State of Illinois
90th General Assembly
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90_HB2646

      520 ILCS 5/2.25           from Ch. 61, par. 2.25
      520 ILCS 5/2.27           from Ch. 61, par. 2.27
      520 ILCS 5/2.28           from Ch. 61, par. 2.28
      520 ILCS 5/2.30           from Ch. 61, par. 2.30
      520 ILCS 5/2.37           from Ch. 61, par. 2.37
          Amends the Wildlife Code.  Provides  that  the  following
      provisions do  not apply to the control of wildlife damage to
      horticultural   crops,    agricultural  crops,  or  livestock
      production by owners of land or their   tenants:   provisions
      concerning   open  season  for  deer,  provisions  concerning
      taking of rabbits, squirrels, and  fur-bearing  animals,  and
      provisions      concerning   authority   to  kill  wild  game
      responsible for property loss.   Effective immediately.
                                                     LRB9008726DJpc
                                               LRB9008726DJpc
 1        AN ACT to amend the Wildlife Code  by  changing  Sections
 2    5.25, 5.27, 5.28, 5.30, and 5.37.
 3        Be  it  enacted  by  the People of the State of Illinois,
 4    represented in the General Assembly:
 5        Section 5.  The Wildlife  Code  is  amended  by  changing
 6    Sections 5.25, 5.27, 5.28, 5.30, and 5.37 as follows:
 7        (520 ILCS 5/2.25) (from Ch. 61, par. 2.25)
 8        Sec.  2.25.  It  shall be unlawful for any person to take
 9    deer except (i) with a shotgun or muzzleloading rifle or (ii)
10    as provided by administrative rule, with a bow and arrow,  or
11    crossbow device for handicapped persons as defined in Section
12    2.33,  during  the open season of not more than 14 days which
13    will be set annually by the Director  between  the  dates  of
14    November 1st and December 31st, both inclusive.
15        It  shall  be unlawful for any person to take deer except
16    with a bow and arrow,  or  crossbow  device  for  handicapped
17    persons  (as defined in Section 2.33), during the open season
18    for bow and arrow set annually by the  Director  between  the
19    dates of September 1st and January 31st, both inclusive.
20        It  shall  be unlawful for any person to take deer except
21    with (i) a muzzleloading rifle, or (ii)  bow  and  arrow,  or
22    crossbow device for handicapped persons as defined in Section
23    2.33,  during  the  open  season for muzzleloading rifles set
24    annually by the Director.
25        The Director shall cause an administrative  rule  setting
26    forth the prescribed rules and regulations, including bag and
27    possession  limits and those counties of the State where open
28    seasons are established, to be published in  accordance  with
29    Sections 1.3 and 1.13 of this Act.
30        The  Department  is  authorized  to  establish a separate
31    harvest period at specific sites within  the  State  for  the
                            -2-                LRB9008726DJpc
 1    purpose  of  harvesting  surplus  deer  that  cannot be taken
 2    during the regular season provided for the  taking  of  deer.
 3    This  season  shall  be  restricted  to  gun or bow and arrow
 4    hunting only and shall be established during  the  period  of
 5    September   1st   to   February  15th,  both  inclusive.  The
 6    Department  shall  publish  suitable  prescribed  rules   and
 7    regulations  established by administrative rule pertaining to
 8    management restrictions applicable to  this  special  harvest
 9    program.
10        The  provisions  of  this  Section  do  not  apply to the
11    control  of  wildlife    damage   to   horticultural   crops,
12    agricultural  crops,  or  livestock  production by  owners of
13    land or their tenants.
14    (Source: P.A.  86-1188;  87-126;  87-234;  87-895;   87-1015;
15    87-1243; 87-1268.)
16        (520 ILCS 5/2.27) (from Ch. 61, par. 2.27)
17        Sec.  2.27.   It shall be unlawful for any person to take
18    cottontail, jack and swamp rabbits except with a gun  or  bow
19    and  arrow  during the open season which will be set annually
20    by the Director between the dates of October 1st  to  January
21    31st,  both  inclusive.   Dogs  may  be  used in hunting with
22    either gun or bow and arrow.
23        It shall be unlawful to take or  possess  more  than  the
24    daily take limit and possession limit of rabbits that will be
25    set  annually  by  the Director. Limits cannot exceed a daily
26    take limit of 5 rabbits or a possession limit of 10 rabbits.
27        The provisions of  this  Section  do  not  apply  to  the
28    control   of   wildlife     damage  to  horticultural  crops,
29    agricultural crops, or livestock production  by    owners  of
30    land or their tenants.
31        The   provisions   of   this   Section   are  subject  to
32    modification by administrative rule.
33    (Source: P.A. 85-152.)
                            -3-                LRB9008726DJpc
 1        (520 ILCS 5/2.28) (from Ch. 61, par. 2.28)
 2        Sec. 2.28. It shall be unlawful for any  person  to  take
 3    fox squirrels and gray squirrels except with a gun or bow and
 4    arrow  during  the  open season which will be set annually by
 5    the Director between the dates of May  1st  to  February  28.
 6    Dogs may be used in hunting with gun or bow and arrow.  It is
 7    unlawful  for  any  person  to  take  white  squirrels or red
 8    squirrels (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus)  in  this  State  at  any
 9    time.
10        It  shall  be  unlawful  to take or possess more than the
11    daily take limit and possession limit of squirrels that  will
12    be  set  annually  by  the  Director.  Limits cannot exceed a
13    daily take limit of 5 squirrels or a possession limit  of  10
14    squirrels.
15        For  the  purpose  of  taking squirrels, the State may be
16    divided into management zones by administrative rule.
17        The provisions of  this  Section  do  not  apply  to  the
18    control   of   wildlife     damage  to  horticultural  crops,
19    agricultural crops, or livestock production  by    owners  of
20    land or their tenants.
21        The   provisions   of   this   Section   are  subject  to
22    modification provided by administrative rule.
23    (Source: P.A. 89-341, eff. 8-17-95.)
24        (520 ILCS 5/2.30) (from Ch. 61, par. 2.30)
25        Sec. 2.30.  It shall be unlawful for any person  to  trap
26    or to hunt with gun, dog, dog and gun, or bow and arrow, gray
27    fox,  red  fox,  raccoon,  weasel, mink, muskrat, badger, and
28    opossum except during the  open  season  which  will  be  set
29    annually  by  the  Director between 12:01 a.m., November 1 to
30    12:00 midnight, February 15, both inclusive.
31        It is unlawful for any person to  take  bobcat  or  river
32    otter in this State at any time.
33        It  is  unlawful  to pursue any fur-bearing mammal with a
                            -4-                LRB9008726DJpc
 1    dog or dogs between the hours of sunset  and  sunrise  during
 2    the  10  day period preceding the opening date of the raccoon
 3    hunting season and the 10 day period  following  the  closing
 4    date of the raccoon hunting season except that the Department
 5    may issue field trial permits in accordance with Section 2.34
 6    of   this   Act.  A  non-resident  from  a  state  with  more
 7    restrictive fur-bearer pursuit regulations for any particular
 8    species than provided for that species in this  Act  may  not
 9    pursue  that  species in Illinois except during the period of
10    time that Illinois  residents  are  allowed  to  pursue  that
11    species  in the non-resident's state of residence. Fenced fox
12    hound training enclosures approved by the Department shall be
13    exempt from the provisions of this Section.
14        It shall be unlawful to  take  beaver,  weasel,  mink  or
15    muskrat  except  during  the  open season set annually by the
16    Director, and then, only with traps.
17        It shall be unlawful for any person to trap  beaver  with
18    traps  except  during  the  open  season  which  will  be set
19    annually by the Director between 12:01 a.m., November 1st and
20    12:00 midnight, March 31.
21        Coyote may be taken by trapping methods only  during  the
22    period  from  September  1 to March 1, both inclusive, and by
23    hunting methods at any time.
24        Striped skunk may  be  taken  by  trapping  methods  only
25    during   the  period  from  September  1  to  March  1,  both
26    inclusive, and by hunting methods at any time.
27        For the purpose of taking fur-bearing mammals, the  State
28    may be divided into management zones by administrative rule.
29        The  provisions  of  this  Section  do  not  apply to the
30    control  of  wildlife    damage   to   horticultural   crops,
31    agricultural  crops,  or  livestock  production by  owners of
32    land or their tenants.
33        The  provisions  of   this   Section   are   subject   to
34    modification by administrative rule.
                            -5-                LRB9008726DJpc
 1    (Source: P.A. 89-341, eff. 8-17-95.)
 2        (520 ILCS 5/2.37) (from Ch. 61, par. 2.37)
 3        Sec.  2.37.  Upon written permission from the Department,
 4    owners and tenants of lands may remove or  destroy  any  wild
 5    bird or wild mammal, other than a game bird or migratory game
 6    bird,  when  such  wild  bird  or  wild mammal is known to be
 7    destroying property upon his or her land.
 8        Upon receipt by the Department of  information  from  the
 9    owner, tenant or sharecropper that any one or more species of
10    wildlife,  other  than  a  game  bird  or  migratory bird, is
11    damaging dams, levees, ditches or other property on the  land
12    on  which  he  resides or controls, together with a statement
13    regarding location of the property damages,  the  nature  and
14    extent  of  the damage and the particular species of wildlife
15    committing  the  damage,  the  Department   shall   make   an
16    investigation.
17        If, after investigation, the Department finds such damage
18    to  exist  and  can  be abated only by removing or destroying
19    such wildlife, a permit shall be issued by the Department  to
20    remove  or  destroy  the  species  responsible  causing  such
21    damage.
22        A  permit to control such damage shall be for a period of
23    up to 90 days, shall specify the means and methods  by  which
24    and the person or persons by whom the wildlife may be removed
25    or destroyed and shall set forth the disposition procedure to
26    be made of all wildlife taken, and such other restrictions as
27    the   Director   deems   necessary  and  appropriate  in  the
28    circumstances of the particular case.  Whenever possible, the
29    specimens destroyed shall be given to a bona-fide  public  or
30    state scientific, educational or zoological institution.
31        The  permittee  shall  advise  the Department in writing,
32    within ten days after the expiration date of the  permit,  of
33    the   number   of   individual  species  of  wildlife  taken,
                            -6-                LRB9008726DJpc
 1    disposition made of same, and any other information which the
 2    Department may consider necessary.
 3        In addition the Department may grant  to  an  individual,
 4    corporation, association or a governmental body the authority
 5    to   control   wildlife.   The  Department  shall  set  forth
 6    applicable regulations in an  Administrative  Order  and  may
 7    require  periodic  reports  listing species taken, numbers of
 8    each species taken, dates when  taken,  and  other  pertinent
 9    information.
10        Drainage  Districts  shall  have the authority to control
11    beaver provided that  they  must  notify  the  Department  in
12    writing  that a problem exists and of their intention to trap
13    the animals at least 7 days before the trapping begins.   The
14    District  must  identify traps used in beaver control outside
15    the dates of the furbearer trapping season  with  metal  tags
16    with the district's name legibly inscribed upon them.  During
17    the   furtrapping   season,   traps  must  be  identified  as
18    prescribed by law.  Conibear traps at least size 330 shall be
19    used except during the statewide furbearer  trapping  season.
20    During  that  time  trappers may use any device that is legal
21    according to the Wildlife Code.  Except during the  statewide
22    furbearer  trapping season, beaver traps must be set in water
23    at  least  10  inches  deep.   Except  during  the  statewide
24    furbearer trapping season, traps must be set within  10  feet
25    of  an inhabited bank burrow or house and within 10 feet of a
26    dam maintained by a beaver.  No  beaver  or  other  furbearer
27    taken  outside of the dates for the furbearer trapping season
28    may be sold.  All  animals  must  be  given  to  the  nearest
29    conservation officer or other Department of Natural Resources
30    representative   within  48  hours  after  they  are  caught.
31    Furbearers taken during the fur trapping season may  be  sold
32    provided  that  they  are  taken  by  persons  who have valid
33    trapping licenses in their possession and are lawfully taken.
34    The District must submit an annual report showing the species
                            -7-                LRB9008726DJpc
 1    and numbers of animals caught.  The report must indicate  all
 2    species which were taken.
 3        The  provisions  of  this  Section  do  not  apply to the
 4    control  of  wildlife    damage   to   horticultural   crops,
 5    agricultural  crops,  or  livestock  production by  owners of
 6    land or their tenants.
 7    (Source: P.A. 89-445, eff. 2-7-96.)
 8        Section 99.  Effective date.  This Act takes effect  upon
 9    becoming law.

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