Section 680.50  Statewide Deer Hunting Rules

a)         The bag limit is one antlerless deer per legally authorized permit.  Persons using unfilled permits from the previous firearm, muzzleloader or youth deer season (see Section 680.20(a)) may only harvest antlerless deer even when using an either-sex permit.  An antlerless deer is a deer without antlers or a deer having antlers less than 3 inches long.

b)         The harvest tag must be attached and properly sealed immediately upon kill and before the deer is moved, transported or field dressed.  No person shall leave any deer that has been killed without properly attaching the harvest tag to the deer in the manner prescribed in Section 680.60 and on the permit.

c)         Hunters shall not have in their possession, while in the field during the Late-Winter deer season, any deer permit issued to another person (permits are non-transferrable).

d)         Permits shall not be re-issued in cases involving deer taken which are found to be diseased or spoiled due to previous injury.  Disposal of unfit deer taken shall be the responsibility of the hunter.  For those hunters participating in the Department's Chronic Wasting Disease Surveillance Program, a free permit for the same county or special hunt area will be made available the subsequent year if their tested deer is determined to have chronic wasting disease.

e)         Violation of this Section is a Class B misdemeanor (see 520 ILCS 5/2.24), except unlawful take or possession of 2 or more deer within 90 days is a Class 4 felony, and unlawful take of 2 or more deer as a single act or possession or single course of conduct is a Class 3 felony (see 520 ILCS 5/2.36(a)).

(Source:  Amended at 37 Ill. Reg. 14967, effective August 30, 2013)