Furbearer
Opossum Seasons in Illinois, 2026-27
Every IDNR season line for opossum, opening Nov 10, 2026 and closing Feb 15, 2027.
Photo: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Louisville District (CC BY 2.0)
Illinois opossum: the short version
IDNR prints 2 season rows for opossum in the 2026-27 Digest, and the earliest opens Nov 10, 2026 while the latest closes Feb 15, 2027. Check the bag line before you go: no limit.
Hunting runs November 10, 2026 to February 15, 2027 with no limit, hunting closes during the first and second firearm deer seasons in the counties that are open to firearm deer, and a separate trapping season uses the same dates. Public-land options: 138 sites list opossum and 138 have their own page here.
From 2026-27 Illinois Hunting and Trapping Digest (Illinois Department of Natural Resources), checked November 13, 2026.
Opossum seasons as the IDNR prints them
Rows are sorted by first day, and the last column compares each window with today.
| Row | Covers | What to buy | Dates | Limit | Today |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hunting (guns and bows) | Statewide | License |
| No limit | |
| Trapping | Statewide | Trapping |
| No limit |
From 2026-27 Illinois Hunting and Trapping Digest (Illinois Department of Natural Resources), checked November 13, 2026.
Daily limits and lawful methods for opossum
| Line | Rule |
|---|---|
| opossum | No limit |
The summary line for opossum reads hunting or trapping.
From Digest season tables and Digest equipment pages (Illinois Department of Natural Resources), checked November 13, 2026.
Opossum: paperwork and prices
| What to buy | Residency | Printed price | Price with fees |
|---|---|---|---|
| Resident Hunting | Resident | $12.00 | $12.50 |
| Nonresident Hunting | Nonresident | $57.00 | $57.75 |
| State Habitat Stamp | Either | $5.00 | $5.50 |
| Resident Trapping | Resident | $10.50 | $10.50 |
| Nonresident trapping license | Nonresident | $175.50 | $175.50 |
The Digest prints base prices and the IDNR fee table adds the vendor fee, so the last column is usually a little higher; hunting licenses go on sale March 1 and run through March 31 of the next year.
From Digest license pages (Illinois Department of Natural Resources), checked November 13, 2026.
Rules to know before hunting opossum
| Rule | Details |
|---|---|
| Sale of wildlife | May not buy, sell or offer to sell or barter game birds, migratory game birds or parts (including feathers, nests, eggs and wild turkey parts) or the edible parts of game mammals except under specific permits. |
| Landowner permission | It is unlawful to take or attempt to take wildlife, or let a dog hunt, on land or waters of another, or knowingly shoot a gun or bow at wildlife on or flying over another person's property, without permission from the owner or the owner's designee (written authorization with notarized signature). Purple paint on trees or posts marks no-trespassing land. Illinois law does not grant a right of trespass to retrieve wounded wildlife. |
| Dogs | A dog may not be allowed to chase, harass or kill deer or turkey. Dogs may be used for hunting other species. Competitive dog events require an IDNR permit applied for 4 weeks ahead. |
Treat the table as a reminder and the Digest as the authority for opossum; site rules can be tighter.
From Digest general rules and Digest hunter orange page (Illinois Department of Natural Resources), checked November 13, 2026.
Where to hunt opossum on IDNR sites
Opossum are allowed at 138 IDNR sites, including 44 state fish and wildlife areas, 29 state parks and 15 state natural areas; the table shows the largest with pages.
| Area | Type | County | Acreage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cypress Creek | Wildlife refuge | Pulaski and Union | 16,758 |
| Jim Edgar Panther Creek | Fish and wildlife area | Cass | 16,400 |
| Cache River | Natural area | Johnson and Pulaski | 15,425 |
| Kaskaskia River | Fish and wildlife area | St. Clair and Randolph | 14,000 |
| Horseshoe Lake | Fish and wildlife area | Alexander | 11,690 |
| Mississippi River Pool 24 | Fish and wildlife area | Pike and Calhoun | 10,211 |
| Carlyle Lake | Fish and wildlife area | Fayette and Clinton | 9,868 |
| Mississippi River Pool 21 | Fish and wildlife area | Adams | 8,536 |
Before a trip, open the site page for permits and seasons; the acreage comes from IDNR fact sheets.
From IDNR site records (Illinois Department of Natural Resources), checked November 13, 2026.
Opossum: legal hours as printed
As printed, 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.
From Digest hours rules (Illinois Department of Natural Resources), checked November 13, 2026.
Opossum gear picks
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Cable restraint stakes
Toss the cable restraint stakes behind the seat before you drive out.
Sunset over the Mississippi River with the St. Louis skyline, the Gateway Arch and the Eads BridgePhoto: Bryan Werner (CC BY 2.0)
Sunset over the Mississippi River at Buffalo, Iowa, across from Rock Island CountyPhoto: David Brossard (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Morning light reflecting on the Ohio River at Paducah, across from Massac CountyPhoto: jjmusgrove (CC BY 2.0)
Questions on opossum in Illinois
What dates does Illinois set for opossum?
IDNR prints these lines for opossum: hunting (guns and bows) statewide: November 10, 2026 to February 15, 2027; trapping statewide: November 10, 2026 to February 15, 2027.
How many opossum can I take?
Limit rule: No limit.
What do I have to buy before hunting opossum?
The checklist is a trapping license ($10.50 resident, Digest-listed or fee-table price) or, for hunting, a hunting license and the State Habitat Stamp.
Which weapons can I use on opossum in Illinois?
The Digest allows hunting or trapping.
What does a resident trapping license cost?
Besides the license, first-time trappers born on or after January 1, 1998 complete a trapper education course.
Do public sites limit trapping?
Many IDNR sites require a site permit and a drawing for trapping, with assigned areas and trap-type limits; see the public land pages and the trapping page.
Do Sundays change the opossum season?
The sources we read, the 2026-27 Digest and IDNR pages, state no Sunday rule at all, so we do not say Sunday hunting is allowed or banned; ask IDNR or your site office before you go.
Do I need hunter safety education to hunt opossum?
Course or past license: that is the test for anyone born on or after January 1, 1980. Apprentice hunters are exempt from the course and must stay with a licensed hunter of 21 or older.
Does public land in Illinois allow opossum?
The site records show 138 public areas where opossum are allowed, and 138 pages give the details.
Other photos on this page: Bryan Werner (CC BY 2.0); David Brossard (CC BY-SA 2.0); jjmusgrove (CC BY 2.0).