Illinois Administrative Code
Title 17 - CONSERVATION
Part 530 - COCK PHEASANT, HUNGARIAN PARTRIDGE, BOBWHITE QUAIL, AND RABBIT HUNTING
Section 530.80 - Regulations for Fee Hunting of Pheasant, Quail and Rabbit at Controlled Permit Hunting Sites

a) Hunting Seasons:

b) Hunting hours are listed below. On Thanksgiving Day, hunting hours are 9:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. Hunters with reservations are required to check in at the check station on the following sites at the listed times. Hunters with reservations that check in after the required check-in time may not be allowed to hunt if the site hunter quota has been filled.

c) Except for Standing Vehicle Permittees with a Disabled Controlled Pheasant Hunting Permit, during the controlled pheasant hunting season when daily quotas are not filled, permits may be issued, but not required, by drawing held at the conclusion of check-in time and if daily quotas remain unfilled at the conclusion of the drawing, on a first come-first served basis until 9:00 a.m. unless an earlier time is posted at the site's hunter check station at the following sites:

Chain O'Lakes State Park

Des Plaines State Conservation Area

Eldon Hazlet State Park

Iroquois County State Conservation Area

Jim Edgar Panther Creek State Fish and Wildlife Area

Johnson-Sauk Trail State Park

Lee County State Conservation Area (Green River)

Kankakee River State Park

Moraine View State Park

Sand Ridge State Forest

Silver Springs State Park

Wayne Fitzgerrell State Park

d) Hunting licenses, daily "Public Hunting Grounds for Pheasants" fees and hunting permit fees collected by public/private partnership area concessionaire:

e) During the controlled pheasant hunting season, hunters must wear a back patch issued by the check station.

f) Anyone who has killed game previously and has it in possession or in their vehicle must declare it with the person in charge of the area during check-in. All game found in a hunter's possession after hunting has started on the area shall be considered illegally taken if the hunter has not declared it prior to going afield.

g) All hunting must be done with shotguns or bow and arrow. Only shot shells with a shot size of No. 5 lead or a non-toxic shot size ballistically equivalent to No. 5 lead or smaller may be used, except at Chain O' Lakes State Park, Des Plaines State Fish and Wildlife Area, Jim Edgar Panther Creek State Fish and Wildlife Area, Johnson-Sauk Trail State Park, Lee County Conservation Area (Green River), Silver Springs State Park, Wayne Fitzgerrell State Park and Eldon Hazlet State Park where only nontoxic shot approved by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service may be possessed and only shot shells with a shot size ballistically equivalent to No. 5 lead or smaller may be used or in possession. Flu flu arrows only may be used or in possession by bow and arrow hunters.

h) Non-hunters are not allowed in the field, except at special hunts publicly announced by the Department where non-hunters authorized by the Department shall be allowed in the field, and except for operators of Department conveyances and Standing Vehicle Permittees and a single dog handler for the Permittee.

i) Hunters under 16 years of age must be accompanied by an adult hunter.

j) Daily limits - On the following areas, a permit authorizes the harvest of 2 pheasants of either sex per hunter; exceptions are in parentheses. With written authorization from the Director, the Department may issue more than one permit to a hunter, and, further, the Department may authorize the harvest of released game birds and migratory game birds as provided for in Section 3.28 of the Code. The limits provided for in Section 3.28 shall apply at the following sites:

Chain O'Lakes State Park

Des Plaines State Conservation Area

Eldon Hazlet State Park

Lee County State Conservation Area (2 cock pheasants per permit hunter)

Iroquois County State Conservation Area

Jim Edgar Panther Creek State Fish and Wildlife Area (additionally, 8 bobwhite quail opening day through the Sunday following Thanksgiving Day and 4 rabbits per hunter)

Johnson-Sauk Trail State Park (additionally, 8 bobwhite quail, 2 Hungarian partridge and 4 rabbits per hunter)

Kankakee River State Park (additionally, 8 bobwhite quail and 4 rabbits per hunter)

Moraine View State Park

Sand Ridge State Forest (additionally, 8 bobwhite quail and 4 rabbits per hunter)

Silver Springs State Park

Wayne Fitzgerrell State Park

k) Tagging of Birds

During the controlled pheasant hunting season, all pheasants must be affixed with a Department tag before they are removed from the area during the controlled pheasant hunting season. The tag must remain on the leg of the pheasants until the pheasants are finally prepared for consumption.

l) During the controlled pheasant hunting season, hunters may not leave the confines of any permit area and return to hunt on the permit area during the same day.

m) Any person who violates any provision of this Part or 17 Ill. Adm. Code 510.10(c)(1), (4) and (6) or (d)(7) or Section 2.33(n), (x) or (z) of the Wildlife Code shall be subject to arrest and/or removal from the premises for the remainder of the controlled pheasant hunting season under applicable statutes, including Section 21-5 of the Criminal Code of 2012 [720 ILCS 5 ] (Criminal Trespass to State Supported Land). Hunters may request a hearing within 10 days after the citation by written request addressed to: Legal Division, Department of Natural Resources, One Natural Resources Way, Springfield IL 62702-1271. The hearing shall be governed by the provisions of 17 Ill. Adm. Code 2530.

n) Violation of a site regulation is a petty offense (see 520 ILCS 5/2.6, 2.7, 2.13 or 2.27).