Section 710.20  Statewide Turkey Permit Requirements

a)         All turkey hunters must have a current, valid Spring Wild Turkey Hunting Permit.  Lifetime licenses issued after August 15, 2006 shall not qualify a non-resident of Illinois for a resident turkey permit.  All hunters, except those exempted by Section 3.1 of the Wildlife Code [520 ILCS 5/3.1] are also required to obtain a hunting license before hunting wild turkey.  Fees for spring turkey permits are as follows:

1)         Permits issued via lottery by Permit Office:

Illinois Resident lottery permit − $15

Nonresident lottery permit − $125

2)         Over-the-Counter (OTC) Permits sold by license vendors pursuant to subsection (g); all prices include vendor's issuing fee:

Illinois Resident OTC Permit – $15.50

Nonresident OTC Permit − $125.50

b)         Permits are issued for a specific county or area and are valid only in the county or area designated on the permit.  Applications for wild turkey permits shall be completed and submitted by visiting one of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources' DNR license vendors, by applying on-line at www.dnr.illinois.gov or by writing to:

Department of Natural Resources – Spring Turkey

One Natural Resources Way

P.O. Box 19446

Springfield, Illinois  62794-9446

c)         Applicants must supply all information necessary to complete the application.  Incomplete applications will be rejected and fees returned.  Each applicant must submit payment for his/her individual application at the time of application.  Permits are allocated via computerized lottery drawings held in Springfield, Illinois.  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.

d)         Applications from Illinois residents will be accepted through December 1 for the First Lottery Drawing.  Applicants for the First Lottery Drawing that have applied for or already are in possession of a valid landowner permit are not eligible to apply for the First Lottery Drawing.  Applications received in the permit office after December 1 will be included in the next computerized drawing.  Applicants rejected in this drawing will receive preference in the next year's drawing for spring season permits subject to guidelines outlined in subsection (h).  Only one application may be submitted per applicant for the First Lottery Drawing.

e)         Permits not issued during the First Lottery Drawing will be available in a Second Lottery Drawing.  Applications for this drawing will be accepted through the first working day after January 10.  Applications received after this date will be included in the next drawing.  All hunters are eligible to apply for permits remaining for this Second Lottery Drawing, but hunters who have not already been awarded a permit will receive preference in the Second Lottery Drawing.  Only one application may be submitted per applicant for the Second Lottery Drawing. 

f)         Permits not issued during the first two lottery drawings will be available in the Third Lottery Drawing.  Applications for this Third Lottery Drawing will be accepted through the first working day after February 8.  Applications received after this date will be rejected and fees refunded.  Applicants may submit up to three applications for the Third Lottery Drawing.  No applicant may receive more than three permits in total for spring turkey hunting, including lottery drawn, OTC, youth and landowner permits.

g)         Permits remaining after the Third Lottery Drawing will be available OTC from agents designated by the Department (pursuant to 17 Ill. Adm. Code 2520) beginning the second Tuesday in March on a first-come, first-served basis.  Permits will be sold until quotas are exhausted, or until the close of the specific turkey season segment (i.e., of seasons 1 through 5) in the Zone (north vs. south) for which the permit is being requested.  Hunters may purchase one or more permits during this period, subject to availability, except that no one may exceed the limit of three permits in total for spring turkey hunting, including lottery drawn, OTC, youth and landowner permits.

h)         The following criteria must be met to obtain preference in the first computerized 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 spring turkey permit, and not had turkey hunting privileges revoked.

3)         The applicant must apply for the same county and season choices which he/she listed on the previous year's application.  Preference will not be granted for special hunt areas as listed in Section 710.25 or for permit areas listed in Section 710.50(c).

i)          A $3 service fee will be charged for replacement permits issued by the Department.

j)          The periods for accepting applications for the lotteries may be extended if applications are not available to the public by November 1.  A news release will announce the extension of the application periods.

k)         It shall be unlawful to:

1)         Submit applications before the second computerized lottery drawing for more than one permit for the same person.

2)         Submit applications before the third computerized lottery drawing for more than two permits for the same person.

3)         Apply for or receive more than three permits for the spring turkey season. The three-permit total includes lottery drawn, OTC, youth and landowner permits.

4)         Provide false and/or deceptive information on a permit application form.  In addition to criminal charges, individuals found guilty of violating this Section shall have their applications rejected, permit revoked, and fees forfeited.  Rejection, revocation and forfeiture is subject to the notice and hearing requirements set out in 17 Ill. Adm. Code 2530.

l)          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 (l) 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 the Gubernatorial Disaster Proclamations regarding COVID-19 or Department closures reflecting those proclamations or orders;

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 last day of the season listed on the permit.  Permits shall be considered delivered to the Department if the permit is received by the Department at its headquarters in Springfield, Illinois or postmarked before the last 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 by the Department at its headquarters in Springfield, Illinois or postmarked before the first day of the season listed on the permit.  No refund shall be issued under this subsection (l)(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 (l)(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 Spring Turkey Hunting Season.

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 or postmarked 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 to him or her 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 (l)(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 holder choosing not to, or being unable to, use the issued spring turkey hunting permit due to the COVID-19 Gubernatorial Proclamations.  Requests for refunds on the basis of the COVID-19 disaster period must include the unused issued permit.  The request for refund must be submitted to, and the unused permit that was issued for a spring turkey hunting season during the COVID-19 disaster period must be returned to, the Department at its headquarters in Springfield, Illinois or postmarked on or before December 1, 2020.  No refund shall be issued on this basis if the request and issued unused permit is received or postmarked after December 1, 2020.

D)        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.

m)        Group Hunt Application Requirements

1)         Up to six individuals may apply to hunt as a group during the First and Second Lottery Drawings.  Group hunt applications will not be accepted for the Third Lottery as all applications in that lottery will be processed individually.

2)         Each individual must sign his or her own paper application.

3)         Groups must identify a group leader, and all applicants must list the same group leader in their submitted application.  For online applications, the group leader customer ID number must be included on all group members' applications.

4)         Groups must list the same county or special hunt area of choice and complete, in an identical fashion, all options regarding hunting locations and the season choices.  This does not include the personal identification information of the applicant or type of permit.

5)         In order to receive preference for the group hunt, all members must have the same county of choice.  If any member does not designate the group's county of choice, the entire group will not receive preference.

6)         Applicants applying as a group will be rejected if any member does not list the identical information as all other members of the applicant group, other than the applicant's personal identification information.

7)         Group applications will be accepted for the First Lottery Drawing. Only one application per hunter will be accepted. All members of the group must be Illinois residents.

8)         Group applications will be accepted for the Second Lottery Drawing. Only one application per hunter will be accepted.

9)         Since applicants that have not been awarded a permit are given preference for permits allocated in the Second Lottery Drawing, groups containing both applicants that have not been awarded a permit and applicants that have been awarded a permit will not receive preference in the Second Lottery Drawing.

10)        Providing false information on an application is a violation of 520 ILCS 5/2.38.

(Source:  Amended at 44 Ill. Reg. 14137, effective August 20, 2020)