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Illinois Furbearer and Trapping Seasons, November 10 to February 15
Every IDNR furbearer and woodchuck row for 2026-27 with dates, limits, trapping licenses, registration permits and links to the species pages.
Photo: Logan Ward (CC BY 2.0)
Illinois furbearer seasons at a glance
Furbearer seasons open November 10, 2026 for both hunting and trapping and run to February 15, 2027, with beaver and river otter trapping continuing to March 31. Coyote and striped skunk have no closed season, and woodchuck is hunted from June 1 to March 31. A trapping license is required ($10.50 resident, $175.50 nonresident with reciprocity, IDNR fee table), first-time trappers born on or after January 1, 1998 complete trapper education, and bobcat and river otter need registration within 48 hours. Gray fox hunting and trapping seasons are closed. Many IDNR sites require a site permit and a drawing for trapping.
From Digest furbearer pages and Digest license pages (Illinois Department of Natural Resources), checked November 13, 2026.
All 14 furbearer and woodchuck season rows
| Species | Season | Where | Dates | Limit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bobcat | Hunting | Statewide except bobcat closed zone |
| One by permit only |
| Coyote | Hunting | Statewide | No closed season | No limit |
| Opossum | Hunting | Statewide |
| No limit |
| Raccoon | Hunting | Statewide |
| No limit |
| Red fox | Hunting | Statewide |
| No limit |
| Striped skunk | Hunting | Statewide | No closed season | No limit |
| Woodchuck (groundhog) | Hunting | Statewide |
| No limit |
| Badger | Trapping | North Zone |
| 2 per trapper per season |
| Badger | Trapping | South Zone |
| 1 per trapper per season |
| Beaver | Trapping | Statewide |
| No limit |
| Bobcat | Trapping | Statewide except bobcat closed zone |
| One by permit only |
| Raccoon, opossum, skunk, weasel, mink, muskrat, red fox, coyote | Trapping | Statewide |
| No limit |
| River otter | Trapping | Statewide |
| 5 per trapper per season |
| Woodchuck (groundhog) | Trapping | Statewide |
| No limit |
From Digest furbearer pages (Illinois Department of Natural Resources), checked November 13, 2026.
Trapped furbearers and where the rules are
Mink, muskrat and weasel have no row of their own: they share the statewide trapping line with raccoon, opossum, striped skunk and red fox and coyote, November 10 to February 15, with no limit.
The bobcat closed zone and the badger zone line are road lines, explained on the bobcat and badger page.
From Digest furbearer pages (Illinois Department of Natural Resources), checked November 13, 2026.
Trapping licenses, permits and education
| License or permit | Who | Digest price | IDNR fee table |
|---|---|---|---|
| Resident Trapping | Resident | $10.50 | $10.50 |
| Resident 3-year Trapping | Resident | $30.50 | $30.50 |
| Resident Youth Trapping | Resident | $7.50 | $7.50 |
| Nonresident trapping license | Nonresident | $175.50 | $175.50 |
| Nonresident trapping, no reciprocity | Nonresident | $250.50 | $250.50 |
| Otter registration permit | Resident | $5.00 | $5.50 |
First-time trappers born on or after January 1, 1998 must complete trapper education (Digest). First-time trappers born on or after January 1, 1998 must complete a trapper education course (Digest p.45 PDF).
From Digest license pages (Illinois Department of Natural Resources), checked November 13, 2026.
Raccoon portraitPhoto: Charles Patrick Ewing (CC BY 2.0)
Raccoon in the woodsPhoto: Juliana Chong (CC BY 2.0)
Snow on the bank of the Ohio River at Locks and Dam 53 near Grand ChainPhoto: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Louisville District (CC BY 2.0)
Questions on the furbearer and trapping seasons
When is furbearer season?
November 10, 2026 to February 15, 2027 for raccoon, opossum, red fox, bobcat and trapping of the shared species; beaver and river otter trapping run to March 31, 2027.
Which furbearers have no closed season?
Coyote and striped skunk hunting, which the Digest prints without dates.
Is gray fox open?
No: hunting and trapping seasons are closed and can be reopened only by administrative rule.
What are the limits?
No limit for most species; badger 2 per trapper in the North Zone and 1 in the South; river otter 5 per trapper; bobcat one by permit.
Do I need to register bobcat or otter?
Yes: a Bobcat Registration Permit within 48 hours of taking a bobcat and a River Otter Registration Permit within 48 hours of taking each otter.
What license is needed to trap?
A trapping license, $10.50 for residents at the fee-table price, plus trapper education for first-time trappers born on or after January 1, 1998.
May trapping take place on IDNR sites?
Many IDNR sites require a site permit and a drawing, with assigned areas and trap-type limits; read the site page.
When can I hunt raccoons at night?
Raccoon, opossum, red fox, bobcat: open 24 hours, beginning 1/2 hour before sunrise on opening day and closing 1/2 hour after sunset on closing day, except during archery deer season, when hours are 1/2 hour before sunrise to 1/2 hour after sunset.
Are woodchucks open?
Hunting June 1 to March 31 and trapping June 1 to September 30, no limit.
Other photos on this page: Charles Patrick Ewing (CC BY 2.0); Juliana Chong (CC BY 2.0); U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Louisville District (CC BY 2.0).