IL Hunting Seasons & Public Land

Illinois Hunting

Illinois is renowned for producing trophy white-tailed deer and ranks among the top states for Boone & Crockett bucks. The state also offers excellent waterfowl hunting along the Illinois and Mississippi rivers.

612 Seasons2 Species

Seasons by Species

Deer

GMUWeaponSeasonHarvestPublic
County 1ArcheryOct 1Jan 18
County 1RifleNov 21Dec 7
County 1MuzzleloaderDec 12Dec 14
County 10ArcheryOct 1Jan 18
County 10RifleNov 21Dec 7
County 10MuzzleloaderDec 12Dec 14

+ 194 more Deer seasons

Always verify season dates and regulations with the official state wildlife agency:

Illinois Official Hunting Regulations →

View Illinois on the map

See GMU boundaries, public land, and walk-in access areas for Illinois on our interactive hunting map.

Hunting in Canada? Explore Crown Land Maps, Hunting Seasons, Licence Guide, and Regulations for Canadian provinces.