Illinois deer season 2026-27 Open
Deer season in Illinois is open now, last season closes Jan 17, 2027.
Dates only. Bag limits, legal methods, licences and zone boundaries: Illinois Department of Natural Resources. Read today.
| 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 |
Deer hunting in Illinois runs from Oct 1, 2026 (Archery) to Jan 17, 2027 (Archery) in the 2026-27 season, and is open now, last season closes Jan 17, 2027.
Statewide seasons: muzzleloader-only deer season Dec 11, 2026 to Dec 13, 2026; first firearm deer season Nov 20, 2026 to Nov 22, 2026.
Dates differ by zone or unit (Cook, DuPage, Lake and Kane County (east of State Route 47) and Counties with a firearm season and west of State Route 47 in Kane County); check the zone column before you plan.
Some seasons run in two or more segments; each segment is its own row.
Source: Illinois Department of Natural Resources, IDNR deer archery page; IDNR deer firearm page (page) (page). Read today.