IDNR Issues Reminders For 2025-2026 Archery Deer Season

SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) is reminding hunters of key dates, regulations, and safety practices for the upcoming archery deer hunting season.

Illinois’ statewide archery deer season opens Oct. 1. In counties with a firearm deer season and west of Illinois 47 in Kane County, archery hunting will be open for three periods:

• Oct. 1 through Nov. 20
• Nov. 24 through Dec. 3
• Dec. 8 through Jan. 18

Archery deer season runs Oct. 1 through Jan. 18 in counties with no firearm deer season, including Cook, DuPage, Lake, and east of Illinois 47 in Kane County.

Restricted archery zone

There has been a change to the 2025 restricted archery zone. Only antlered deer may be harvested during the Oct. 1-31 period of the archery season in Champaign, Douglas, Macon and Piatt (except Allerton Park) counties to improve the deer population in those counties.

An antlered deer is defined as having at least one antler 3 inches or longer. Moultrie County and Allerton Park in Piatt County have been removed from the restricted archery zone.

Harvest limits

Hunters should also note regulations regarding harvest limits. Illinois statewide regulations allow for one deer per archery permit.

No hunter, regardless of the quantity or type of permits in their possession, may harvest more than two antlered deer during a year, including the youth, archery, muzzleloader and firearm seasons, except as allowed during the special chronic wasting disease (CWD) season. For this harvest limit, deer seasons are in the same year if their opening dates are within the same 12-month period that begins July 1.

For hunters planning to harvest on public land, please review site-specific information on Hunt Illinois as site and species regulations may be more restrictive than state or county regulations.

Tree stand safety

Hunters are reminded to safely use tree stands while hunting this season. Tree stands are the No. 1 cause of hunting-related accidents and fatalities in Illinois. Go online for a tree stand safety refresher.

Visit IDNR online for more information about deer hunting regulations and to access the 2025-2026 Illinois Digest of Hunting and Trapping Regulations. Annual deer harvest reports from 2002 to 2024 and CWD information also can be accessed online.

About IDNR

The Illinois Department of Natural Resources is celebrating 100 years of conservation and service to the people of Illinois throughout 2025. The department was established July 1, 1925, as the Illinois Department of Conservation, bringing under one umbrella oversight of fish and game, forestry, public works, and lakes.

Today, IDNR’s work encompasses management of about 400 sites across Illinois, including state parks and historic sites; wildlife, fisheries, forestry, and natural heritage; Lake Michigan water allocation and coastal management; conservation police; mines and minerals; oil and gas; issuance of licenses, permits, and numerous grants; the World Shooting and Recreational Complex in Sparta; and the Illinois State Museum. Visit https://dnr.illinois.gov for more information.

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