Carbondale Reporter

Deer hunting season in Illinois begins this Friday, November 22, and will run through Sunday, November 24. A second round of firearm deer hunting is scheduled from December 5 to December 8.

During the season, hunters are permitted to use shotguns, muzzleloaders, handguns, and centerfire rifles. Vertical, traditional, and crossbows can be used only on private property. Hunters must wear a solid blaze orange or blaze pink hat and an outer garment with at least 400 square inches of orange or blaze pink material. Legislation co-sponsored by Rep. Tony McCombie in 2018 allows hunters to wear solid pink gear as well.

Rep. Dennis Tipsword (R – Metamora), an enthusiastic deer hunter from District 105, remarked on the tradition: “Deer hunting is a way of life in Illinois, including for thousands of outdoor enthusiasts in my district,” he said. “There’s nothing like waking up on opening morning and finding your way to a deer stand just before dawn."

Hunting hours are set from half an hour before sunrise until half an hour after sunset. Hunters must possess proper permits and licenses; the bag limit is one deer per hunter. Over a year starting July 1, no more than two antlered deer may be harvested by any hunter.

In counties under Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) surveillance, deer harvests must be reported by 10 p.m. on the same day via phone or online portal. CWD affects the central nervous system of deer and elk but is not transmissible to humans; however, consumption of CWD-positive meat is discouraged by the CDC.

Between July 2022 and June 2023, IDNR's wildlife disease program found 369 CWD-positive cases across northern Illinois counties. Wildlife biologists monitor CWD distribution through testing harvested deer.

Leader Tony McCombie has discussed CWD concerns with IDNR representatives and local residents in northwest Illinois: “The CWD program has been considered to affect the deer population of northwest Illinois," she stated.

Deer hunters play a role in managing overpopulation which can pose risks to other species and human safety due to increased vehicle collisions when deer enter residential areas.

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