Section 550.20  Statewide Regulations

a)         Raccoon, Opossum

1)         Hunting dates:  November 10 through the next following February 15, except as noted in Section 550.10(a).  Hunting outside the set season dates is a Class B misdemeanor (see 520 ILCS 5/2.30).

2)         Hunting hours:  Season begins ½ hour before sunrise on opening date and ends ½ hour after sunset on closing date.  Hours for hunting raccoon and opossum with a gun are not restricted during intervening dates of the open season, except as noted in Section 550.10(a).  During the archery deer season, hours for hunting raccoon and opossum with a bow and arrow shall coincide with hours for hunting deer with a bow and arrow, as specified in Section 2.26 of the Wildlife Code [520 ILCS 5].  Hunting prior to sunrise on opening day is a Class B misdemeanor (see 520 ILCS 5/2.30).  Hunting prior to ½ hour before sunrise on opening day or during the archery deer season, or hunting after ½ hour after sunset during the archery deer season, 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)).

3)         Daily limit and possession limit:  None.

b)         Red fox and gray fox

1)         Hunting dates:  November 10 through the next following February 15, except as noted in Section 550.10(a).  Hunting outside the season dates is a Class B misdemeanor (see 520 ILCS 5/2.30).

2)         Hunting hours:  Season begins ½ hour before sunrise on opening date and ends ½ hour after sunset on closing date.  Hours for hunting red fox and gray fox with a gun are not restricted during intervening dates of the open season, except as noted in Section 550.10(a).  During the archery deer season, hours for hunting red fox and gray fox with a bow and arrow shall coincide with the hours for hunting deer with a bow and arrow as specified in Section 2.26 of the Wildlife Code.  Hunting prior to sunrise on opening day is a Class B misdemeanor (see 520 ILCS 5/2.30).  Hunting prior to ½ hour before sunrise on opening day or during the archery deer season, or hunting after ½  hour after sunset during the archery deer season, 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)).

3)         Daily limit and possession limit:  None.

c)         Coyote and Striped Skunk

1)         Hunting dates:  Year around except as noted in Section 550.10(a).

2)         Hunting hours:  One-half hour before sunrise to ½ hour after sunset, except from the opening date of the red fox and gray fox hunting season through March 15, when statewide hunting hours are unrestricted, and except during archery deer season when coyote and striped skunk bow hunting hours shall coincide with the statewide archery deer hunting hours, as specified in Section 2.26 of the Wildlife Code.  Hunting before ½ hour prior to sunrise or after ½ 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, except when hours are unrestricted (see 520 ILCS 5/2.33(y)).

3)         Daily limit and possession limit:  None.

d)         Woodchuck (groundhog)

1)         Hunting dates:  June 1 through the next following March 31, except as noted in Section 550.10(a).  Hunting outside the season dates is a Class B misdemeanor (see 520 ILCS 5/2.30).

2)         Hunting hours:  One-half hour before sunrise to ½ hour after sunset.  Hunting prior to ½ hour before sunrise or after ½ 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)).

3)         Daily limit and possession limit:  None.

e)         Bobcat

1)         Closed Zone:  Taking bobcats is prohibited inside an area bounded by the Indiana State border from Lake Michigan southward to U.S. Route 36 (New Route 36), westward on U.S. Route 36 to U.S. Route 51, northward on U.S. Route 51 to the Wisconsin State border, and eastward on the Wisconsin State border to Lake Michigan.  Bobcats may be taken in the remainder of the State in accordance with this Section.

2)         Hunting dates:  November 10 through the next following February 15, except as noted in Section 550.10(a)

3)         Hunting hours:  Season begins ½ hour before sunrise on opening date and ends ½ hour after sunset on closing date.  Hours for hunting bobcat with a gun are not restricted during intervening dates of the open season, except as noted in Section 550.10(a).  During the archery deer season, hours for hunting bobcat with a bow and arrow shall coincide with hours for hunting deer with a bow and arrow as specified in Section 2.26 of the Wildlife Code.  Hunting prior to ½ hour before sunrise or after ½ hour after sunset is a Class A misdemeanor with a minimum $50 fine and a maximum $5,000 fine, in addition to other statutory penalties (see 520 ILCS 5/2.33(y)).

4)         Daily limit and possession limit:  Not to exceed one bobcat per permittee per season for combined methods of take.  Bobcats salvaged from roadways under authority of Section 2.30 of the Wildlife Code become part of the permittee's season limit and are subject to permit and tagging requirements.  Possession limit for bobcat does not apply to fur buyers, fur tanners, taxidermists or manufacturers as defined by Sections 3.11, 3.12, 3.15, 3.16, 3.16a, 3.18 and 3.21 of the Wildlife Code.

(Source:  Amended at 43 Ill. Reg. 9430, effective August 23, 2019)