Illinois hunting seasons 2026-27
3 hunting seasons are open in Illinois today, including deer, wild turkey. Dates come from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources and were read today.
Dates only. Bag limits, legal methods, licences and zone boundaries: Illinois Department of Natural Resources. Read today.
Big game
- Deer Open open now, last season closes Jan 17, 2027
Turkey
- Wild turkey Open open now, closes Jan 17, 2027
3 hunting seasons are open in Illinois on November 14: deer and wild turkey.
Opening in the next six weeks: deer first firearm deer season on Nov 20, 2026.
Illinois sets different dates by zone or unit for deer and wild turkey; the tables list each zone's dates.
Dates come from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources's published season pages, read today. Bag limits, legal methods, licences and zone boundaries are not reproduced here; the agency's regulations govern.
All Illinois season dates
Deer Open
| Season | Zone | Dates | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Archery | Cook, DuPage, Lake and Kane County (east of State Route 47) | Oct 1, 2026 to Jan 17, 2027 | Open open, closes in 64 days |
| Archery | Counties with a firearm season and west of State Route 47 in Kane County | Oct 1, 2026 to Nov 19, 2026 | Open open, closes in 5 days |
| Archery segment 2 | Counties with a firearm season and west of State Route 47 in Kane County | Nov 23, 2026 to Dec 2, 2026 | Opens soon opens in 9 days |
| Archery segment 3 | Counties with a firearm season and west of State Route 47 in Kane County | Dec 7, 2026 to Jan 17, 2027 | Upcoming opens in 23 days |
| Muzzleloader-Only Deer Season | Statewide | Dec 11, 2026 to Dec 13, 2026 | Upcoming opens in 27 days |
| First Firearm Deer Season | Statewide | Nov 20, 2026 to Nov 22, 2026 | Opens soon opens in 6 days |
| Second Firearm Deer Season | Statewide | Dec 3, 2026 to Dec 6, 2026 | Upcoming opens in 19 days |
Wild turkey Open
| Season | Zone | Dates | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall Archery | Statewide | Oct 1, 2026 to Jan 17, 2027 | Open open, closes in 64 days |
| Fall Shotgun | Statewide | Oct 24, 2026 to Nov 1, 2026 | Closed closed |
| Spring 1st Season | North Zone | Apr 12, 2027 to Apr 16, 2027 | Upcoming opens in 149 days |
| Spring 1st Season | South Zone | Apr 5, 2027 to Apr 9, 2027 | Upcoming opens in 142 days |
| Spring 2nd Season | North Zone | Apr 17, 2027 to Apr 22, 2027 | Upcoming opens in 154 days |
| Spring 2nd Season | South Zone | Apr 10, 2027 to Apr 15, 2027 | Upcoming opens in 147 days |
| Spring 3rd Season | North Zone | Apr 23, 2027 to Apr 28, 2027 | Upcoming opens in 160 days |
| Spring 3rd Season | South Zone | Apr 16, 2027 to Apr 21, 2027 | Upcoming opens in 153 days |
| Spring 4th Season | North Zone | Apr 29, 2027 to May 5, 2027 | Upcoming opens in 166 days |
| Spring 4th Season | South Zone | Apr 22, 2027 to Apr 28, 2027 | Upcoming opens in 159 days |
| Spring 5th Season | North Zone | May 6, 2027 to May 13, 2027 | Upcoming opens in 173 days |
| Spring 5th Season | South Zone | Apr 29, 2027 to May 6, 2027 | Upcoming opens in 166 days |
Questions
Is deer season open in Illinois right now?
Yes. 2 deer seasons are open in Illinois on November 14, and the last of them closes Jan 17, 2027.
Is wild turkey season open in Illinois right now?
Yes. 1 wild turkey season is open in Illinois on November 14, and the last of them closes Jan 17, 2027.
When does the Illinois Department of Natural Resources publish next year's season dates?
The Illinois Department of Natural Resources has posted the coming year's dates between April and August in recent years. This page updates the day the agency's page changes.
Source: Illinois Department of Natural Resources, IDNR deer archery page; IDNR deer firearm page; IDNR turkey fall page. Read today.