the first five days of the season; thereafter, no permits are required for hunting these sites. All permits will be issued from Springfield and not from the site.
G) Check in time for registration shall be between 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. each day. Openings after 11 a.m. may be filled by drawing for standbys if more hunters register than there are vacancies. At sites designated as (b), check in time for registration shall be between 4:00 a.m. and 5:30 a.m. each day. Openings after 5:30 a.m. may be filled by drawing for standbys if more hunters register than there are vacancies. If standby drawings are not held then 17 Ill. Adm. Code 510.10(d)(3) shall apply.
H) All hunters must wear a DNR issued backpatch.
2) Non-Permit Season Regulations
A) Non-permit season shall be September 6-30 except as indicated in parentheses.
B) Non-permit hunting hours shall be 12 noon to sunset except as indicated in parentheses.
C) No permits are required except as indicated in parentheses.
D) Check in and check out is required except as indicated in parentheses.
E) Hunter quotas will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis.
3) Sites
Big Bend State Fish and Wildlife Area (non-permit hunting hours sunrise to sunset)
Des Plaines State Conservation Area
Edward R. Madigan State Park
Green River State Wildlife Area/Sand Prairie Habitat Area (non-permit hunting hours are sunrise to sunset) (1)
Horseshoe Lake State Park (Madison County) (non-permit hunting hours are 12 noon to 5 p.m.)
Horseshoe Lake State Park (Madison County) − Gabaret, Mosenthein, Chouteau Island Unit (non-permit hunting hours are 12 noon to 5:00 p.m. September 6 through October 14)
Iroquois County State Wildlife Area (1)
Jim Edgar Panther Creek State Fish and Wildlife Area ( on the Controlled Unit only those hunters engaged in the controlled pheasant hunting program may take doves during the November portion of the dove season; on the Quail Management Unit only those hunters with Quail Management Unit Permits may take doves during the November portion of the dove season) (1)
Johnson Sauk Trail State Park (non-permit hunting hours are sunrise to sunset) (1) (a) (b)
Kankakee River State Park (1)
Mackinaw River State Recreation Area (non-permit hunting hours sunrise to sunset; each permit authorizes the holder to bring one hunting partner) (1)
Matthiessen State Park
Sangchris Lake State Park (closed after Sunday of the third weekend in September; designated fields will be open from sunrise to 12 noon starting the 6th day of the dove season)
Silver Springs State Park (closed during National Hunting and Fishing Day Weekend)
Snakeden Hollow State Fish and Wildlife Area/Victoria Pheasant Habitat Area (non-permit hunting hours sunrise to sunset)
Starved Rock State Park
(Source: Amended at 48 Ill. Reg. 4078, effective March 1, 2024)