Deer season 2026–27 · last checked Sep 26, 2026
Illinois deer season dates 2026–27
Official dates from Illinois Department of Natural Resources, by season and zone, plus the public land in Illinois from our directory. Archery opens Oct. 1, 2026. Firearms: Nov. 20, 2026 (First firearm season).
Last checked Sep 26, 2026 against the official Illinois Department of Natural Resources page. Dates vary by zone, unit and county, and agencies can change them. Confirm with Illinois Department of Natural Resources before you hunt.
Quick answers
- When does archery deer season start in Illinois?
- Oct. 1, 2026, per Illinois Department of Natural Resources. See the table for zone differences and closing dates.
- When does gun (firearms) deer season start in Illinois?
- Nov. 20, 2026 (First firearm season).
- Where are the official rules?
- Illinois Department of Natural Resources: hunting information. Bag limits, licenses, tags and weapon rules are not repeated here.
Illinois deer season dates, 2026–27
Deer
| Season | Where | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Archery | Counties with a firearm season, and Kane County west of Route 47 | Oct. 1 – Nov. 19, 2026; Nov. 23 – Dec. 2, 2026; Dec. 7, 2026 – Jan. 17, 2027 |
| Archery | Cook, DuPage, Lake, and Kane County east of Route 47 | Oct. 1, 2026 – Jan. 17, 2027 |
| First firearm season | Counties open to firearm deer hunting | Nov. 20–22, 2026 |
| Second firearm season | Counties open to firearm deer hunting | Dec. 3–6, 2026 |
| Muzzleloader-only season | Counties open to muzzleloader deer hunting | Dec. 11–13, 2026 |
- IDNR sets firearm and muzzleloader permit quotas by county. State sites can have their own rules. Check the IDNR site page.
Official sources (checked Sep 26, 2026)
Public land in Illinois that may allow deer hunting
Our directory lists 131 named public land units in Illinois (about 624K ac, from USGS PAD-US 4.1): 58 state wildlife & game areas, 11 forests & grasslands, 12 wildlife refuges & WPAs, 2 lake & reservoir project lands, 48 other public land units. PAD-US shows who manages the land. It doesn’t cover hunting rules. Before you go, check the area’s own rules with the managing agency. WMAs, refuges and forests often have special dates, permits or closed zones.
State wildlife areas & game lands in Illinois
All 58 →- State wildlife / game area
Kaskaskia River State Fish and Wildlife Area
16,723 acres
State: department of natural resources · Randolph County, St. Clair County + 1 more
Open access - State wildlife / game area
Jim Edgar Panther Creek State Fish and Wildlife Area
16,544 acres
State: department of natural resources · Cass County
Open access - State wildlife / game area
Sanganois State Fish and Wildlife Area
11,169 acres
State: department of natural resources · Cass County, Mason County
Open access - State wildlife / game area
Horseshoe Lake-Alexander State Fish and Wildlife Area
8,373 acres
State: department of natural resources · Alexander County
Open access - State wildlife / game area
Rice Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area
7,106 acres
State: department of natural resources · Fulton County
Open access - State wildlife / game area
Marshall State Fish and Wildlife Area
6,435 acres
State: department of natural resources · Marshall County, Peoria County
Open access - State wildlife / game area
Ten Mile Creek State Fish and Wildlife Area
5,933 acres
State: department of natural resources · Hamilton County, Jefferson County
Open access - State wildlife / game area
Des Plaines State Fish and Wildlife Area
4,506 acres
State: department of natural resources · Will County
Open access - State wildlife / game area
Banner Marsh State Fish and Wildlife Area
4,355 acres
State: department of natural resources · Peoria County, Fulton County
Open access
National & state forests and grasslands in Illinois
All 11 →- National Forest land
Shawnee National Forest
273,722 acres
U.S. Forest Service (USDA) · Pope County, Jackson County + 7 more
Open access - National Forest land
Shawnee Purchase Unit
7,733 acres
U.S. Forest Service (USDA) · Johnson County, Williamson County + 3 more
Open access - State forest
Sand Ridge State Forest
7,538 acres
State: department of natural resources · Mason County
Open access - National Forest land
Middle Mississippi Purchase Unit
3,882 acres
U.S. Forest Service (USDA) · Alexander County, Union County + 1 more
Open access - State forest
Big River State Forest
2,798 acres
State: department of natural resources · Henderson County
Open access - State forest
Lowden-Miller State Forest
2,339 acres
State: department of natural resources · Ogle County
Open access
National wildlife refuges & WPAs in Illinois
All 12 →- National Wildlife Refuge
Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge
45,513 acres
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service · Williamson County, Union County + 1 more
Restricted access - National Wildlife Refuge
Cypress Creek National Wildlife Refuge
16,712 acres
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service · Pulaski County, Union County + 2 more
Restricted access - National Wildlife Refuge
Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife And Fish Refuge
12,539 acres
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service · Jo Daviess County, Carroll County + 2 more
Restricted access - National Wildlife Refuge
Chautauqua National Wildlife Refuge
6,624 acres
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service · Mason County, Marshall County
Restricted access
Counties with the most listed public land
- Jackson County (7)
- Union County (7)
- Alexander County (7)
- Calhoun County (7)
- Iroquois County (6)
- Knox County (6)
- Tazewell County (5)
- Fulton County (5)
- Cass County (5)
- Henderson County (4)
- Pike County (4)
- Saline County (4)
Not legal advice and not an official source. This independent site is not affiliated with any government agency. Season dates are copied from the agency pages linked above as of the “last checked” date and may have changed since. The agency’s current regulations are what count. Full disclaimer.
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