Cottontail and swamp rabbits
RegularStatewide; public sites may use shorter dates
Cottontail and swamp rabbits — Regular
THE SEASON ATLAS / ILIllinois
Illinois
hunting seasons.
Explore 2026 & 2027 season sources, publication status, and game species for your next hunt.
IL / UNITED STATES
PLAN WITH THE SEASONS
Your 2026 field calendar.
Selected 2026 dates verified
Official 2026 schedules were located. This directory indexes selected seasons; the complete calendar-year schedule has not been reviewed.
Official 2026 information ↗4 verified date entries
Selected agency dates are indexed below. This is not a complete legal calendar. Unit rules, tags, sex and age restrictions, closures, and special hunts can change which dates apply. Use the source beside each entry.
White-tailed deer
First firearmCounties and sites open to firearm deer hunting
White-tailed deer — First firearm
White-tailed deer
Second firearmCounties and sites open to firearm deer hunting
White-tailed deer — Second firearm
White-tailed deer
Archery, late segmentCounties with firearm season and Kane County west of Route 47
White-tailed deer — Archery, late segment
Illinois game species & hunting information.
These species and groups appear in agency hunting resources. Their presence in the state does not mean every public area offers a hunt. “Native” describes origin, “reintroduced” describes restoration, and “migratory” describes movement; these are not population counts. Origin is left unverified when the reviewed source does not establish it.
Agency-listed hunting targets and selected dated seasons are reviewed here. This is not an exhaustive species, zone, method, permit or property schedule. A listed species does not establish its presence at any directory property.
Big game
White-tailed deer
Origin not verifiedHunting target confirmed; population origin not reviewed.
Agency species information ↗Turkey
Wild turkey
Origin not verifiedHunting target confirmed; population origin not reviewed.
Agency species information ↗Upland birds
Ring-necked pheasant
IntroducedIDNR describes the pheasant as nonnative and introduced to Illinois.
Agency species information ↗Population history source ↗Bobwhite quail
Origin not verifiedHunting target confirmed; population origin not reviewed.
Agency species information ↗Hungarian partridge
Origin not verifiedHunting target confirmed; population origin not reviewed.
Agency species information ↗Small game
Eastern cottontail
Origin not verifiedHunting target confirmed; population origin not reviewed.
Agency species information ↗Swamp rabbit
Origin not verifiedHunting target confirmed; population origin not reviewed.
Agency species information ↗Fox and gray squirrels
Origin not verifiedHunting target confirmed; population origin not reviewed.
Agency species information ↗Migratory birds
Mourning and white-winged doves
MigratoryAgency migratory-game-bird category; individual species rules apply.
Agency species information ↗Woodcock
MigratoryAgency migratory-game-bird category; individual species rules apply.
Agency species information ↗Crow
MigratoryAgency migratory-game-bird category; individual species rules apply.
Agency species information ↗Waterfowl
MigratoryAgency hunting category; individual species and zone rules require further review.
Agency species information ↗Furbearers
Coyote
Origin not verifiedHunting target confirmed; population origin not reviewed.
Agency species information ↗Striped skunk
Origin not verifiedHunting target confirmed; population origin not reviewed.
Agency species information ↗Raccoon
Origin not verifiedHunting target confirmed; population origin not reviewed.
Agency species information ↗Opossum
Origin not verifiedHunting target confirmed; population origin not reviewed.
Agency species information ↗Red fox
Origin not verifiedHunting target confirmed; population origin not reviewed.
Agency species information ↗Bobcat
Origin not verifiedHunting target confirmed; population origin not reviewed.
Agency species information ↗Other huntable wildlife
Woodchuck
Origin not verifiedHunting target confirmed; population origin not reviewed.
Agency species information ↗Eurasian collared-dove
Origin not verifiedHunting target confirmed; population origin not reviewed.
Agency species information ↗Ringed turtledove
Origin not verifiedHunting target confirmed; population origin not reviewed.
Agency species information ↗Pigeon
Origin not verifiedHunting target confirmed; population origin not reviewed.
Agency species information ↗Check the details.
Then head for the horizon.
Confirm the unit, season, license, method, bag limit, and current closures with Illinois Department of Natural Resources. Public-land rules may be more restrictive than statewide seasons.