Illinois Hunting Season Dates
Recorded hunting windows for Illinois, including historical and unverified entries.
Recorded dates, not hunting permission
Status assessment: 2026-10-14 UTC (static build snapshot). Static activity badges and day counts use this build assessment, not a live check. Interactive finder results show their own UTC assessment day.
2 of 8 recorded windows have date-review evidence. Other rows remain unverified. Historical records are retained and are not a current-season promise.
Check your current agency regulations, GMU or zone, hunt code, license and access restrictions before hunting. An agency link or successful publication fetch does not verify a row. Reviewed base dates do not cover every license-specific exception.
Date evidence: Official date source. Review dates apply only to the stated row scope, not an entire state or current license eligibility.
Illinois Hunting Season Calendar
Find all hunting season dates for Illinois including deer, elk, turkey, and waterfowl. Filter by species and hunting method.
Coming Up in Illinois
Seasons opening in the next 60 days
Nov 20-22, 2026
Opens in 37 days
Dec 3-6, 2026
Opens in 50 days
Recorded Season Windows
All Illinois hunting seasons organized by species
Deer 6 seasons
| Method | Dates | Zone | Status | Notes | Add to Calendar |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Archery | Oct 1, 2025 - Jan 19, 2026 Unverified date record; agency review required | Zone not recorded; check your license | Historical record | Extended archery in some counties | |
| Shotgun | Nov 21 - Dec 1, 2025 Unverified date record; agency review required | Zone not recorded; check your license | Historical record | Unverified historical first-firearm summary; these dates were not checked against a dated source. | |
| Shotgun | Nov 20-22, 2026 Date window reviewed 2026-10-09; verify license-specific exceptions Official date source | General Firearm — first base window, permitted county/hunt area only | Upcoming | Actual 2026 Illinois rules PDF page 2: first Firearm base window, shown in the shotgun view. Permit is valid only for its specific county/hunt area; private-land permission and signed permit are required. Shotguns use slugs only, 10–20 gauge, at most three consecutive slugs. Qualifying centerfire single-shot rifles are also permitted subject to cartridge/bullet rules; this is not a rifle ban. Check current license/habitat-stamp exemptions, FOID, legal ammunition, sex/bag limits, tagging/harvest reporting, CWD rules and site closures. Not muzzleloader-only, youth, late-winter/CWD or site-specific dates; not individual permission. | |
| Shotgun | Dec 3-6, 2026 Date window reviewed 2026-10-09; verify license-specific exceptions Official date source | General Firearm — second base window, permitted county/hunt area only | Upcoming | Actual 2026 Illinois rules PDF page 2: second Firearm base window, shown in the shotgun view. The November–December gap is not open under these records. Permit is valid only for its specific county/hunt area; private-land permission and signed permit are required. Shotguns use slugs only, 10–20 gauge, at most three consecutive slugs. Qualifying centerfire single-shot rifles are also permitted subject to cartridge/bullet rules; this is not a rifle ban. Check current license/habitat-stamp exemptions, FOID, legal ammunition, sex/bag limits, tagging/harvest reporting, CWD rules and site closures. Not muzzleloader-only, youth, late-winter/CWD or site-specific dates; not individual permission. | |
| Shotgun | Dec 4-7, 2025 Unverified date record; agency review required | Zone not recorded; check your license | Historical record | Second firearm season | |
| Muzzleloader | Dec 12-14, 2025 Unverified date record; agency review required | Zone not recorded; check your license | Historical record | Muzzleloader only | |
Turkey 1 season
| Method | Dates | Zone | Status | Notes | Add to Calendar |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Any Legal Method | Apr 6 - May 8, 2026 Unverified date record; agency review required | Zone not recorded; check your license | Historical record | Five seasons - zone dependent | |
Waterfowl 1 season
| Method | Dates | Zone | Status | Notes | Add to Calendar |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shotgun | Oct 18, 2025 - Jan 17, 2026 Unverified date record; agency review required | Zone not recorded; check your license | Historical record | Zone-specific dates | |
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Illinois Hunting Regulations
License year, species, and agency information
- License Year
- Apr 1, 2025 - Mar 31, 2026
- Available Species
-
- Deer
- Turkey
- Waterfowl
- Hunting Methods
-
- Archery
- Shotgun
- Muzzleloader
- Any Legal Method
- Wildlife Agency
- Illinois Department of Natural Resources
This information is for reference only. Always verify regulations with your state wildlife agency before hunting or fishing.
Important Note for Illinois
Only the two 2026 General Firearm base windows were reviewed, shown in the shotgun view. Qualifying single-shot centerfire rifles are permitted subject to current ammunition rules. Signed county/hunt-area permits, licenses/habitat stamp, FOID, sex/bag limits, tagging/reporting, CWD, land permission and closures require agency checks. Other hunt types/site-specific dates, historical rows and license-year metadata remain unverified.
Hunting Method Legend
Illinois Hunting FAQ
Common questions about hunting seasons in Illinois
What are the hunting season dates for Illinois?
Recorded Illinois entries cover Deer, Turkey, Waterfowl. Dates include history and unverified records; the recorded license-year metadata is not current verification. Check row evidence and current agency regulations and your license.
When does deer season start in Illinois?
Recorded windows, not one continuous season: 2025-10-01 to 2026-01-19; 2025-11-21 to 2025-12-01; 2026-11-20 to 2026-11-22; 2026-12-03 to 2026-12-06; 2025-12-04 to 2025-12-07; 2025-12-12 to 2025-12-14. Historical and unverified records may be included. Check each row's evidence and your current GMU/hunt code and license before hunting.
Does Illinois require a draw for hunting?
Draw requirements depend on species, GMU or zone, hunt code and license type. Recorded date windows do not establish eligibility. Check the current Illinois agency rules and your actual license.
Which recorded windows include the assessment date 2026-10-14 UTC in Illinois?
The next recorded window is Deer starting Nov 20, 2026. Check its row evidence and current regulations; the record may be unverified.
What should I know about hunting in Illinois?
Only the two 2026 General Firearm base windows were reviewed, shown in the shotgun view. Qualifying single-shot centerfire rifles are permitted subject to current ammunition rules. Signed county/hunt-area permits, licenses/habitat stamp, FOID, sex/bag limits, tagging/reporting, CWD, land permission and closures require agency checks. Other hunt types/site-specific dates, historical rows and license-year metadata remain unverified.
Other States
Compare hunting seasons across states
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