Bulzeye

I just applied for my first Illinois resident deer firearm permit.
I chose both seasons just in case, and chose first and second choices of hunting areas.

My question is...
Can I apply multiple times for different hunting areas?
...or do I just get one application, and that' s it?

uncle matt

Bulzeye,

Here' s the lowdown, right from the 2003 Resident Firearm Deer Permit Application. You probobly sent yours in already so you can' t just reread it and find this.


Under the APLICATION INFORMATION section, the first paragraph reads:

" *Applications will be rejected, fees forfeited and permits revoked if you receive or attempt to receive more than one Either-Sex and/or one bonus Antlerless-Only (Firearm or Muzzleloader-only) permit(s) before September 15. You CANNOT apply in both of the firearm and muzzleloader-only lotteries, but you may apply in random daily drawings."

The Aplication also gives a phone # of (217) 782-7305 if you have any questions, weekdays only.

I do know that to get additional permits you can apply after Sept 15 for any additional remaining permits. That' s what I do. The additional permits can be for any county with remaining permits available and the counties and quantities of permits available are posted on IDNR website.

And you did all you can to assure getting a permit(s) by checking the SECOND SEASON OPTION (Box 3).

By the way, what county(s) are you trying to get permit(s) for?

No matter what county(s), I wish ya luck!

And stay away from those scamming processors in Plainfield, you probobly know the severely overpriced and meat skimming folks I am refering to.


Uncle Matt (in IL)

Bulzeye

Looks like you are right down the street from me, neighbor. I' m on the South side of Plainfield.

I have hunted with my bow at Kankakee State park, Des Plaines Conservation Area, and Marsielles. This will be my first time shotgunning for deer.

I' m most familiar with the lands at Kankakee, but they don' t allow shotgun, So I applied for Des Plaines and Starved Rock.

Thanks for the tip about applying after Sept 15 for more permits.

Do you know of a place to see stats on how many hunters apply for a given county with respect to how many permits are available in that county?

Matt, where do you go, and do you also hunt with a handgun?
I' ve got a 44 mag that I' ve been dying to break in.

uncle matt

Bulzeye,

Did you already actually send in the application already? Also, you can apply for permits directly over the internet at Illinois Department of Natural Resources site.

Kankakee, Des Plaines & Marsailles are (excuse me if you will) kinda lame. Lame in the sense of number of deer taken and they are pretty small most of the time. But if thats what' s available to you, great, go there. I would too if I wasn' t fortunate enough to have other places.

There are alot of really good public areas that have much larger animals. Look down south, around Shawnee NF and such. Alot of the public areas down there are really overlooked and underhunted in my opinion. Maybe you want to start trying some of those areas? You can get info on areas around the state, with pretty good maps and terrain descriptions from IDNR site.

I' ve seen some guys come out of State (public) areas with some real trophies! (And sometimes the guys gettin them are the only ones in there, or just a few vehicles in parking lots.)

For stats on permits issued.......I can' t help right now, but I' m sure the info is posted somewhere. I' ll bet the people at DNR can tell ya if you call them.

Harvest stats for firearm deer seasons can be found @ the Illinois Department of Natural Resouces website. Go there, click on " What' s New" on the main page, choose " Press Releases" and then you can select the year you are intrested in from past seasons. Notice the totals. All the areas you listed are in the really lower percentage of Illinois 100 counties (98 open to shotgun).

Where do I go you ask? Well I' m sure you' ve heard this before.........." If I tell ya, I' ll have to......................

I almost exclusively hunt private property whare ever I go, but am not opposed to public land either, believe me.

I shotgun almost exclusively down in southern IL. Always have and always will. It' s my home. I usually do some bow down there too. But not much. I don' t want to scare off anything from where I can come in during shotgun and really reach out at something I really want, if you know what I mean.

I bow hunt more up here, though. Up here I don' t do any public areas, all private. I hunt areas that would really suprise alot of guys and have taken really nice deer. Both (my favorite) FAT, HEAVY DOES and some (personal) " trophies" . Some practically right off " the backyard fences" . LOL

As for handgunnin for deer. Maybe someday I' ll give it a go. But for now I' m trying to raise 3 boys and get them, little by little, into bows and guns. Maybe once they are all into their teens I' ll try it.

Hope the info helps ya.

bob d

UNCLE MATT, I WILL TAKE YOU TO TASK ON MARSAILLES AREA I NEVER HUNTED IT TILL LAST YEAR AND WENT ON A LARK ONE DAY AND I WILL TELL YOU I SAW A BUCK THAT WOULD TAKE A BACKSEAT TO NO OTHER. HE WAS A MONSTER BUT ALAS NO SHOT OPPORTUNITY . I DID NOT THINK THERE WOULD BE ANY BIG DEER THERE EITHER BUT MY EYES DO NOT LIE.

uncle matt

Bobby D,

I don' t doubt ya. But hang at the check station awhile and you' ll think it' s a kennel club. LOL. 90% of deer taken are really on the smaller side. But, they do have to grow up.

I don' t want to take a deer that doesn' t process out into some MEAT!