It seems now that several states are moving there bow opener to the middle of Sept. Has anyone heard if this is even a thought with the IL DNR for the future? Two more weeks to bowhunt! I'd certainly be all for that idea!

Nope havent heard any rumors or talk of moving the opener up.
I'll tell you though I think its usually to warm on Oct. 1
I think I may burst into flames in Sept.

New Hampshire opens on the 15th also. I'll be able to hunt in Maine on the 11th but you can't hunt on Sundays in Maine. New Hampshire you can (that should double my hunting hours.)

still oct 1st as far as i know of

bad idea!! Bow hunting doesn't really get good until the middle of October anyway. It is usually so hot you really have to struggle to keep your deer from spoiling. not to mention all the leaves on the trees till mid October.

Im happy with the season length that we have. I used to hunt Wis opener and usually just feed the mosquitos.

Oct 1st is just fine with me.

A few years ago IL said that they had NO intrest in opening the bow season earlier for fear of to much meat spoilage, thus they extended the season by giving us the current extra 2 weeks in Jan. However, I to would love to see a September opener. While I'm dreaming, how about a late August or Sept 1 opener for a chance to kill a velvet clad beauty!!!

However, I have heard that next year archers will NOT be required to check deer in at the check station. Instead we will simply duplicate our turkey tag system, a mail-in tag system. I've also heard that IF Illinois bowhunters do not continue to take a larger number of antlerless deer then they may extend the firearm season. I know this year that counties previously open for the special handgun-only season will have a change. This year this special antlerless-only hunt will be with ALL legal firarms, thus adding shotgun and muzzleloaders to the mid-Jan doe-only hunt. So do your part this year and "take a doe so the herd won't grow", we've got to extend BOW season and NOT gun seasons!!!

They open Wisconsin on the 18th. If you ask me, the opener is better here than the rut. The big bucks are real predictable and have not yet become nocturnal. I have taken several of my best bucks on opening day. However, I have to earn my buck by shooting a doe 1st this year. So I have been working on patterning does for this opener.

October 1st is fine with me. I generally go the first day out of tradition, then very little until the first good frost.