Landowners and farmers will have more flexibility when it comes to hunting on their own property after legislation from State Sen. Patrick Joyce, D-Essex, was signed into Illinois law on Friday, Aug. 1.

House Bill 2340 allows landowner deer, turkey and hunting permits to be issued without charge to Illinois landowners who own at least 20 acres in a county where there are positively identified chronic wasting disease cases in the deer herd, resident tenants of at least 20 acres of commercial agricultural land where they will hunt or an owner, shareholder or partner of a business that owns at least 20 acres of land.

Joyce sponsored the legislation in response to farmers and landowners having difficulty in securing permits to hunt on their own land.

House Bill 2340 goes into effect on Jan. 1, 2026.