SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Hunters in Illinois harvested a preliminary total of 50,300 deer during the first weekend of the Illinois firearm deer season between Nov. 19-21.
Comparatively, hunters took 47,147 deer during the first firearm weekend in 2020.
Illinois’ seven-day firearm deer season will conclude Dec. 2-5. Other deer hunting opportunities in the weeks ahead include:
• Muzzleloader-only deer season Dec. 10-12;
• Late-winter antlerless-only and Chronic Wasting Disease deer seasons (in select counties only) Dec. 30-Jan. 2 and Jan.14-16; and
• Archery deer season continues through Jan. 16. (Note: archery deer hunting is closed Dec. 2-5 in counties open for firearm deer season.)
For more details about deer hunting, open counties, and other information, check the Illinois Department of Natural Resources website at https://www2.illinois.gov/dnr/hunting/Pages/DeerHunting.aspx.
