I'm planning a trip down to Illinois for this winter to do some night hunting for coyotes on my some of my deer hunting outfitters properties. Rather than trying to search it out on the IL DNR website can someone school me on the rules and reg's for night hunting there i.e. license requirements and any special requirements for lights, magazine capacity, or rifle caliber that can or cannot be used. I currently run all thermal setup on a 22 nosler.
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Rules/Reg's Night Hunting Illinois
- Thread starter birmi1nr
- Start date
varminter .223
Well-known member
Buy hunting liscence and habitat stamp and you can shoot them with anything but slugs unless its shotgun deer season. 3 round max capacity in shotgun but no caliber or capacity limit in a rifle. Centerfire is okay but maybe not on state or federal land. If your on private land about anything is legal as long as you follow other laws like no motorized vehicles or shooting from road etc. Lights, nv, thermal all legal.
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Coyotes can be hunted 24 hours a day from 1/2 hour before sunrise on Nov.10 through midnight on March 15. During the rest of the year, hunting hours for coyotes are 1/2 hour before sunrise to 1/2 hour after sunset.
Hunters need a hunting license and habitat stamp unless exempt.
Coyotes may be hunted on private property using dogs, archery devices, any type and caliber of handgun, any type of legal rifle including large capacity semi-automatic rifles, and shotguns using any type of shell. During firearm deer seasons, coyotes may be taken only by hunters with valid,unfilled deer permits using the same types of firearms that are allowed for deer. When hunting with a shotgun, make sure that the magazine has been fitted with a plug which makes the shotgun incapable of firing more than three consecutive shots.
Electronic calling devices are legal for coyote hunting.
It is legal to bait coyotes as long as any wild game used was legally taken.
Illinois does not restrict the type of sights or scopes that are used (including laser sights and night vision scopes).
Lights with any color of lens can be used while hunting coyotes as long as the lights are not used from any vehicle or conveyance (including ATVs and horses) and the lights are not connected to the vehicle or conveyance.
It is unlawful for a coyote hunter to wantonly allow a dog to hunt on another person’s land without first obtaining permission of the landowner or tenant. If a hunting dog crosses onto property in which the coyote hunter has no permission to hunt, the hunter has no legal right to follow the dogs. Illinois Animal Control Laws or other local animal control ordinances could apply to dogs running at large.
Coyote hunters are required to keep their guns unloaded and in a case while in a vehicle or on a conveyance (including but not limited to ATVs and horseback) unless exempt by special DNR permit.
Guns must remain unloaded until the hunter is clear of the road and right-of-way alongside the road.
Coyote hunters must wear a cap and 400 square inches of solid blaze orange when hunting in a county when first and second firearm deer seasons are in progress.
Before coyote hunting at public hunting areas, check with the site office for site specific rules.
It is legal to hunt coyotes while using or possessing a tree climbing device.
edit: Night hunting is not allowed during the first and second gun seasons for deer.
Hunters need a hunting license and habitat stamp unless exempt.
Coyotes may be hunted on private property using dogs, archery devices, any type and caliber of handgun, any type of legal rifle including large capacity semi-automatic rifles, and shotguns using any type of shell. During firearm deer seasons, coyotes may be taken only by hunters with valid,unfilled deer permits using the same types of firearms that are allowed for deer. When hunting with a shotgun, make sure that the magazine has been fitted with a plug which makes the shotgun incapable of firing more than three consecutive shots.
Electronic calling devices are legal for coyote hunting.
It is legal to bait coyotes as long as any wild game used was legally taken.
Illinois does not restrict the type of sights or scopes that are used (including laser sights and night vision scopes).
Lights with any color of lens can be used while hunting coyotes as long as the lights are not used from any vehicle or conveyance (including ATVs and horses) and the lights are not connected to the vehicle or conveyance.
It is unlawful for a coyote hunter to wantonly allow a dog to hunt on another person’s land without first obtaining permission of the landowner or tenant. If a hunting dog crosses onto property in which the coyote hunter has no permission to hunt, the hunter has no legal right to follow the dogs. Illinois Animal Control Laws or other local animal control ordinances could apply to dogs running at large.
Coyote hunters are required to keep their guns unloaded and in a case while in a vehicle or on a conveyance (including but not limited to ATVs and horseback) unless exempt by special DNR permit.
Guns must remain unloaded until the hunter is clear of the road and right-of-way alongside the road.
Coyote hunters must wear a cap and 400 square inches of solid blaze orange when hunting in a county when first and second firearm deer seasons are in progress.
Before coyote hunting at public hunting areas, check with the site office for site specific rules.
It is legal to hunt coyotes while using or possessing a tree climbing device.
edit: Night hunting is not allowed during the first and second gun seasons for deer.
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