Illinois can get cold, being a Southerner you may not have a clue. Find out when you will be hunting, if it is in December in Northern IL you need to be prepared for some pretty brutal conditons. It could be a balmy 50 or -5. Minus 5 and sitting in a tree stand is difficult for natives. If you have not experienced cold I suspect you will want to stay on the ground. If you will be hunting in Southern Illinois it will be quite a bit warmer but it will still be much much colder than you are used to in Alabama.

I like insulated work bib overalls with the full length leg zippers. The zippers can be opened so you cool off when you walk, it is bad news if you start sweating in cold weather. Get them big enough to fit over your pants and a couple of pairs of long underwear.

Get good boots with plenty of insulation, again big enough for a couple pairs of socks underneath.

I like wearing a lot of layers on my upper body. I wear a turtleneck, wool shirt, hooded sweat shirt, and field jacket with lining. The field jacket and sweatshirt get zipped open when I am walking to keep from sweating.

I wear an insulated hat with ear flaps and a scarf too, along with the hood on the sweatshirt, and you will need good gloves.

I sat out at minus four in Iowa for three hours without moving and I needed every bit of that clothing to be able to stay in the field. I still was cold the whole time except while walking.

Most of the time it will not be nearly so cold, but if it is.........

I think Illinois has a blaze orange requirement during the gun seasons, camo is not too relevant.

For a gun you will need a muzzle loader or a slug gun. You may already have an 870 and can get a barrel with rifle sights fairly reasonably. Ask what ranges you will be shooting at and then decide smooth, rifled, or muzzel loader, and scope or iron sights.

If you hunt from the ground you will want a stool to sit on. You cannot sit on ice or snow.

As I said, ask the land owners a lot of questions.

Bob