Section 680.20  Statewide Deer Permit Requirements

a)         Illinois resident hunters must have an unfilled deer permit valid for the previous firearm, muzzleloader or youth deer season and valid for one of the open counties or a valid Late-Winter Deer Season permit ($17.50).  Nonresident hunters must have an unfilled deer permit valid for the previous firearm, muzzleloader or youth deer season and valid for one of the open counties.  A Late-Winter Deer Season 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.  Unfilled firearm, muzzleloader or Youth Deer Hunt Permits are valid only for the county for which they were originally issued, except that Youth Deer Hunt Permits issued as part of the statewide youth-only deer hunting season Pilot Program, as described in 17 Ill. Adm. Code 685.20, are valid for all of the open counties and unfilled landowner property-only hunting firearm deer permits are valid only for the farmlands that the person to whom it was issued owns, leases, or rents within the open counties/portions of counties. 

1)         Unfilled firearm, muzzleloader or Youth Deer Hunt Permits that were originally issued for special hunt areas are not valid during the Late-Winter Season unless:

A)        the hunter's name is redrawn at the daily site lottery to hunt at the same special hunt area during the Late-Winter Season; or

B)        the special hunt area is open to persons with a county permit and the special hunt area does not conduct a daily site lottery. 

2)         Sites conducting a daily site lottery will be announced publicly. 

b)         Resident Late-Winter Deer Permits will be available for sale over-the-counter (OTC) from agents designated by the Department (pursuant to 17 Ill. Adm. Code 2520) beginning the second Tuesday in December through the last day of the Late-Winter Deer Season.  There shall be no limitation on permit sales; resident hunters may purchase as many permits as they wish for any or all of the included counties.

c)         For a Special Hunt Area permit, resident hunters may apply online at www.dnr.illinois.gov for a site-specific permit valid for one of the Department's Special Hunt Areas.  The application period begins the last Tuesday in October and ends the fourth Monday in November.  Permits will be allocated via a lottery drawing.

d)         For the applicant to be eligible to receive a Late-Winter Deer Permit ($17.50), he/she must be an Illinois resident and not have had deer hunting privileges suspended or revoked in this State pursuant to Section 3.36 of the Wildlife Code [520 ILCS 5/3.36].  Lifetime licenses issued after August 15, 2006 shall not qualify a non-resident of Illinois for a resident deer permit.

e)         Hunters purchasing Late-Winter Deer Permits must supply all necessary application information to the agents in order to properly complete the permit. 

f)         Recipients of the Late-Winter Deer Hunting Permit shall record their signature on the permit and must carry it on their person while hunting.

g)         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.

h)         A $3 service fee shall be charged for replacement permits. Monies derived from this source shall be deposited in the Wildlife and Fish Fund.

i)          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 (i) 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 (i)(1)(D) if the permit is 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 (i)(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 for which that 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 or postmarked 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 (i)(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. 18738, effective November 2, 2022)