Murdy pretty much nailed it. I just want to add a few points about getting firearm permits to hunt public land here in Illinois, as I have seen a lot of misinformation on this site about what is required. Some State and Federal lands require site specific permits and some only require a permit for the County where the site is located. Most State owned land also requires a windshield permit that can be printed online at the IDNR website and also requires that you report your harvest. It can be confusing, so call the site in question or the IDNR if you're not sure. I can honestly say after spending 100's of hours both archery and gun hunting public land here in Illinois, I have never had anything happen that made me fear for my safety. Not saying it doesn't happen, just that it is not always the "wild west" situation that it is sometimes made out to be. In general, if you are willing to outwork the majority of hunters on a given site, hunting public land can pay off. Good luck and good hunting!
