Illinois · Deer · 2026–27 Edition
Illinois Deer Season 2026–27: Dates, Zones & Bag Limits
Oct 1 — mark it
Mark it.
2026–27 Edition
01 — Seasons by method
| Method | Zones | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Archery · Segment 1 | Counties with a firearm season + west of State Route 47 in Kane County | Oct 1 – Nov 19 |
| Archery · Segment 2 | Counties with a firearm season + west of State Route 47 in Kane County | Nov 23 – Dec 2 |
| Archery · Segment 3 (late) | Counties with a firearm season + west of State Route 47 in Kane County | Dec 7 – Jan 17 |
| Archery (continuous) | Cook, DuPage, Lake, Kane (east of State Route 47) | Oct 1 – Jan 17 |
| Archery · Antlered-Only | Illinois Restricted Archery Zone (Champaign, Douglas, Macon, Piatt — except Allerton Park) | Oct 1 – Oct 31 |
| Youth Firearm | Statewide | Oct 10 – Oct 12 |
| First Firearm | Counties with a firearm season | Nov 20 – Nov 22 |
| Second Firearm | Counties with a firearm season | Dec 3 – Dec 6 |
| Muzzleloader-Only | Counties with a firearm season | Dec 11 – Dec 13 |
| Late Winter / CWD · Segment 1 | Participating counties — list not yet published for 2026-27 | Dec 31 – Jan 3 |
| Late Winter / CWD · Segment 2 | Participating counties — list not yet published for 2026-27 | Jan 15 – Jan 17 |
02 — Bag limits
| Per permit | 1 deer per legally authorized either-sex, antlered-only, or antlerless-only permit. |
|---|---|
| Annual cap (all seasons) | No hunter may harvest more than 2 antlered deer per year (July 1 – June 30), across youth, archery, muzzleloader, and firearm seasons. Antlered = ≥1 antler ≥3 inches; antlerless = no antlers or antlers <3 inches. |
| Restricted Archery Zone | Oct 1 – Oct 31: only antlered deer (≥1 antler ≥3 inches) may be harvested, regardless of permits in possession. |
03 — Shooting hours
Legal light on opening day (October 1, 2026) 06:23 — 19:08
Rule: One-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset. No bow may be carried nocked outside legal hours.. Sunrise/sunset shift daily — the times above are computed for opening day; use your local Illinois sun times for any other date.
04 — License
A Illinois hunting license and deer permit are required. A dedicated Illinois license page — costs, age rules and where to buy — is coming; for now, buy and read the rules straight from the agency.
Illinois licenses & permits — Illinois Department of Natural Resources →
05 — FAQ
When does deer season start in Illinois?
The earliest 2026–27 opener is October 1, 2026 (archery). Gun and muzzleloader dates differ — see the table above.
When does deer season end in Illinois?
The latest 2026–27 closing date is January 17, 2027. Individual methods and zones close on their own dates.
Verified · Illinois Department of Natural Resources · Last verified 2026-08-01
Publisher's note. Season dates from IDNR's individual deer-season pages and the 2026-2027 Archery Deer Hunting insert PDF; the full 2026-2027 Hunting & Trapping Digest is not yet online. The Late Winter and CWD detail pages are still marked 'upcoming', so participating counties for both seasons are not stated in the source — IDNR prints one shared date range and does not distinguish Late Winter vs. CWD dates. Firearm/muzzleloader seasons are county-permit based ('counties with a firearm season'); IDNR does not publish that county list on these pages. Permits are quota/lottery-issued per county.