I wonder if the Illinois conservation code being discussed is a leftover from an older code in which climbing devices that damaged trees was prohibited. One such device was the prohibition of " climbing boot spikes." The law, as I recall, was primarily meant to prevent coon hunters from damaging trees on state property and private property without the landowner' s permission, when trying to retrieve raccoons or other tree-dwelling fur bearing mammals.

It was also common practice for coon hunters to drop certain sizes of trees and to cut sections off trees to retrieve wounded or dead coons. Therefore, when coon, squirrel, possum, etc, hunting, saws, axes, etc. could not be in your possession on state property, and private property without the owner' s permission.

The code may be old and poorly revised. Not unusual for many game codes. Therefore, the definition of fur bearing mammals may mistakenly apply a revised code to animals that is not meant to be included e.g., fox, coyote