CHAPTER I: DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES
SUBCHAPTER b: FISH AND WILDLIFE
PART 660 WHITE-TAILED DEER HUNTING BY USE OF MUZZLELOADING RIFLES
SECTION 660.20 STATEWIDE DEER PERMIT REQUIREMENTS
Section 660.20 Statewide Deer Permit Requirements
a) All deer hunters must have a current, valid Muzzleloading Rifle Deer Permit. Fees for deer permits are as follows:
1) Illinois Resident Permits (issued by Deer Permit Office):
Either-sex − $25
Bonus antlerless-only − $17.50
Antlerless only for Special Hunt Areas with antlerless-only hunts − $25
2) Nonresident Permits (issued by Deer Permit Office):
Either-sex − $300
Bonus antlerless-only − $25
Antlerless-only for Special Hunt Areas with antlerless-only hunts − $300
3) In addition to a Special Hunt Area Permit issued under subsection (a)(1) or (a)(2), a hunter may obtain additional Special Hunt Area Permits, issued by staff at the Special Hunt Area, when unfilled permits are available. Fees:
Either-sex (full, 1st or 2nd season) − $25 regardless of residency
Antlerless-only (full, 1st or 2nd season) − $17.50 regardless of residency
One-day standby permits − $5 regardless of residency
4) Over-the-Counter Permits sold by license vendors pursuant to subsection (h) (all prices in this subsection (a)(4) include vendor's issuing fee):
Resident either-sex − $25.50
Resident antlerless-only − $18.00
Nonresident either-sex − $300.50
Nonresident bonus antlerless-only (hunter has obtained, for the current year, a muzzleloader either sex permit, or has a valid landowner firearm either-sex permit) − $25.50
Nonresident antlerless-only (hunter has not obtained the required either-sex permit) – $100.50
b) A permit is issued for one county or special hunt area and is valid only in the county, where permission to hunt has been obtained from the property owner, or special hunt area stated on the permit. During the First Lottery and Second Lottery, applicants who receive an either-sex permit in a county or special hunt area are eligible for a bonus antlerless-only permit for that county or special hunt area (with the exception of special hunt areas offering antlerless-only hunts). During the Third Lottery, antlerless-only permits remaining in the quota will be made available to resident applicants regardless of whether those applicants already possess an either-sex permit, but nonresident applicants must have a muzzleloader either-sex permit or landowner firearm either-sex permit in order to obtain an antlerless-only permit. For permit applications and other information write to:
Department of Natural Resources
(Muzzleloading Rifle)
Deer Permit Office
P.O. Box 19227
Springfield IL 62794-9227
c) Applications from Illinois residents for participation in the First Lottery Drawing shall be accepted through April 30 of the current year. Nonresidents may not apply to participate in the First Lottery Drawing. Applications received after April 30 shall not be included in this lottery. Permits shall be allocated in a computerized random drawing. Permits shall be issued as either-sex, antlerless-only or antlered only. A maximum of one either-sex and one antlerless-only permit shall be issued per person. Lifetime licenses issued after August 15, 2006 shall not qualify a non-resident of Illinois for a resident deer permit.
d) Applicants must complete all portions of the current year permit application form. Incomplete or incorrect applications will be returned along with the applicant's permit fee for correction or completion if received in the Permit Office prior to the last weekday in April of the current year.
e) Applicants must check the antlerless-only box and provide the appropriate fee to apply for an additional antlerless-only permit. Antlerless-only permits will be issued until the antlerless-only quota is filled for a given county or special hunt area.
f) Permits for counties and special hunt areas with unfilled quotas after the First Lottery Drawing shall be allocated in a Second Lottery Drawing. This drawing is open only to nonresident applicants and to Illinois residents who were not previously issued muzzleloader permits for the current hunting season. Illinois residents will be given preference for permits allocated in the Second Lottery Drawing. Applications for the Second Lottery Drawing will be accepted through June 30 of the current year. Applicants may also apply for remaining antlerless-only permits by checking the antlerless-only box and providing the appropriate fee. A list of unfilled counties shall be announced upon becoming available after the First Lottery Drawing. Applicants must apply on a current year Muzzleloading Rifle Deer Permit application form. A maximum of one either-sex and one antlerless-only permit shall be issued per person.
g) A Third Lottery Drawing will be held during which any Illinois resident (regardless of any other deer permit he or she may have) may apply for one or more either-sex and/or antlerless-only permits for counties or special hunt areas with unfilled quotas. Nonresidents may also apply, but must have received a muzzleloader either-sex permit or landowner firearm either-sex permit in order to obtain an antlerless-only permit in this drawing. Applications for the Third Lottery Drawing will be accepted through the third Friday in August of the current year. A list of unfilled counties and special hunt areas will be announced upon becoming available after the Second Lottery Drawing. Applicants must apply on a current year Muzzleloading Rifle Deer Permit application form. All applications for the Third Lottery will be processed individually (i.e., no group applications will be processed).
h) Permits remaining after the Third Lottery Drawing will be available over-the-counter (OTC) from agents designated by the Department (pursuant to 17 Ill. Adm. Code 2520) beginning the third Tuesday in October on a first-come, first-served basis. Permits will be sold until quotas are exhausted, or until the close of the muzzleloader deer season, whichever occurs first. Persons may purchase one or more permits during this period, subject to availability. Persons purchasing OTC deer permits must supply all necessary applicant information to the agents in order to properly complete the permit.
i) Hunter preference in obtaining a muzzleloading rifle permit during the First Lottery Drawing shall be given to individuals that applied for an either-sex muzzleloading permit in the previous year's First Lottery Drawing who were rejected because the quota was depleted in their county choices. The following criteria must be met to obtain a preference in the muzzleloading rifle First Lottery Drawing:
1) The applicant must apply using the official agency application.
2) The applicant must be a resident of the State, be eligible to receive a Muzzleloading Rifle Deer Permit, and not had deer hunting privileges revoked pursuant to Section 660.50.
3) The applicant must apply for the same county choices that he/she listed on the previous year's application. Preference will not be granted for special hunt areas.
4) Where applicants apply as a group, preference for the entire group shall apply as it does above for the individual. All county choices for the group must be identical.
j) Applications shall be accepted at the counter window of the permit office; however, permits for the First Lottery, Second Lottery and Third Lottery Drawing shall be mailed. In-person, mail-in and electronic applications will receive equal treatment in the drawings.
k) Permits are not transferable. For the purpose of this Section, "transfer" means the modification or changing, by the Department or any other person, individual or group of the name or the location on an issued permit to another person or location.
l) A $3 service fee shall be charged for replacement permits issued by the Department, except when permits are lost in the mail, then there shall be no charge. The procedures for obtaining a replacement license are detailed in 17 Ill. Adm. Code 2520.50. Monies derived from this source shall be deposited in the Wildlife and Fish Fund.
m) The period for accepting applications for the First and Second Lottery periods shall be extended if applications are not available to the public by April 1. A news release will announce the extension of the application period.
n) Refunds and Cancellations
1) A refund shall be issued by the Department for a permit that has been granted, or for an application that has been submitted, under the following circumstances:
A) The State managed or owned site for which the permit was issued was closed due to a national or State issued emergency or disaster declaration or any other emergency circumstance that resulted in the Department closing access to the hunting site, park or area. Issued permits shall be cancelled by the Department. This subsection (n) shall include, but is not limited to, closure of State parks, fish and wildlife areas, and recreation areas by the Department as a response to a Gubernatorial Disaster Proclamation or executive order;
B) The applicant for a permit was unsuccessful in obtaining a permit in the lottery for which the applicant applied; or
C) Upon the request of the permit holder, a permit was issued due to an error of the Department, the OTC point-of-sale vendor or the applicant. The permit that was issued in error and the request for a refund must be delivered to the Department before the first day of the season listed on the permit. Permits shall be considered delivered to the Department if the permit is received or postmarked before the first day of the season listed on the permit; or
D) Upon the return of an issued permit to the Department before the first day of the season listed on the issued permit. Permits shall be considered delivered to the Department if the permit is received or postmarked before the first day of the season listed on the permit. No refund shall be issued under this subsection (n)(1)(D) if the permit is not returned or postmarked after the first day of the season listed on the permit.
2) A permit shall be cancelled if a refund is approved pursuant to subsection (n)(1)(A), (C) or (D). Once a permit has been cancelled, the cancelled permit shall not count towards the total number of permits that an applicant may obtain for the hunting season that the cancelled permit was issued.
3) Upon the request of a permit holder, a refund may be issued by the Department for a permit that has been granted under the following circumstances:
A) A medical condition or death of the permit holder that prevented the permit holder from hunting. A death certificate or medical documentation showing that the permit holder was unable to or advised not to hunt may be required by the Department before any refund is issued. Requests must be made within 90 days after the start of the season that the permit was issued for and must accompany the return of the permit to the Department at its headquarters in Springfield, Illinois. No refunds shall be issued under this subsection if the request or permit is delivered to the Department at its headquarters in Springfield, Illinois 90 days after the first day of the season listed on the permit; or
B) The permit holder was unable to travel or use the permit that was issued due to a national or State issued emergency or disaster declaration that resulted in a danger to the health or safety of the permit holder had they attempted to use the issued permit. Requests must be made within 60 days after the start of the season for which the permit was issued and must accompany the return of the permit to the Department at its headquarters in Springfield, Illinois. No refund shall be issued under this subsection (n)(3)(B) if the request or permit is delivered or postmarked 60 days after the first day of the season listed on the permit.
C) A permit that was issued due to an error of the Department, the OTC point-of-sale vendor, or the applicant, if the permit is returned to the Department before the last day of the season for which the permit was issued.
(Source: Amended at 46 Ill. Reg. 18684, effective November 2, 2022)