Public Act 098-0924
 
HB5514 EnrolledLRB098 18739 MGM 53882 b


  
    AN ACT concerning wildlife.
  
 
    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
 
represented in the General Assembly:
  



 
 
    Section 5. The Wildlife Code is amended  by changing Section 
2.30 as follows:
 



    (520 ILCS 5/2.30)  (from Ch. 61, par. 2.30)



    Sec. 2.30. It shall be unlawful for any person to trap or 
to hunt
with gun, dog, dog and gun, or bow and arrow, gray fox, 
red fox,
raccoon, weasel, mink, muskrat, badger, and opossum 
except during
the open season which will be set annually by the 
Director between 12:01
a.m., November 1 to 12:00 midnight, 
February 15, both inclusive.

    It is unlawful for any person to take bobcat
in this State 
at any time.

    It is unlawful to pursue any fur-bearing mammal with a dog 
or dogs
between the hours of sunset and sunrise during the 10 
day period
preceding the opening date of the raccoon hunting 
season and the 10 day
period following the closing date of the 
raccoon hunting season except
that the Department may issue 
field trial permits in accordance with Section
2.34 of this 
Act. A non-resident from a state with more restrictive

fur-bearer pursuit regulations for any particular species than 
provided for
that species in this Act may not pursue that 
species in Illinois except
during the period of time that 
Illinois residents are allowed to pursue
that species in the 
non-resident's state of residence. Hound running areas 
approved by the Department shall be exempt from the
provisions 
of this Section.

    It shall be unlawful to take beaver, river otter, weasel, 
mink, or muskrat except during
the open season set annually by 
the  Director, and then, only with traps, except that a firearm, 
pistol, or airgun of a caliber not larger than a .22 long rifle 
may be used to remove the animal from the trap. 

    It shall be unlawful for any person to trap beaver or river 
otter with traps except during
the open season which will be 
set annually by the Director between 12:01
a.m., November 1st 
and 12:00 midnight, March 31, both inclusive.

    Coyote may be taken by trapping methods only during the 
period from
September 1 to March 1, both inclusive, and by 
hunting methods at any time.

    Striped skunk may be taken by trapping methods only during 
the period
from September 1 to March 1, both inclusive, and by 
hunting methods at
any time.

    Muskrat may be taken by trapping methods during an open 
season set annually by the Director. 
    For the purpose of taking fur-bearing mammals, the State 
may be
divided into management zones by administrative rule.


    It shall be unlawful to take or possess more than the 
season limit or possession limit of fur-bearing mammals that 
shall be set annually by the Director. The season limit for 
river otter shall not exceed 5 river otters per person per 
season. Possession limits shall not apply to fur buyers, 
tanners, manufacturers, and taxidermists, as defined by this 
Act, who possess fur-bearing mammals in accordance with laws 
governing such activities.
    Nothing in this Section shall prohibit the taking or 
possessing of fur-bearing mammals found dead or 
unintentionally killed by a vehicle along a roadway during the 
open season provided the person who possesses such fur-bearing 
mammals has all appropriate licenses, stamps, or permits;  the 
season for which the species possessed is open; and that such 
possession and disposal of such fur-bearing mammals is 
otherwise subject to the provisions of this Section. 
    The provisions of this Section are subject to modification 
by administrative rule. 
(Source: P.A. 97-19, eff. 6-28-11; 97-31, eff. 6-28-11; 97-628, 
eff. 11-10-11; 98-463, eff. 8-16-13.)

 
 
    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon 
becoming law.