Furbearer
Trapping Weasel in Illinois, 2026-27 Dates
From the Nov 10, 2026 opener to the Feb 15, 2027 close, the rules for least and long-tailed weasel in one place.
Photo: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Louisville District (CC BY 2.0)
Weasel season snapshot, 2026-27
Hunters chasing least and long-tailed weasel get 1 season line to work with, from the Nov 10, 2026 opener to the Feb 15, 2027 close. Bag rule in the Digest: no limit.
Least and long-tailed weasel sit on the shared statewide trapping line with raccoon, opossum, striped skunk, red fox and coyote, which runs November 10, 2026 to February 15, 2027 with no limit. On the public land side, 147 sites name least and long-tailed weasel in their IDNR records; 147 have a full page here.
From 2026-27 Illinois Hunting and Trapping Digest (Illinois Department of Natural Resources), checked November 13, 2026.
Illinois least and long-tailed weasel dates, row by row
One row per printed season; zone names are the Digest's own labels.
| Season line | Reach | License type | Dates | Bag limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trapping | Statewide | Trapping |
| No limit |
From 2026-27 Illinois Hunting and Trapping Digest (Illinois Department of Natural Resources), checked November 13, 2026.
Limits and legal gear for least and long-tailed weasel
| Digest line | Daily and possession |
|---|---|
| raccoon, opossum, striped skunk, weasel, mink, muskrat, red fox, coyote | No limit |
In the species record, IDNR summarizes the legal means for least and long-tailed weasel as trapping.
From Digest season tables and Digest equipment pages (Illinois Department of Natural Resources), checked November 13, 2026.
Buying list for least and long-tailed weasel in Illinois
| Permit | Residency | Digest | Fee table |
|---|---|---|---|
| Resident Trapping | Resident | $10.50 | $10.50 |
| Nonresident trapping license | Nonresident | $175.50 | $175.50 |
Expect to pay the fee-table price at a vendor; licenses and state stamps sold from March 1 stay valid through March 31 of the next year.
From Digest license pages (Illinois Department of Natural Resources), checked November 13, 2026.
Illinois field rules for least and long-tailed weasel
| Topic | Summary |
|---|---|
| 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. |
| Hunting hours | Hunting only during the hours specified for each species relative to official sunrise-sunset times; some IDNR sites are more restrictive. |
| Live wildlife possession | May not release captive wildlife except as authorized, bring in live protected wildlife taken outside Illinois without IDNR permission, or retain wildlife alive except as provided in 17 Ill. Adm. Code 970. |
This is a short list; IDNR sites can be more restrictive than the statewide rules, so check each site before you hunt least and long-tailed weasel.
From Digest general rules and Digest hunter orange page (Illinois Department of Natural Resources), checked November 13, 2026.
Public sites that list least and long-tailed weasel
The land hub covers 147 sites that name least and long-tailed weasel, for instance 53 state fish and wildlife areas, 30 state parks and 18 state habitat areas; the eight largest with pages follow.
| Place | Type | County | Size |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| Rend Lake Project Lands | Fish and wildlife area | Jefferson and Franklin | 7,740 |
Rules for least and long-tailed weasel can differ site by site, so use the page for the area you choose; acreage is as IDNR lists it.
From IDNR site records (Illinois Department of Natural Resources), checked November 13, 2026.
Weasel gear picks
Four items that suit an Illinois year, from October bow hunts to January rabbits.
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Morning light reflecting on the Ohio River at Paducah, across from Massac CountyPhoto: jjmusgrove (CC BY 2.0)
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)
Weasel FAQ for Illinois hunters
Which days is least and long-tailed weasel open in Illinois?
Dates for least and long-tailed weasel are trapping statewide: November 10, 2026 to February 15, 2027.
Is there a possession limit for least and long-tailed weasel?
Under the Digest, No limit.
What paperwork covers least and long-tailed weasel hunting?
Illinois asks for a trapping license ($10.50 resident, Digest-listed or fee-table price) or, for hunting, a hunting license and the State Habitat Stamp.
What gear is legal for least and long-tailed weasel hunting?
IDNR summarizes legal methods as trapping.
What trapping license do I need for least and long-tailed weasel?
The fee table lists $10.50 for a resident trapping license, with youth and three-year versions.
Where can I trap in Illinois?
Public sites can limit trap types and assign areas; check the site pages before setting anything.
Can I hunt least and long-tailed weasel on a Sunday?
We found no statement on Sundays in the Digest or the IDNR pages, so this page says nothing either way.
Is a hunter safety certificate required for least and long-tailed weasel?
Yes if you were born on or after January 1, 1980: you must hold a hunter safety certificate, or show an Illinois or out-of-state hunting license from a prior year, before a license can be sold. Apprentice license holders skip the course and hunt with a licensed hunter 21 or older.
Are there public hunting areas for least and long-tailed weasel?
147 sites name least and long-tailed weasel among the allowed game, and the public land pages cover 147 of them with local rules.
Other photos on this page: jjmusgrove (CC BY 2.0); Bryan Werner (CC BY 2.0); David Brossard (CC BY-SA 2.0).