Besides your hunting license and habitat stamp you will need your Federal and State Waterfoul stamps. You also need to call and get your HIP number. As for the area you will have to check the new Hunting regulation book when it comes out for open areas and the date. There is a full waterfoul regulation book that comes out after the regular Hunting Digest that you will want to check out.

I do know the north east area of IL is very good, I hunted up aroud Harvard IL 2 years ago with a friend wo lives up there. I hope that helped you some.

Good Luck