This page of Illinois hunting seasons is updated annually. While Thepredatorhunter.com focuses on coyotes, fox, and bobcats, it is hoped other game hunters will take up predator hunting as well. We suggest you check out these predator hunting links specific to the state of Illinois:
Purchase a hunting license in Illinois here.
Learn the rules for hunting coyotes in Illinois.
Learn the rules for hunting bobcats in Illinois.
Learn the rules for hunting fox in Illinois.
Illinois hunting seasons planner.
Season Dates – Rules of Thumb
Many hunters need to plan vacations and hunting trips in advance of the annual distribution of the Digest of Hunting and Trapping Regulations. For such planning purposes, here are the general rules of thumb used for setting annual season dates. Although there are no guarantees that these season dates will be used in future years, this is the best information available for those who must make plans well in advance of announcements of official season dates.
Crow – Oct. 28 – Feb. 28.
Dove – 90-day season. Split season opens Sept. 1 and runs approximately 75 days; reopens the day after Christmas and runs the remainder of the 90 days.
Pheasant, Quail and Partridge – North – First Saturday in November through Jan. 8. South – First Saturday in November through Jan. 15.
Rabbit – First Saturday in November through Feb. 15. Woodcock – 45 days beginning on the third Saturday in October.
Deer:
Archery – Oct. 1 through the first Sunday after Jan. 13 (closed during firearm deer season except in Cook, DuPage, Lake, and Kane (East of Rt 47) counties).
Firearm – The Friday, Saturday and Sunday immediately before Thanksgiving and the first four-day weekend (Thursday-Sunday) after Thanksgiving.
Youth Firearm – The Saturday, Sunday, and Monday that includes the second Monday of October.
Muzzleloader – The third three-day weekend (Friday, Saturday and Sunday) following Thanksgiving. Hunting also allowed during the second firearm deer season.
Late Winter Antlerless and Special CWD – The first Thursday-Sunday after Dec. 25; and the first Friday-Sunday after Jan. 11.
Turkey:
Spring Youth – The two consecutive weekends prior to the opening of South Zone’s first season.
Spring South Zone – Begins on the first Monday in April after April 2 and ends 32 days later. Lengths for each season (in days) are 5, 6, 6, 7 and 8, respectively.
Spring North Zone -Same as South Zone except one week later.
Fall Gun -The nine days beginning on Saturday of the second complete two-day weekend (Saturday and Sunday) after Oct. 10.
Fall Archery – Oct. 1 through the first Sunday after Jan. 13, except closed during firearm deer seasons.
Squirrel – Aug. 1 – Feb. 15, except closed during firearm deer seasons.
Early Canada Goose – Sept. 1 – 15.
Teal – Opens on the first or second Saturday in September and runs for 16 days.
Rail – Opens with teal season and runs for 70 days.
Snipe – Opens with teal season and runs for 107 days.
Waterfowl – All season dates and zone lines for 2016-2020 can be found here.
Furbearer Trapping – Nov. 10 – Feb. 15 for everything except river otter, beaver (Nov. 10 – Mar. 31) and woodchuck (June 1 – Sept. 30) Must wear orange during firearm deer seasons.
Furbearer Hunting– Nov. 10 – Feb. 15 for raccoon, opossum, gray and red fox, bobcat (with permit), except closed during firearm deer seasons.
Coyote & striped skunk – Open year-round, except closed during firearm deer seasons. Woodchuck – June 1 – Mar. 31, except closed during firearm deer seasons.
Illinois hunting seasons for deer.
2022 Season Dates
- First Firearm Deer Season: November 18, 19 & 20, 2022
- Second Firearm Deer Season: December 1, 2, 3 & 4, 2022
- Muzzleloader-Only Deer Season: December 9, 10 & 11, 2022 – Hunters may also use a muzzleloader permit with a muzzleloading rifle during Second Firearm Season December 1 – 4, 2022
2022-2023 DEER ARCHERY HUNTING SEASON DATES:
- In Cook, DuPage and Lake counties, and that portion of Kane County east of State Rte 47: October 1, 2022, through January 15, 2023
- In all other counties and that portion of Kane County west of State Rte 47: October 1, 2022, through January 15, 2023. EXCEPTION: Archery deer hunting is CLOSED during Firearm Seasons Nov. 18–20 & Dec. 1–4, 2022.
Illinois hunting seasons for turkeys.
2022 FALL TURKEY SHOTGUN SEASON
October 22 – October 30, 2022.
2022-2023 FALL TURKEY ARCHERY SEASON
- For Cook, DuPage and Lake counties, and that portion of Kane County east of State Route 47: October 1, 2022, through January 15, 2023
- For all other counties and that portion of Kane County west of State Route 47: October 1, 2022, through January 15, 2023. NOTE: Fall Turkey Archery hunting is CLOSED during Deer Firearm Seasons Nov. 18–20 & Dec. 1–4, 2022.