HB3760 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB104 12106 BDA 22205 b

104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2025 and 2026
HB3760

Introduced 2/18/2025, by Rep. Lawrence "Larry" Walsh, Jr.

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

5 ILCS 100/5-45.65 new
520 ILCS 5/1.4	from Ch. 61, par. 1.4
520 ILCS 5/2.30	from Ch. 61, par. 2.30

Amends the Wildlife Code. Provides that it shall be unlawful for any person to trap or to hunt gray fox except during an open season, which may (rather than will) be set annually by the Director of Natural Resources between 12:01 a.m., November 1 to 12:00 midnight, February 15, both inclusive. Allows the Director, by administrative rule, to set the dates of, lengthen, shorten, or close the season during which gray fox may be taken. Allows the Director to also set, lessen, or increase the daily bag limit or possession limit of gray fox by administrative rule. Amends the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act. Grants the Department of Natural Resources emergency rulemaking powers. Effective immediately.

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning wildlife.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 5. The Illinois Administrative Procedure Act is amended by adding Section 5-45.65 as follows:

(5 ILCS 100/5-45.65 new)

Sec. 5-45.65. Emergency rulemaking; Department of Natural Resources. To provide for the expeditious and timely implementation of this amendatory Act of the 104th General Assembly, emergency rules implementing the changes made to the Wildlife Code by this amendatory Act of the 104th General Assembly may be adopted in accordance with Section 5-45 by the Department of Natural Resources. The adoption of emergency rules authorized by Section 5-45 and this Section is deemed to be necessary for the public interest, safety, and welfare.

This Section is repealed one year after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 104th General Assembly.

Section 10. The Wildlife Code is amended by changing Sections 1.4 and 2.30 as follows:

(520 ILCS 5/1.4) (from Ch. 61, par. 1.4)

Sec. 1.4. The Department is authorized to make rules and regulations for carrying out, administering and enforcing the provisions of this Act. These rules and regulations shall be called and hereinafter referred to as administrative rules.

Each rule shall be promulgated in accordance with the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act.

A copy of any such rule, under the seal of the Department and certified by the Director thereof shall be received in evidence in all courts of this State with the same effect as the original.

Such rules, after becoming effective, shall be enforced in the same manner as are any other provisions of this Act and violators thereof are subject to the penalties set out in Section 3.5 of this Act.

The Department may adopt emergency rules in accordance with Sections 5-45 and 5-45.65. of the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act. The adoption of emergency rules authorized by Sections 5-45 and 5-45.65 of the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act and this paragraph is deemed to be necessary for the public interest, safety, and welfare.

(Source: P.A. 91-357, eff. 7-29-99.)

(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.

Except as provided in this Section, it shall be unlawful for any person to trap or to hunt gray fox except during an open season, which may be set annually by the Director between 12:01 a.m., November 1 to 12:00 midnight, February 15, both inclusive. When the biological balance of the gray fox is affected for any reason, the Director may, by administrative rule, set the dates of, lengthen, shorten, or close the season during which gray fox may be taken. The Director may also set, lessen, or increase the daily bag limit or possession limit of gray fox by administrative rule.

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 air rifle 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 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. 102-837, eff. 5-13-22.)

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