It all depends on where you are applying for. Are you applying for a site specific permit (i.e. a certain state park or such) or a county? If you are trying to public land gun hunt in the northern part of the state you most likely need a site specific permit which means you have to apply for a certain location. What you should do is apply for your first choice location and for the second choice put the second location you would like to hunt. Unless you are hunting a very large public land spot such as Shawnee NF you shouldn't put in for a county. Every year people put in for a county permit thinking they can hunt any public land in that county which is incorrect. If you need any help, PM me, I have a decent amount of experience with public land hunting and would be happy to help. If they are sites in Northern Illinois I know a few of them pretty well and would be happy to give my .02. Good Luck!