Illinois Licenses, Deer & Turkey Permit Info
All hunters must purchase their tags for the Illinois Deer Firearm and Muzzle Loader and Spring Turkey seasons through the Illinois DNR at https://www.exploremoreil.com/.
Archery deer permits are available online or over the counter. In addition to your deer and/or turkey permits, you also need to buy a hunting license and a Habitat Stamp.
If you have not already purchased your Illinois hunting license and habitat stamp, you can do that online at any time. You can find more information regarding the Illinois archery and firearms seasons, legal firearms and ammunition, licenses and permitting at the following link:
https://dnr.illinois.gov/hunting/deerhunting.html
You can find more information regarding the Illinois Spring Turkey Seasons at the following link:
https://dnr.illinois.gov/hunting/turkeyhunting.html
We strong recommend that you apply as early as possible.
Illinois Non-Resident Archery Permits.
We recommend purchasing over the counter. However for those of you who like to plan in advance, archery permits may be purchased during the month of June online at https://www.exploremoreil.com/
Please make sure to purchase the Combination “Either Sex and Antlerless Only” COMBO Archery Deer Permit.
Any non-resident hunter who purchases an anterless only archery permit, prior to purchasing anarchery either sex or anterless only COMBO permit, is ineligible to purchase an either sex or anterless combo permit for that deer season.
What this means is purchasing a doe only archery tag prohibits you from buying a buck tag for the remainder of the archery season!!!
Illinois Non-Resident Firearm Deer Hunting Permits
Illinois firearm permits may be applied for only during three online periods: March 4-April 30, 2025 for residents only; and, May 12-June 30, 2025 and July 11-August 15, 2025 for residents and nonresidents. Only shotguns, muzzleloaders, handguns (.30 caliber or larger), or centerfire single-shot rifles are allowed during the first two Illinois firearms seasons. The third and final Illinois Firearm deer season is a muzzleloader only season.
Effective Jan. 1, 2023, the legal calibers for single-shot rifles are: a bottleneck centerfire cartridge of .30 caliber or larger with a case length not exceeding one and two-fifths inches, OR a straight-walled centerfire cartridge of .30 caliber or larger. Both must be available as a factory load with the published ballistic tables of the manufacturer showing a capability of at least 500-foot pounds of energy at the muzzle. Full-metal jacket bullets may not be used to harvest deer.
For further information on Illinois firearm deer seasons, click on the following link: https://dnr.illinois.gov/hunting/deerhunting.html
https://dnr.illinois.gov/hunting/deerfirearmmuzzleloader.html
If you have not already purchased your Illinois hunting license (with habitat stamp), you can do that online at any time. You can find more information regarding the Illinois archery and firearms seasons, legal firearms and ammunition, licenses and permitting at the following link:
We strong recommend that you apply as early as possible
ATTENTION 2025 DEER LOTTERY PERMIT APPLICANTS:
The 2025 Deer Firearm and Muzzleloader Lottery 2 application period for Illinois residents not successful in the Lottery 1 drawings, and nonresidents, opens May 12, 2025, and closes June 30, 2025. Apply online or print and mail a paper lottery application from the table below.
Illinois DNR website. Click here