HB5962eng 99TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HB5962 Engrossed LRB099 20231 SLF 44699 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 Sections 3.1-9 and 3.3 as follows:

(520 ILCS 5/3.1-9)

Sec. 3.1-9. Youth Hunting and Trapping Licenses License.

(a) Any resident youth age 18 and under may apply to the Department for a Youth Hunting License, which extends limited hunting privileges. The Youth Hunting License shall be a renewable license that shall expire on the March 31 following the date of issuance.

For youth age 18 and under, the Youth Hunting License shall entitle the licensee to hunt while supervised by a parent, grandparent, or guardian who is 21 years of age or older and has a valid Illinois hunting license. Possession of a Youth Hunting License shall serve in lieu of a valid hunting license, but does not exempt the licensee from compliance with the requirements of this Code and any rules adopted under this Code.

A youth licensed under this subsection (a) Section shall not hunt or carry a hunting device, including, but not limited to, a firearm, bow and arrow, or crossbow unless the youth is accompanied by and under the close personal supervision of a parent, grandparent, or guardian who is 21 years of age or older and has a valid Illinois hunting license.

At age 19 years or when the youth chooses to hunt by himself or herself, he or she is required to successfully complete a hunter safety course approved by the Department prior to being able to obtain a full hunting license and subsequently hunt by himself or herself.

In order to be approved for the Youth Hunting License, the applicant must request a Youth Hunting License from the Department and submit a $7 fee, which shall be separate from and additional to any other stamp, permit, tag, or license fee that may be required for hunting under this Code. The Department shall adopt rules for the administration of the program, but shall not require any certificate of competency or other hunting education as a condition of the Youth Hunting License.

(b) Any resident youth age 18 and under may apply to the Department for a Youth Trapping License, which extends limited trapping privileges. The Youth Trapping License shall be a renewable license that shall expire on the March 31 following the date of issuance.

For youth age 18 and under, the Youth Trapping License shall entitle the licensee to trap while supervised by a parent, grandparent, or guardian who is 21 years of age or older and has a valid Illinois trapping license. Possession of a Youth Trapping License shall serve in lieu of a valid trapping license, but does not exempt the licensee from compliance with the requirements of this Code and any rules adopted under this Code.

A youth licensed under this subsection (b) shall not trap or carry a hunting device, including, but not limited to, a firearm, bow and arrow, or crossbow unless the youth is accompanied by and under the close personal supervision of a parent, grandparent, or guardian who is 21 years of age or older and has a valid Illinois trapping license.

At age 19 years or when the youth chooses to trap by himself or herself, he or she is required to successfully complete a trapper safety course approved by the Department prior to being able to obtain a full trapping license and subsequently trap by himself or herself.

In order to be approved for the Youth Trapping License, the applicant must request a Youth Trapping License from the Department and submit a $7 fee, which shall be separate from and additional to any other stamp, permit, tag, or license fee that may be required for trapping under this Code. The Department shall adopt rules for the administration of the program, but shall not require any certificate of competency or other trapping education as a condition of the Youth Trapping License.

(Source: P.A. 98-620, eff. 1-7-14; 99-78, eff. 7-20-15; 99-307, eff. 1-1-16.)

(520 ILCS 5/3.3) (from Ch. 61, par. 3.3)

Sec. 3.3. Trapping license required. Before any person shall trap any of the mammals protected by this Act, for which an open trapping season has been established, he shall first procure a trapping license from the Department to do so. No traps shall be placed in the field, set or unset, prior to the opening day of the trapping season.

Traps used in the taking of such mammals shall be marked or tagged with metal tags or inscribed in lettering giving the name and address of the owner, and absence of such mark or tag shall be prima facie evidence that such trap or traps are illegally used and the trap or traps shall be confiscated and disposed of as directed by the Department.

Before any person 16 years of age or older shall trap, attempt to trap, or sell the green hides of any mammal of the species defined as fur-bearing mammals by Section 2.2 for which an open season is established under this Act, he shall first have procured a State Habitat Stamp.

Before a trapping license shall be issued to any person under the age of sixteen years, such person shall obtain the written consent of his father, mother or legally constituted guardian to obtain such license.

Beginning January 1, 2016 2015, no trapping license shall be issued to any person born on or after January 1, 1998 2015 or who has not previously held a valid trapping license issued by this State or another state within the 3 years immediately preceding the application unless he or she presents to the authorized issuer of the license evidence that he or she has a certificate of competency provided for in this Section.

The Department of Natural Resources shall authorize personnel of the Department, or volunteer instructors, found by the Department to be competent, to provide instruction in courses on trapping techniques and ethical trapping behavior as needed throughout the State, which courses shall be at least 8 hours in length. Persons so authorized shall provide instruction in such courses to individuals at no charge, and shall issue to individuals successfully completing such courses certificates of competency in basic trapping techniques. The Department shall cooperate in establishing such courses with any reputable association or organization which has as one of its objectives the promotion of the ethical use of legal fur harvesting devices and techniques. The Department shall furnish information on the requirements of the trapper education program to be distributed free of charge to applicants for trapping licenses by the persons appointed and authorized to issue licenses.

The owners residing on, or bona fide tenants of farm lands, and their children actually residing on such lands, shall have the right to trap mammals protected by this Act, for which an open trapping season has been established, upon such lands, without procuring licenses, provided that such mammals are taken during the periods of time and with such devices as are permitted by this Act.

(Source: P.A. 98-913, eff. 1-1-15.)