The Library is excited to offer a new service: Selling over-the-counter hunting, trapping, and fishing licenses and permits. We are one of the only businesses in the area to partner with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) as a vendor allowed to sell these products.
Hunting/Trapping
Per the IDNR website, “Hunting is an important wildlife management tool that maintains the health and abundance of game species and the balance of our natural resources. Hunters play an important role in managing wildlife and it is their tax dollars paid through the Pittman-Robertson Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act and hunting licenses and fees that pay for the majority of wildlife management by the IDNR.”
Both Illinois residents and non-residents can hunt in Illinois, and there are special permits for youth, senior, and disabled hunters. Permits/licenses are issued for deer, turkey, waterfowl, upland game, doves, and some furbearer species (e.g. fox, coyote, raccoon, and more).
For more information about hunting and trapping in Illinois, visit the Illinois Department of Natural Resources website or HuntIllinois.org or consult the Illinois Digest of Hunting & Trapping Regulations 2026-2027.
Fishing
The Illinois fishery system spans 400 waterbodies throughout the state, including lakes, reservoirs, rivers, streams, and Lake Michigan, and it includes a wide range of fish species – buffalo, catfish, minnow, perch, pike, bass, trout (including salmon), and more.
Residents and non-residents alike can purchase licenses/permits for sportfishing, which also includes common snapping turtles and bullfrogs. In fact, a sportfishing license is required to harvest reptiles and amphibians, and of course, all regulations must be followed, including harvesting only during the designated seasons and protecting endangered and threatened species. Each site may also have specific sportfishing regulations, too.
Fishing licenses/permits fund fish management, research, outreach, invasive species prevention, state hatchery operations, and fish stocking, among other things.
For more information about fishing in Illinois, visit ifishillinois.org or consult the Illinois Fishing 2026 Fishing Regulation Information (aka Fishing Digest).
The Library can issue licenses/permits most hours we are open. Cash, credit cards, and debit cards are accepted, but credit cards will include an additional fee. Due to the nature of what licenses/permits are required by the State, you must know what you need when purchasing. Library staff cannot advise you and are not liable for your adherence to State laws.
