SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WSIL) -- Hunters in Illinois harvested a preliminary total of 51,409 deer during the first weekend of the Illinois firearm deer season from Nov. 21-23. This number shows a slight decrease compared to the first firearm weekends in 2024 and 2023, when hunters took 54,661 and 53,348 deer, respectively.

The Illinois firearm deer season will continue from December 4-7. Youth hunters with an unfilled, valid youth deer permit will be able to participate during this time, marking the first year that unfilled youth permits are valid for both segments of the firearm season.

Additional deer hunting opportunities include a muzzleloader-only deer season from Dec. 12-14, as well as late-winter antlerless-only and chronic wasting disease deer seasons in select counties from Jan. 1-4

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