SPRINGFIELD – Illinois’ archery deer season is underway, and the Department of Natural Resources is reminding hunters of key dates, regulations, and safety practices for the season.
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Illinois’ statewide archery deer season opened Oct. 1. In counties with a firearm deer season and west of Illinois 47 in Kane County, archery hunting will be open for three periods:
- Oct. 1 through Nov. 21
- Nov. 25 through Dec. 4
- Dec. 9 through Jan. 19
Archery deer season runs Oct. 1 through Jan. 19 in counties with no firearm deer season, including Cook, DuPage, Lake, and east of Illinois 47 in Kane County.
Restricted Archery Zone
Only antlered deer may be harvested during the Oct. 1-31 period of archery season in Champaign, Douglas, Macon, Moultrie, and Piatt counties to improve the deer population in those counties. An antlered deer is defined as having at least one antler 3 inches or longer.
Harvest limits
Hunters should also note regulations regarding harvest limits. Illinois statewide regulations allow for one deer per archery permit.
No hunter, regardless of the quantity or type of permits in their possession, may harvest more than two antlered deer during a year, including the youth, archery, muzzleloader, and firearm seasons, except as allowed during the special chronic wasting disease (CWD) season. For this harvest limit, deer seasons are in the same year if their opening dates are within the same 12-month period that begins July 1.
For hunters planning to harvest on public land, please review site-specific information on Hunt Illinois as site and species regulations may be more restrictive than state or county regulations.
Tree stand safety
Hunters are reminded to safely use tree stands while hunting this season. Tree stands are the no. 1 cause of hunting-related accidents and fatalities in Illinois. Go online for a tree stand safety refresher.
Visit IDNR online for more information about deer hunting regulations and to access the 2024-2025 Illinois Digest of Hunting and Trapping Regulations. Annual deer harvest reports from 2012 to 2023 and CWD information also can be accessed online.
