PART 690 SQUIRREL HUNTING : Sections Listing

TITLE 17: CONSERVATION
CHAPTER I: DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES
SUBCHAPTER b: FISH AND WILDLIFE
PART 690 SQUIRREL HUNTING

AUTHORITY: Implementing and authorized by Sections 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 2.1, 2.2, 2.20, 2.28 and 3.5 of the Wildlife Code [520 ILCS 5].

SOURCE: Adopted at 5 Ill. Reg. 8017, effective July 24, 1981; codified at 5 Ill. Reg. 10642; emergency amendment at 5 Ill. Reg. 11382, effective October 14, 1981, for a maximum of 150 days; emergency expired March 12, 1982; amended at 6 Ill. Reg. 9642, effective July 21, 1982; amended at 7 Ill. Reg. 8809, effective July 15, 1983; emergency amendment at 7 Ill. Reg. 9690, effective August 1, 1983, for a maximum of 150 days; emergency expired December 29, 1983; amended at 8 Ill. Reg. 16789, effective August 30, 1984; amended at 9 Ill. Reg. 11614, effective July 16, 1985; amended at 10 Ill. Reg. 15601, effective September 16, 1986; amended at 11 Ill. Reg. 9549, effective May 5, 1987; amended at 12 Ill. Reg. 12246, effective July 15, 1988; amended at 13 Ill. Reg. 10606, effective June 15, 1989; amended at 14 Ill. Reg. 10816, effective June 20, 1990; amended at 15 Ill. Reg. 10012, effective June 24, 1991; amended at 16 Ill. Reg. 11087, effective June 30, 1992; amended at 17 Ill. Reg. 10842, effective July 1, 1993; amended at 18 Ill. Reg. 8624, effective May 31, 1994; amended at 19 Ill. Reg. 10664, effective July 1, 1995; amended at 20 Ill. Reg. 10882, effective August 5, 1996; amended at 21 Ill. Reg. 9095, effective June 26, 1997; amended at 22 Ill. Reg. 14844, effective August 3, 1998; amended at 23 Ill. Reg. 9074, effective July 28, 1999; amended at 24 Ill. Reg. 8947, effective June 19, 2000; amended at 25 Ill. Reg. 9903, effective July 17, 2001; amended at 26 Ill. Reg. 13845, effective September 5, 2002; amended at 27 Ill. Reg. 12640, effective July 21, 2003; amended at 28 Ill. Reg. 11893, effective July 27, 2004; amended at 29 Ill. Reg. 9786, effective June 27, 2005; amended at 30 Ill. Reg. 12229, effective June 28, 2006; amended at 31 Ill. Reg. 11700, effective July 27, 2007; amended at 32 Ill. Reg. 14819, effective August 27, 2008; amended at 33 Ill. Reg. 13900, effective September 21, 2009; amended at 34 Ill. Reg. 10802, effective July 16, 2010; amended at 35 Ill. Reg. 15247, effective September 2, 2011; amended at 37 Ill. Reg. 20674, effective December 12, 2013; amended at 39 Ill. Reg. 10939, effective July 27, 2015; amended at 40 Ill. Reg. 10618, effective July 20, 2016; amended at 41 Ill. Reg. 8714, effective June 28, 2017; amended at 42 Ill. Reg. 13161, effective June 22, 2018; amended at 43 Ill. Reg. 9568, effective August 23, 2019; amended at 45 Ill. Reg. 12756, effective September 24, 2021; amended at 48 Ill. Reg. 4029, effective March 1, 2024; amended at 48 Ill. Reg. 15594, effective October 17, 2024.

 

Section 690.10  Hunting Seasons

 

Season dates:  August 1 through February 15 (except closed during firearm deer seasons, as set by 17 Ill. Adm. Code 650, in those counties open to firearm deer hunting). Hunting outside the set season dates is a petty offense (see 520 ILCS 5/2.28).

 

(Source:  Amended at 30 Ill. Reg. 12229, effective June 28, 2006)

 

Section 690.20  Statewide Regulations

 

a)         Fox squirrels and gray squirrels (including their black color phase) are the only tree squirrels that may be hunted or taken.

 

b)         Daily limit: 5 fox and gray (including their black color phase) squirrels, singly or in combination.

 

c)         Possession limit: 10 fox and gray (including their black color phase) squirrels, singly or in combination, except on opening day of the season when only 5 squirrels may be in possession.

 

d)         Exceeding the daily limit, the possession limit, or taking of any squirrel other than fox squirrels or gray squirrels (including their black color phase) is a petty offense (see 520 ILCS 5/2.28).

 

(Source:  Amended at 26 Ill. Reg. 13845, effective September 5, 2002)

 

Section 690.30  Regulations at Various Department-Owned, -Leased or -Managed Sites

 

a)         All the regulations in 17 Ill. Adm. Code 510, General Hunting and Trapping on Department-Owned or -Managed Sites, apply in this Part, unless this Part is more restrictive.  Violation of a site specific regulation is a petty offense (see 520 ILCS 5/2.28).

 

b)         Unless otherwise noted, hunting with .22 caliber or smaller rimfire firearms, .25 caliber or smaller air rifles, muzzleloading black powder firearms, shotguns, or bow and arrow is permitted.  Hunting with shotguns, .25 caliber or smaller air rifles, and/or bow and arrow are the only methods of take permitted at those sites listed in the following subsections that are followed by a (1).

 

c)         Check-in, check-out and reporting of harvest is required at those sites listed in the following subsections that are followed by a (2). Sites that require use of windshield cards by hunters as specified in 17 Ill. Adm. Code 510.10 are followed by (4).

 

d)         Statewide regulations apply at the following sites:

 

Alvah Borah State Fish and Wildlife Area (4)

 

Anderson Lake State Conservation Area (2)

 

Apple River Canyon State Park – Salem and Thompson Units (closed during firearm deer hunting) (4)

 

Argyle Lake State Park (4)

 

Big Bend State Fish and Wildlife Area (2)

 

Big Grand Pierre State Natural Area (4)

 

Big River State Forest (4)

 

Burning Star State Fish and Wildlife Area (4)

 

Butterfield Trail State Recreation Area (closed during all deer seasons) (4)

 

Cache River State Natural Area (2)

 

Campbell Pond State Wildlife Management Area (4)

 

Cape Bend State Fish and Wildlife Area (2)

 

Carlyle Lake Lands and Waters – Corps of Engineers managed lands

 

Carlyle Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area (subimpoundment area closes 7 days prior to the start of the waterfowl season for the zone in which Carlyle Lake is located) (4)

 

Cave-In-Rock State Park – Kaegi Tract (4)

 

Chain O'Lakes State Park (opens Wednesday after permit pheasant season for 5 consecutive days, except closed on Christmas Day; 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.; daily quota filled on first-come, first-served basis; DNR issued back patch must be worn while hunting; only shot size of No. 3 steel, No. 4 bismuth, No. 5 tungsten-iron, tungsten-matrix, tungsten-polymer or smaller may be used) (2)

 

Chauncey Marsh State Natural Area (4)

 

Clinton Lake State Recreation Area – Hunting with .22 caliber or smaller rimfire firearms, .25 caliber or smaller air rifles, or muzzleloading black powder rifles is restricted to the North Fork Management Area (North of Davenport Bridge (4)

 

Coffeen Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area (closed during all deer seasons) (4)

 

Copperhead Hollow State Fish and Wildlife Area (4)

 

Crawford County State Fish and Wildlife Area (4)

 

Cretaceous Hills State Natural Area (4)

 

Cypress Pond State Natural Area (2)

 

Deer Pond State Natural Area (2)

 

Devil's Island State Fish and Wildlife Area

 

Dixon Springs State Park (2)

 

Dog Island State Wildlife Management Area (4)

 

Dug Hill State Fish and Wildlife Area (2)

 

Eldon Hazlet State Park (north of Allen Branch (4); and west of Peppenhorst Branch only)

 

Embarras River Bottoms State Habitat Area (4)

 

Ferne Clyffe State Park − Cedar Draper Bluffs Hunting Area (2)

 

Flag Pond State Natural Area (4)

 

Fort de Chartres State Historic Site (muzzleloading firearms or bow and arrow only) (2)

 

Fort Massac State Park (4)

 

Fox Creek State Fish and Wildlife Area (shotgun only; nontoxic shot required; closed during firearm deer seasons) (4)

 

Fox Ridge State Park (4)

 

French Bluff Natural Area (4)

 

Hamilton County State Conservation Area (4)

 

Hanover Bluff State Natural Area (closed during firearm deer hunting) (4)

 

Harry "Babe" Woodyard State Natural Area (4)

 

Heidecke State Fish and Wildlife Area – Morris Wetlands Unit only (closed during all deer seasons) (1) (4)

 

Hidden Springs State Forest (4)

 

Horseshoe Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area – Public Hunting Area (2)

 

Iroquois County State Wildlife Area (closed during all deer seasons) (4)

 

Jim Edgar Panther Creek State Fish and Wildlife Area (the Quality Unit and Controlled Unit close October 31) (4)

 

Johnson-Sauk Trail State Park (season opens the day after Labor Day; closed during all deer seasons) (4)

 

Jubilee College State Park (1) (2)

 

Kaskaskia River State Fish and Wildlife Area (Doza Creek Waterfowl Management Area closed 7 days prior to and during duck season; the defined Baldwin Lake Waterfowl Rest Area is closed) (2)

 

Kickapoo State Recreation Area (4)

 

Kinkaid Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area

 

Lake Shelbyville – Eagle Creek State Park (closes the opening day of site's pheasant season) (4)

 

Lincoln Trail State Park (closed August 1 through September 30 and November 1 through January 14) (1) (2)

 

Mackinaw State Fish and Wildlife Area (closed during all deer seasons) (4)

 

Marseilles State Fish and Wildlife Area (Monday through Thursday only through October 31; during August, hunting allowed west of E. 2450 Road only; open daily November 1 through the end of the site archery deer season; closed during the site firearm and muzzleloading deer seasons; unauthorized personnel may not be on the site outside of the posted check station operating hours; hunters may only enter the site from designated parking lots) (2)

 

Marshall State Conservation Area (4)

 

Meeker State Habitat Area (4)

 

Mermet Lake State Conservation Area (non-toxic shot only in waterfowl areas; squirrel hunting closes after September 30, except in upland game area) (4)

 

Middle Fork State Fish and Wildlife Area (4)

 

Mississippi River Pools 16, 17, 18

 

Mississippi River Pools 21, 22, 24

 

Mississippi River State Fish and Waterfowl Management Area (Pools 25 and 26)

 

Momence Wetlands Land and Water Reserve (closed during all deer seasons) (1) (4)

 

Moraine View State Park (closed during the controlled pheasant season and all deer seasons) (4)

 

Morrison Rockwood State Park (opens November 1 and closes the Thursday before the first statewide firearm deer season) (2)

 

Mt. Vernon Game Propagation Center (closed during all deer seasons) (2)

 

Nauvoo State Park (Max Rowe Unit only) (4)

 

Newton Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area (closed during site deer season) (4)

 

Oakford State Conservation Area

 

Peabody River King State Fish and Wildlife Area (east subunit closes November 1) (2)

 

Pyramid State Park – Captain, Denmark, East Conant and Galum Units (4)

 

Rall Woods State Natural Area (closed during firearm deer hunting) (4)

 

Ralph Clover State Natural Area

 

Ramsey Lake State Park (4)

 

Randolph County State Conservation Area (2)

 

Rauchfuss Hill State Recreation Area (2)

 

Ray Norbut State Fish and Wildlife Area (4)

 

Ray Norbut State Fish and Wildlife Area – Dutch Creek Unit (4)

 

Red Hills State Park (4)

 

Redwing Slough State Natural Area (Hunting allowed on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday only; hunting allowed with .25 caliber or smaller air rifles only) (4)

 

Rend Lake Project Lands and Waters – Corps of Engineers Managed land

 

Rend Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area

 

Sahara Woods State Fish and Wildlife Area (4)

 

Saline County State Fish and Wildlife Area (4)

 

Sam Dale Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area (4)

 

Sam Parr State Fish and Wildlife Area (2)

 

Sand Ridge State Forest (4)

 

Sangamon County State Conservation Area

 

Sanganois State Fish and Wildlife Area (4)

 

Shawnee National Forest – Oakwood Bottoms (non-toxic shot only)

 

Shelbyville State Fish and Wildlife Area (4)

 

Sielbeck Forest State Natural Area (4)

 

Siloam Springs State Park (4)

 

Siloam Springs State Park – Buckhorn Unit (4)

 

Skinner Farm State Habitat Area (2)

 

Spoon River State Forest (4)

 

Stephen A. Forbes State Recreation Area (4)

 

Tapley Woods State Natural Area (closed during firearm deer hunting) (4)

 

Ten Mile Creek State Fish and Wildlife Area (4)

 

Trail of Tears State Forest (2)

 

Turkey Bluffs State Fish and Wildlife Area (2)

 

Union County State Fish and Wildlife Area – Firing Line Unit (2)

 

Walnut Point State Park (4)

 

Washington County State Conservation Area (2)

 

Weinberg-King State Park (4)

 

Weinberg-King State Park − Cecil White Unit (4)

 

Weinberg-King State Park − Scripps Unit (4)

 

Weinberg-King State Park − Spunky Bottoms Unit (4)

 

Wildcat Hollow State Forest (4)

 

Winston Tunnel State Natural Area (closed during firearm deer hunting) (4)

 

Wise Ridge State Natural Area

 

Witkowsky State Wildlife Area (closed during firearm deer hunting) (4)

 

e)         Season dates shall be the day following Labor Day through the end of the statewide season at the following sites:

 

Ferne Clyffe State Park – Ferne Clyffe Hunting Area (2)

 

Giant City State Park (rimfire cartridges allowed in Union County portion; no rimfire cartridges allowed in Jackson County portion only) (2)

 

Kankakee River State Park (closed during all deer seasons) (1) (4)

 

Pere Marquette State Park (4)

 

Pyramid State Park – Park Unit (4)

 

f)         Season dates shall be the day after Labor Day through September 30 at the following sites:

 

Lowden-Miller State Forest (season opens September 1; hunting allowed only east of the Rock River, south of the terminus of Nashua Rd., and west of Scout Rd. (4)

 

Sangchris Lake State Park (4)

 

Silver Springs State Park (2)

 

Spring Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area (season reopens the day after the archery deer season closes and remains open until the end of the statewide season) (1) (4)

 

g)         Statewide regulations apply at the following sites, except that hunters must obtain a free permit from the site and variations in season dates are in parentheses.  Permits must be in possession while hunting.  The permit must be returned and harvest reported by March 15 or the hunter will forfeit privileges at that site for the following year:

 

Horseshoe Lake State Park – Gabaret, Mosenthein and Chouteau Island Units (Madison County)

 

Matthiessen State Park (season opens on statewide opening day and closes the day before the archery deer season opens; permits available at the Starved Rock State Park office; hunting in designated areas only)

 

h)         Season dates shall be statewide opening through September 30 at the following sites:

 

Beaver Dam State Park (4)

 

Castle Rock State Park (4)

 

Hindsboro Pheasant State Habitat Area (4)

 

Larry D. Closson State Habitat Area (4)

 

Paul C. Burrus State Habitat Area (4)

 

Sandy Ford State Natural Area (2)

 

Wayne Fitzgerrell State Park (shotgun only) (2)

 

Weldon Springs State Park − Piatt County Unit (4)

 

Willow Creek State Habitat Area (4)

 

Woodford County State Fish and Wildlife Area (4)

 

i)          Season dates shall be statewide opening through October 31 at the following sites:

 

Green River State Wildlife Area (4)

 

Horseshoe Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area (Alexander County) (Controlled Hunting Area; non-toxic shot only) (2)

 

Union County State Fish and Wildlife Area (Controlled Hunting Area; non‑toxic shot only) (2)

 

(Source:  Amended at 48 Ill. Reg. 15594, effective October 17, 2024)