Public Act 100-0779
 
HB5692 EnrolledLRB100 18285 SLF 33489 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. Except as provided in this Section, 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, bobcat, 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 shall be unlawful for any person to hunt or trap bobcat
in this State on and after the effective date of this
amendatory Act of the 100th General Assembly in the counties of
Boone, Bureau, Champaign, Cook, DeKalb, DeWitt, DuPage, Ford,
Grundy, Henry, Iroquois, Kane, Kankakee, Kendall, Knox, Lake,
LaSalle, Lee, Livingston, Logan, Marshall, McHenry, McLean,
Ogle, Peoria, Piatt, Putnam, Stark, Stephenson, Vermilion,
Will, Winnebago, and Woodford and north of U.S. Route 36 in
Edgar and Douglas and north of U.S. Route 36 to the junction
with Illinois Route 121 and north or east of Illinois Route 121
in Macon. For the season beginning in 2017, a total number of
350 bobcats may be hunted or trapped lawfully, or the
conclusion of the season occurs, whichever is earlier. For the
season beginning in 2018, a total number of 375 bobcats may be
hunted or trapped lawfully, or the conclusion of the season
occurs, whichever is earlier. The changes added to this Section
by this amendatory Act of the 100th General Assembly, except
for this sentence, are inoperative on and after June 30, 2019.
    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. The season limit for bobcat shall not exceed one bobcat
per permit. 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. 99-33, eff. 1-1-16; 100-524, eff. 9-22-17.)
 
    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
becoming law.

Effective Date: 8/10/2018