1. a) Season: One-half hour before sunrise on Friday of the third 3-day (Friday, Saturday, Sunday) weekend following Thanksgiving to one-half hour after sunset on Sunday of this 3-day weekend in December. The hunter with a Muzzleloading Rifle Deer Permit may also hunt during the second firearm deer season (the first 4-day weekend – Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday – following Thanksgiving), providing the hunter must use only a legal muzzleloading rifle and must abide by 17 Ill. Adm. Code 650.60 when hunting on Department-owned or -managed sites. Hunting hours are one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset.
2. b) Permit quotas shall be set by the Department of Natural Resources (Department) on a county or special hunt area basis. Cook, DuPage and Lake counties, and that portion of Kane County east of State Route 47, are closed to muzzleloading rifle deer hunting.

(Source: Amended at 49 Ill. Reg. 11774, effective September 2, 2025)