Illinois consists of five distinct regions with a wide variety of species to pursue. Larger game species are white-tailed deer and turkey. There are 14 different species of furbearers that can be legally hunted and/or trapped in Illinois. These species include red and gray fox, coyote, badger, bobcat, beaver, river otter, woodchuck, raccoon, opossum, striped skunk, weasels, mink, and muskrat. Waterfowl and upland game hunters will not be disappointed in the large selection of various game birds. These species of game birds consist of teal, rail, snipe, duck, mergansers, coot, scaup (bluebills), as well as various subspecies of geese, dove, pheasant, quail, partridge, and woodcock.
Home to numerous rivers and one of the Great Lakes, Lake Michigan, Illinois has something to offer very fishermen. With such a wide variety of species, anglers can expect to reel in walleye, Atlantic salmon, muskellunge, white bass, brown and lake trout, as well as yellow perch.
