When fall rolls in, it brings a rush of excitement for devoted hunters. Illinois is a treasure trove of outdoor adventures with different backdrops. It has everything! Whether you’re after white-tailed deer in abundant forests, or waterfowl in lively wetlands, Illinois caters to all hunting tastes. There’s lots of chances for outdoor exploration, skill testing, and nature connecting.

This concise guide outlines the 2024 hunting timeline in Illinois, assisting you in planning your forthcoming exploration. Keeping up to date with accurate timeframes, rules, and licensing perquisites for your chosen game ensures that you have a secure, law-abiding, and pleasurable experience.

We’ll go over licenses and permit requirements by Illinois Department of Natural Resources including species bag limits in the following sections.

Important Dates and Limits for Illinois Hunting

Big Games

Deer

Archery:

Firearm counties west of Route 47 in Kane CountyOct 1 – Nov 21
- Nov 25 – Dec 4
- Dec 9, 2024 – Jan 19, 2025

Cook, DuPage, Lake, and eastern Kane County
- Oct 1, 2024 – Jan 19, 2025

Firearm:

Nov 22-24
Dec 5-8, 2024

Muzzleloader:

Dec 13-15, 2024

Special CWD:

Dec 26-29, 2024 & Jan 17-19, 2025

Late-Winter Antlerless-only:

Shotgun, Muzzleloader, Handgun
Dec 26-29, 2024 & Jan 17-19, 2025

Youth Firearm:

Oct 12-14, 2024

Turkey

Spring:

North Zone:
- Apr 15-19,
- Apr 20-25,
- Apr 26 – May 1,
- May 2-8,
- May 9-16

South Zone:
- Apr 8-12,
- Apr 13-18,
- Apr 19-24,
- Apr 25 – May 1,
- May 2-9

Youth Spring:

Mar 30-31
Apr 6-7, 2024

Fall:

Shotgun: Oct 19-27, 2024
Archery: Oct 1, 2024 – Jan 19, 2025

Small Games

Squirrels (Fox and Gray)

Aug 1, 2024 – Feb 15, 2025
Closed Nov 22-24 and Dec 5-8, 2024 in counties open for firearm deer hunting

Rabbits (Cottontail and Swamp)

Nov 2, 2024 – Feb 15, 2025

Upland Birds

Doves (mourning and white-winged)

Sep 1 – Nov 14, 2024 and Dec 26, 2024 – Jan 9, 2025

Pheasant (roosters only)

North Zone: Nov 2, 2024 – Jan 8, 2025
South Zone: Nov 2, 2024 – Jan 15, 2025

Quail (Bobwhite)

North Zone: Nov 2, 2024 – Jan 8, 2025
South Zone: Nov 2, 2024 – Jan 15, 2025

Hungarian Partridge

North Zone: Nov 2, 2024 – Jan 8, 2025
South Zone: Nov 2, 2024 – Jan 15, 2025

Woodcock

Oct 19 – Dec 2, 2024

Crow

Oct 28, 2024 – Feb 28, 2025

Waterfowls

North Zone:

Youth Waterfowl: Oct 12-13, 2024
Teal (early season): Sep 7-22, 2024
Rails, Snipe: Sep 7 – Nov 15, 2024
Ducks, Mergansers, Coots: Oct 19 – Dec 17, 2024
Scaup: Oct 19 – Dec 2 (2/day), Dec 3-17 (1/day), 2024
Geese:
- Canada (early): Sep 1-15, 2024
- Canada (regular): Oct 19, 2024 – Jan 16, 2025
- Light, Brant: Oct 19, 2024 – Jan 16, 2025
- White-fronted: Oct 21, 2024 – Jan 16, 2025
- Conservation Order Light: Jan 17 – Apr 30, 2025

Central Zone:

Youth Waterfowl: Oct 19-20, 2024
Teal (early season): Sep 7-22, 2024
Rails, Snipe: Sep 7 – Nov 15, 2024
Ducks, Mergansers, Coots: Oct 26 – Dec 24, 2024
Scaup: Oct 26 – Dec 9 (2/day), Dec 10-24 (1/day), 2024
Geese:
- Canada (early): Sep 1-15, 2024
- Canada (regular): Oct 26 – Nov 3 & Nov 12, 2024 – Jan 31, 2025
- Light, Brant: Oct 26, 2024 – Jan 31, 2025
- White-fronted: Nov 5, 2024 – Jan 31, 2025
- Conservation Order Light: Feb 1 – Apr 30, 2025

South Central Zone:

Youth Waterfowl: Nov 9-10, 2024
Teal (early season): Sep 7-22, 2024
Rails, Snipe: Sep 7 – Nov 15, 2024
Ducks, Mergansers, Coots: Nov 16, 2024 – Jan 14, 2025
Scaup: Nov 16 – Dec 30 (2/day), Dec 31 – Jan 14 (1/day), 2024-2025
Geese:
- Canada (early): Sep 1-15, 2024
- Canada (regular): Nov 30, 2024 – Jan 31, 2025
- Light, Brant: Nov 30, 2024 – Jan 31, 2025
- White-fronted: Nov 30, 2024 – Jan 31, 2025
- Conservation Order Light: Feb 1 – Apr 30, 2025

South Zone:

Youth Waterfowl: Nov 16-17, 2024
Teal (early season): Sep 7-22, 2024
Rails, Snipe: Sep 7 – Nov 15, 2024
Ducks, Mergansers, Coots: Nov 30, 2024 – Jan 28, 2025
Scaup: Nov 30, 2024 – Jan 13 (2/day), Jan 14-28 (1/day), 2025
Geese:
- Canada (early): Sep 1-15, 2024
- Canada (regular): Nov 30, 2024 – Jan 31, 2025
- Light, Brant: Nov 30, 2024 – Jan 31, 2025
- White-fronted: Nov 30, 2024 – Jan 31, 2025
- Conservation Order Light: Feb 1 – Apr 30, 2025

Waterfowl Bag Limits

Species	Daily Bag	Possession
Early Teal	6	18
Rails (Sora & Virginia)	25	75
Wilson’s Snipe	8	24
Ducks	6	18
Mergansers	5	15
Coots	15	45
Scaup (2/day first 45 days)	2	6
Scaup (1/day last 15 days)	1	3
Canada Geese (early)	5	15
Canada Geese (regular)	3	9
Light Geese	20	Unlimited
Brant	1	3
White-fronted Geese	2	6
Conservation Order Light Geese	Unlimited	Unlimited
Youth Waterfowl	Same as regular	Same as regular

Furbearers

Coyote, Striped Skunk

Year-round,
Closed Nov 22-24 and Dec 5-8, 2024 in counties open for firearm deer hunting

Bobcat, Raccoon, Opossum, Fox

Nov 10, 2024 – Feb 15, 2025,
Closed Nov 22-24 and Dec 5-8, 2024 in counties open for firearm deer hunting

Woodchuck

Jun 1, 2024 – Mar 31, 2025,
Closed Nov 22-24 and Dec 5-8, 2024 in counties open for firearm deer hunting

IL Permits and Licenses

License/Permit	Resident Cost	Nonresident Cost
Apprentice	$7.50	$7.50
Youth Combo	$7.50	$7.50
Basic	$12.50	$57.75
Basic (5 day)	–	$35.75
Preserve License	–	$12.50
Lifetime	$360.00	–
Lifetime Sportsmen’s Combination	$765.00	–
Senior	$6.50	–
Senior Sportsmen’s Combination	$13.50	–
Sportsmen’s Combination	$26.25	–
Super Senior	$1.50	–
Super Senior Sportsman Combo	$2.75	–
Veteran (Prior Certification Required)	$6.50	–
Veteran Sportsmen’s Combination (Prior Certification Required)	$13.50	–

Illinois Game Hunting Rules and Policies

Deer

Permits: Residents and non-residents don’t pay the same. Non-residents have unique online purchase times.
Seasons: Depending on whether it’s archery, firearm, or muzzleloader season, the gear and clothes you need will change.
Harvest Reporting: Must be done on the day the animal is taken.
Landowner Permits: There are rules on how many acres you need.
Deer Management: It’s important to understand the biology, behavior, and sicknesses of deer.
Disease Monitoring: In areas affected by CWD, hunters might have to check their deer. If you see a deer that looks sick or not normal, tell IDNR.
CWD Testing: Testing all over the state is recommended. There are places you can go to get it done.

Waterfowl

Species: Ducks, rails, snipe, mergansers, coots, geese, and brant have Specific rules.
Shotguns: Limits on shotgun size and capacity, except during light goose seasons.
Ammunition:: Certain types only, non-toxic shot required for some species, with size conditions.
Blinds: Rules for sizes, necessities, when to build, and area-specific laws.
Waterfowl Gift Tags: Needed if you give away the birds you’ve caught.

Top Illinois Hunting Locations

To streamline your search, here’s a comprehensive guide to some of the top Illinois hunting locations categorized by place name and target species:

Central Illinois

Whitetail Deer:
- Jim Edgar Panther Creek State Fish and Wildlife Area: Near Havana, you’ll find this vast 8,500-acre piece of land. It’s perfect for deer hunting with bows and guns. The place is a mix of old forests, grasslands, and farmlands, ideal for whitetail.
- Sangchris Lake State Park: It’s located southwest of Springfield. The park is a beautiful place for deers. You’ll see rolling hills, forestlands down low, and open prairies.
Pheasant:
- McDonough County: McDonough County in the heart of Illinois is a paradise for bird hunters. Plentiful corn and soybean fields mixed with forests become a perfect hideout for pheasants.
- Champaign County: Much like McDonough County, Champaign County is attractive to pheasants with its extensive farms. Locations like the Iroquois County Wildlife Management Area offer numerous pursuing chances.

Northern Illinois

Waterfowl:
- Winnebago County: Winnebago County: Known for its place along the Illinois River, Winnebago County is a go-to for bird lovers. It’s brimming with wetlands, including the Upper Mississippi River Wildlife and Fish Refuge. This place draws in ducks, geese, and other migrating birds.
- McHenry County: The Chain O’ Lakes locality in McHenry County is excellent for bird hunting. Its chain of lakes and marshes cater well to ducks, geese, and swans.
Upland Game:
- Driftless Area: Parts of northwest Illinois make up the Driftless Zone. Known for its uneven hills, valleys, and forests, this land is a haven for land game birds like bobwhite quail, wild turkey, and ruffed grouse.
- Mississippi River Pools: North of Rock Island, along the Mississippi River, you’ll find ideal spots for land game hunting. These areas offer shelter and food for pheasants, rabbits, and squirrels.

Southern Illinois

Deer:
- Shawnee National Forest: Check out Shawnee National Forest. It covers above 260,000 acres and is an ideal place for deers. Its thick woods, tough terrains, and plenty of food make it a perfect home for whitetail.
- Cache River State Wildlife Area: Here, hunting deer in a swamp and a forest at the bottomland is a unique experience. And guess what? The area is famous for its top-quality whitetail bucks.
Turkey:
- Alexander County: It’s home to numerous turkeys in Illinois. Its hills and wooded regions are excellent for nesting and roosting for these majestic birds.
- Johnson County: Its mix of grown-up forests, farmlands, and rolling hills makes an excellent turkey habitat.

Author
Recent Posts

Eric Hale

Author & Chief Editor at AskHunting.com

Eric Hale, a veteran hunter with more than a decade of experience, imparts his knowledge via AskHunting.com. He offers guidance for hunting, adding strategies, and delivers in-depth guides for the novice and the old hand. He loves family camping sessions, watching Marvel films with his spouse, and going on thrilling road journeys.

Illinois Hunting Guide: 2024 Essential Dates and Regulations