GTA
Fun Shoot By State Discussion Gate => Discussions By States => Illinois Fun Shooting Events => Topic started by: beastmode986 on July 27, 2012, 08:34:19 PM
-
What am i allowed to shoot at regarding small game/pests? Does anyone know whats legal to kill?
-
That would be up to your department of natural resources. Drop them a line and I'm sure they will be glad to fill you in.
-
You should be able to pull up your state DNR on the internet and find out there.
CDT
-
Check out this post: http://www.gatewaytoairguns.org/GTA/index.php/topic,28614.msg261748.html#msg261748 (http://www.gatewaytoairguns.org/GTA/index.php/topic,28614.msg261748.html#msg261748)
It includes links to the safety course, Illinois hunting regulations, and habitat stamp.
-
i couldent find much on the dnr what i saw was only hunting info if you have a shotgun,.22,rifle etc
-
i couldent find much on the dnr what i saw was only hunting info if you have a shotgun,.22,rifle etc
I don't know if your location is public or private, proximity to inhabited dwellings or buildings, etc, except that you are on this forum so I assume you are using an airgun in Illinois. Please forgive me for assuming very little about you, other than you are smart enough to ask before you do something dumb. :D
A search for "airgun" shows a gun is defined as a shotgun, rifle, handgun or airgun. This tells me the entire regulation applies to airgunners. I cut and pasted some of the pertinent info for airgunners below. It's your ticket, but I suggest you read the entire pdf BEFORE you hunt.
The season dates and bag limits are easily found for small game (rabbit, squirrel, woodchuck, etc.) and fur bearers (raccoon, opossum, fox, coyote, skunk) on pages 2 and 3.
Page 8 has license/stamp info, specifically the State Habitat Stamp is required to hunt or trap any species of wildlife protected by the Wildlife Code.
Page 13 shows It is unlawful to hunt or allow a dog to hunt within 300 yards of an inhabited dwelling without first obtaining permission of the owner or tenant of the dwelling. Except...
Page 44 shows We do not regulate the caliber of handgun or rifle that may be used, except on state-owned or managed areas...
There are special provisions for landowners. Do a search for "landowner" and you'll find:
- Persons hunting on land on which they reside (landowner) are exempt from needing the DNR Hunter Education Course (page 11)
- Grackles, blackbirds and cowbirds may not be hunted as a game species or for recreational purposes. However, in nuisance wildlife cases, red-winged blackbirds, Brewer’s blackbirds, cowbirds, grackles and crows found committing, or about to commit, damage to ornamental or shade trees, agricultural crops, livestock or wildlife, or when concentrated in numbers and a manner that constitutes a health hazard or other nuisance, may be removed or destroyed without a permit/hunting license/stamp provided the person (blah blah blah) (page 22)
- Q: Is there a set distance from another person’s property I must be in order to hunt? A: No. But... (page 44)
Good luck and stay legal. ;D
-
when i asked idnr they told me to stay with fur like rabbits and squirrel and that would be fine.they also told me they were as confused as me on some of the airgun laws also! lol go figure. I asled about coyotes also and they said with a pellet gun? yea right. I said well i do have a few big bores that would do the job fine! i have taken a few coyotes with my big bore as they were fairly close to the house and my dogs were going crazy.
-
IIRC, look on page 2 of the Hunting and Trapping Digest, under "Small Game". That's pretty much the quarry. The digest is vague concerning raccoon, opossum, muskrat, etc, only mentioned under trapping regs, so you'll have to check with them.
No game birds may be taken with air rifle.
Laughably, No Crows or Bullfrogs either(ugh). Pigeons, sparrows, hosps, blackbirds aren't protected in Illinois, some other non-game birds need permit or DNR permission, to rid nuisances. Link to this is below:
http://web.extension.illinois.edu/wildlife/permit_birds.cfm (http://web.extension.illinois.edu/wildlife/permit_birds.cfm)