Illinois accepting youth and adult deer hunting applications

SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Department of Natural Resources is accepting applications from youth firearm hunters and archers of all ages to participate in deer hunting on private property leased especially for that purpose.

The state has leased 13,365 acres of private land for the autumn 2021 deer hunting season through the Illinois Recreational Access Program. These sites will be available for the youth firearm season Oct. 9-11 and for the youth and adult archery season during October and from Dec. 16-31. There is no cost for participants to have access to these lands.

A licensed hunter must submit an online application, found at the IRAP pages on the IDNR website. Youth must not have reached their 18th birthday by the first day of the hunting period, and must be accompanied by someone at least 21 years old. Adult archers must be at least 18 by the start of the season they are applying for. All must complete a hunter education course and have acquired a state hunting license, habitat stamp and a valid IDNR archery deer hunting permit. Archery applications must be submitted before the end of business on Aug. 13. A lottery drawing will be held when applications exceed site limitations.

IRAP is funded through a grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s natural resources and conservation service. To date, IRAP has leased property in 49 Illinois counties.