Furbearer Trapping
Season Dates & Limits
| SPECIES | DATES | LIMIT | ADDITIONAL REGULATIONS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Badger | 10 Nov 2025 - 15 Feb 2026 | North Zone: 2 per person per season | See zone map for boundary |
| 10 Nov 2025 - 15 Feb 2026 | South Zone: 1 per person per season | See zone map for boundary | |
| Beaver | 10 Nov 2025 - 31 Mar 2026 | No limit | |
| Bobcat | 10 Nov 2025 - 15 Feb 2026 | 1 by permit only | Must possess a Bobcat Hunting and Trapping Permit BEFORE attempting to harvest a bobcat. Must purchase Bobcat Registration Permit within 48 hours of taking a bobcat. Taking bobcats in closed zone is prohibited |
| Coyote | 10 Nov 2025 - 15 Feb 2026 | No limit | |
| Mink | 10 Nov 2025 - 15 Feb 2026 | No limit | |
| Muskrat | 10 Nov 2025 - 15 Feb 2026 | No limit | |
| Opossum | 10 Nov 2025 - 15 Feb 2026 | No limit | |
| Raccoon | 10 Nov 2025 - 15 Feb 2026 | No limit | |
| Red Fox | 10 Nov 2025 - 15 Feb 2026 | No limit | Gray fox trapping is closed. |
| River Otter | 10 Nov 2025 - 31 Mar 2026 | 5 per person per season | Must purchase Otter Registration Permit within 48 hours after each otter is trapped. Must affix official CITES tag to each pelt |
| Striped Skunk | 10 Nov 2025 - 15 Feb 2026 | No limit | |
| Weasels | 10 Nov 2025 - 15 Feb 2026 | No limit | |
| Woodchuck | 1 Jun - 30 Sep 2025 | No limit |
Trapping Specific Regulations
Be sure to check regulations for the IDNR site(s) you intend to trap, as some sites have more restrictive regulations on equipment, harvest reporting, etc.
Trapping badger, beaver bobcat, coyote, fox, mink, muskrat, opossum, raccoon, river otter, striped skunk and woodchuck
- Statewide Trap specifications (diameter measured from inside edge of jaws or cable)
- Leghold set on land must have jaw spread of 6.5 inches or less
- Leghold set in water must have jaw spread of 7.5 inches or less
- Body-gripping trap on land must have jaw spread of 7 inches or less on a side if square or 8 inches if round
- Body-gripping trap in water must have jaw spread of 10 inches or less on a side if square or 12 inches if round. Traps greater than 10 inches must be completely submerged in water when set on IDNR sites
- Snares must be 15 inches or less in diameter when set and be constructed of cable between 5/64 to 1/8 inch diameter and equipped with a mechanical lock, anchor swivel and stop device that prevents the snare loop from closing less than 2.5 inches in diameter. At least half the snare be must submerged in water at all times
- If trapping beaver or river otter, see those sections above for specific trap sizes for those species
- Must mark or tag all traps with the name and address or IDNR customer number of the trap owner
- Traps must be checked and animals removed at least once per day
- Saw-toothed, spiked or toothed jaw traps are illegal
- Can use a .22 caliber or smaller rimfire firearm to dispatch animals from traps on IDNR sites, unless site-specific regulations state otherwise
- No trapping is permitted in IDNR site subimpoundments or designated waterfowl management units during duck season
- Other regulations apply. See the Furbearer section of the Statewide Hunting and Trapping Regulations
- Pertinent Administrative Rules: 510, 550, 570, 970, 525
Trapping Videos
Below are just a few Illinois Department of Natural Resources Furbearer Trapping Videos. IDNR has several furbearer hunting and trapping videos available on YouTube.
Trapping Videos
Furbearer Specific Regulations
Badger
Method: Trapping only
Can use: Legal traps within statewide regulations
Zones: Badger trapping limit is split into 2 zones as shown on the map below. Refer to the trapping limits table above for details
Beaver
Method: Trapping only
Can use: Leghold traps on land or in water that have jaw spread between 5.5-7.5 inches. Body-gripping traps that have jaw spread between 7-10 inches on a side if square, or maximum of 12 inches if round. Trap size regulations defer to statewide size regulations during the open season for trapping raccoons
Bobcat
Method: Hunting and trapping
Can use: legal traps, archery, 0.22 caliber or smaller rimfire firearm or shotgun (no slugs), centerfire rifles (allowed only on private property)
Limit: Successful applicants may harvest one bobcat by hunting or trapping during the season. A bobcat taken as a road-kill counts toward the permit limit.
Applying for a permit: Bobcat permit applications are available online only between September 1 – 30. Applicants must submit a $5 non-refundable fee. Available permits will be allocated during a lottery and mailed to successful applicants.
Applicants can check the results by following the steps below:
- Visit ExploreMoreIL.com
- Confirm customer information and residency
- Access customer homepage
- Scroll down to the “Licenses” section and select “Purchase History” in the white box.
- Successful applicants who received a bobcat permit will see “PRIV CODE 1300 Bobcat Lottery Permit” in the current year section. Unsuccessful applicants will not see this PRIV CODE in the current year list.
- Successful applicants should receive their permit by the end of October.
Coyote
Method: Hunting and trapping
Can use: Legal traps within statewide regulations, archery, any type and caliber of handgun, any type of legal rifle including large capacity semi-automatic rifles and shotguns with any type of shell. Additional regulations apply, see the Furbearer section of the Statewide Hunting and Trapping Regulations
Gray Fox
Effective immediately, the gray fox hunting and trapping seasons will be closed in 2025-2026. Surveys and preliminary results of current research indicate a substantial decline in gray fox distribution and abundance in the last ten years. Even though Illinois hunters and trappers harvest very few gray foxes, this closure will remove any additional pressure and additive mortality from harvest. The Illinois Department of Natural Resources will continue to conduct annual surveys and evaluate the gray fox population in Illinois.
Red Fox
Method: Hunting and trapping
Can use: legal traps, archery, 0.22 caliber or smaller rimfire firearm or shotgun (no slugs), centerfire rifles (allowed only on private property)
Mink
Method: Trapping only
Can use: Legal traps within statewide regulations
Muskrat
Method: Trapping only
Can use: Legal traps within statewide regulations
Opossum
Method: Hunting and trapping
Can use: Legal traps within statewide regulations, archery, 0.22 caliber or smaller rimfire firearm or shotgun (no slugs), centerfire rifles (allowed only on private property)
Raccoon
Method: Hunting and trapping
Can use: Legal traps within statewide regulations, archery, 0.22 caliber or smaller rimfire firearm or shotgun (no slugs), centerfire rifles (allowed only on private property)
Note: calling, stalking or treeing with dogs is allowed
River Otter
Method: Trapping only
Can use: Leghold traps on land or in water that have jaw spread between 5.5-7.5 inches. Body-gripping traps that have jaw spread between 7-10 inches on a side if square, or maximum of 12 inches if round. Trap size regulations defer to statewide size regulations during the open season for trapping raccoons
Additional Regulations: Must purchase an Otter Registration Permit within 48 hours after each otter is trapped. A federal CITES tag mailed to you by the IDNR within 2-3 weeks after purchasing a permit. The cost is $5 plus a vendor’s fee.
The CITES tag must be permanently affixed to the green hide of each otter (including a whole, un-skinned carcass) before it is exported outside the U.S. or transferred to a fur buyer, fur tanner, taxidermist or manufacturer (a manufacturer is an individual who dresses and fabricates green hides into fur garments or products).
The otter pelt permit will be available from license and permit vendors, by phone at 1-866-716-6550, or online.
A river otter taken as a road-kill counts toward the season limit.
Below are just a few Illinois Department of Natural Resources river otter videos. IDNR has several furbearer hunting and trapping videos available on YouTube.
River Otter Trapping Videos
History of River Otters in Illinois
River otters were almost extirpated from Illinois in the early 1900s due to overharvesting and degradation of vital habitat by early settlers. Despite making it illegal to trap river otter in 1929, the continual decline of habitat and water quality contributed to the diminishing river otter population in Illinois. Degradation of riparian habitat was widespread in Illinois in a relatively short period of time. From 1818, the year of Illinois’ statehood, through the mid-20th century, once pristine rivers became convenient sinks for waste products of all kinds. Dams transformed free-flowing rivers to silt-laden lakes and ponds. Meandering streams were straightened to become drainage ditches. Thus, the river otter was hard-pressed to find decent habitat in Illinois. Although the Clean Water Act of 1972 led to improvement of riparian habitat, the river otter population did not immediately rebound. In 1977 the river otter was declared a state threatened species and in 1989 the river otter was listed as a state endangered species.
IDNR wildlife biologists put together a recovery plan for the river otter. The plan involved jump-starting the Illinois otter population by introducing otters from states that had healthy populations. Between 1994 and 1997, 346 otters were trapped in Louisiana and released in central and southern Illinois. With well-wishes from on-lookers and cautious optimism on the part of wildlife biologists, these otters took to the Illinois waters to start a new life. In the years following the releases, biologists carefully monitored the movement of the otters. Tracking data showed that river otters were indeed liking their new digs throughout the state. In 2004 the otter was removed from the Illinois state endangered species list (or, de-listed). Using population modeling, biologists suggested that the river otter could sustain a regulated harvest, and 2012 marked the first Illinois trapping season for river otters since 1929. This success story was made possible by restoration efforts in Illinois and other states in the lower Midwest.
Striped Skunk
Method: Hunting and trapping
Can use: Legal traps within statewide regulations, archery, 0.22 caliber or smaller rimfire firearm or shotgun (no slugs), centerfire rifles (allowed only on private property)
Weasels (Long-tailed and Least Only)
Method: Trapping only
Can use: Legal traps
Woodchuck
Method: Hunting and trapping
Can use: Legal traps within statewide regulations, archery, 0.22 caliber or smaller rimfire firearm or shotgun (no slugs), centerfire rifles (allowed only on private property)
Note: woodchuck is classified as a state game mammal, but is included in the furbearer section because it may be hunted or trapped
Licenses & Stamps
Residents and non-residents will need the following to trap furbearers:
- Trapping license
- State Habitat Stamp
- Trapper Education course is required for resident or non-resident first-time trappers born on or after January 1, 1998, except no course is required for residents or non-residents 18 years of age or younger that have a Youth Trapping License. The youth license requires youth are supervised by a parent, grandparent or guardian who is age 21 or over, while trapping.
See Licenses/Stamps to find what licenses and stamps you qualify for
See the Statewide Hunting and Trapping Regulations for full details on licenses and stamps
Find your current permits/licenses online
Correct, replace or reprint permits/licenses online
Management & Ecology
Furbearer hunting and trapping seasons allow for the harvest and use of 13 species of furbearers (and one game mammal – the woodchuck) in Illinois. Eight species can be hunted or trapped and 7 species may only be taken by trappers during their respective seasons. More than 75 state, federal and international laws apply to the hunting and trapping of furbearers in Illinois. Such laws set standards for animal welfare and place limits on hunting and trapping so that animals are not endangered by these activities. Please review the furbearer sections for specifics on each of the species, legal methods and seasons.
IDNR Division of Wildlife recognizes that regulated trapping is a versatile, safe, effective and ecologically sound means of capturing individual animals without impairing the survival of furbearer populations or damaging the environment. Trapping provides income, recreation and an outdoor lifestyle for many citizens through use of a renewable natural resource and provides an effective means of harvesting, managing and/or studying furbearers; controlling damage caused by furbearers; and at times, reduces the spread of harmful disease.
To learn more about furbearer management and ecology in North America, you can download a copy or request a hard copy of the Wild Furbearer Management and Conservation in North America book. This book is being revised and is available for free download, chapter by chapter. The Wildlife Ecology Institute is leading this revision and partial funding has been provided by the Illinois Furbearer Fund. Chapters will be added to the site as they are completed, so check back often!