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.