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County seat: Joliet
Hunting in Will County
Will County rules in one place: open firearm deer, CWD confirmed, north turkey zone and a 1,063 deer harvest to measure against.
Photo: Ken Lund (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Start here for Will County
Will County belongs to the Northeast region on IDNR public land fact sheets, a stretch of Illinois made up of the Chicago region, the Kankakee River country and the Fox and Des Plaines valleys. County business runs from Joliet; the 2024 population estimate is 708,583, 1.6% up from the 2020 base of 697,353. Its 836 square miles of land, roughly 534,961 acres, rank 13th among Illinois counties by area.
Border counties are Cook County, DuPage County, Grundy County, Kankakee County and Kendall County; the state boundary brings in Lake County (IN). Questions about habitat or local deer numbers go to Joe Rogus, the district biologist for the Rogus area.
County facts from the Census Bureau (2024 estimates and Gazetteer), IDNR wildlife districts and the 2026-27 Illinois Hunting and Trapping Digest (Illinois Department of Natural Resources); key dates for this county, checked November 13, 2026.
; biologist contacts https://wildlifeillinois.org/idnr-district-wildlife-biologist/){kind=link}
Will County deer permits and firearm rules
IDNR lists Will County among the firearm counties, which means the November weekend and the December four-day season both apply. Expect archery windows of October 1 to November 19, November 23 to December 2 and December 7 to January 17 in Will County. 1,211 firearm permits remained here after the final lottery round, made up of 793 either-sex and 418 antlerless.
| Permit type | Either-sex left | Antlerless left | Total left |
|---|---|---|---|
| Firearm | 793 | 418 | 1,211 |
| Muzzleloader | 161 | 104 | 265 |
Counted against the other 98 firearm counties, the leftover total puts Will at number 35. Muzzleloader permits left: 161 either-sex and 104 antlerless, 265 together. We call these leftovers rather than quotas, since the first-round county allocations are not in the sources we could read. Illinois caps antlered deer at two a year per hunter, adding up youth, bow, muzzleloader and gun harvests, and lets Special CWD deer fall outside that count.
Quick deer rules for Will County
| Rule | In this county |
|---|---|
| Firearm deer | Open |
| Archery deer | Split season |
| Check station | Required |
| Leftover permits | 1,211 |
| Hunter orange | Gun seasons |
| Bait or feed deer | Illegal |
| Antlered limit | Two per year |
| Harvest report | By 10 p.m. |
Firearm and archery rules from the 2026-27 Digest (Illinois Department of Natural Resources); Restricted Archery Zone from IDNR; leftover permits from the IDNR deer permit inquiry system (counts after Lottery 3, checked November 13, 2026); hunter orange from the Digest; baiting from the Digest.
Will County CWD status and turkey zone
CWD is confirmed in Will County, a status shared by 27 other counties. Through June 2026 the count of positives for the county stood at 75; sampling that year covered 179 adult deer, of which 7 were positive. A firearm check station is required for deer taken in Will County, open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. It is located at Des Plaines Game Propagation Center, 30550 S Boathouse Rd, Wilmington, IL 60481. IDNR runs two Special CWD weekends in Will County, the second a short one that ends January 17.
| Flag | Status |
|---|---|
| Confirmed CWD | Yes |
| Special CWD season | Yes |
| Late-winter antlerless | No |
| Firearm check station | Required |
| Spring turkey zone | North |
| Restricted Archery Zone | No |
The county is in the North Zone for spring turkey, where the five segments run from April 12 to May 13, 2027. Young hunters get two weekends ahead of everyone else, and every spring bird has to be reported by 10 p.m.
| Segment | Opens | Closes |
|---|---|---|
| Spring turkey 1 | Apr 12, 2027 | Apr 16, 2027 |
| Spring turkey 2 | Apr 17, 2027 | Apr 22, 2027 |
| Spring turkey 3 | Apr 23, 2027 | Apr 28, 2027 |
| Spring turkey 4 | Apr 29, 2027 | May 5, 2027 |
| Spring turkey 5 | May 6, 2027 | May 13, 2027 |
| Youth weekends | Mar 27, 2027 | Apr 4, 2027 |
Closest CWD sampling sites
Des Plaines Game Propagation…
Kankakee River State Park
Bring the head, a completed card and your permit number if the site asks.
From the 2026-27 Digest CWD section, confirmed county list, Special CWD information, late-winter information, check station counties, the CWD annual report and 17 IAC 710.10 (LII mirror, unofficial) (Illinois Department of Natural Resources); checked November 13, 2026.
Will County harvest history
The county deer harvest report for 2025-26 lists 1,063 deer for Will: 621 male and 442 female. Only 70 counties reported more deer, and the density works out near 1.3 per square mile. The county supplied 0.6% of the 174,006 deer taken statewide that year.
| Season | Deer taken | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Archery | 717 | 67% |
| Firearm | 241 | 23% |
| Muzzleloader | 6 | 1% |
| Youth | 8 | 1% |
| Late-winter and Special CWD | 91 | 9% |
The long-run average is 1,055, and the last year landed right on it. The largest slice of the harvest came in the archery category: 717 deer.
County permits produced 98 spring turkeys in 2026 at a 32.8% success rate. Early season matters: 28 birds in segment one, 5 in the youth hunt. Special CWD days added 91 deer to the 2025-26 county total.
IDNR county deer harvest report (harvest by county), spring turkey county tables (turkey harvest by county) and the CWD annual report (Illinois Department of Natural Resources). Figures are county totals as reported, not public-land results; checked November 13, 2026.
Will County permits and windows by species
Will County has its own deer permit counts, so the Deer rows below assume you hold a county permit or an archery permit, while the other species follow statewide dates.
| Species | Hunt | Paperwork | Area | Opening day | Final day | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White-tailed deer | Archery | Deer permit | Firearm counties | Oct 1, 2026 | Jan 17, 2027 | |
| White-tailed deer | Youth Firearm | Deer permit | Youth counties | Oct 10, 2026 | Oct 12, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Firearm – first season | Deer permit | Firearm counties | Nov 20, 2026 | Nov 22, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Firearm – second season | Deer permit | Firearm counties | Dec 3, 2026 | Dec 6, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Muzzleloader | Deer permit | Firearm counties | Dec 11, 2026 | Dec 13, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Special CWD | CWD permit | CWD counties | Dec 31, 2026 | Jan 17, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Fall archery | Archery turkey permit | Statewide | Oct 1, 2026 | Jan 17, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Fall shotgun | Turkey permit | Map counties | Oct 24, 2026 | Nov 1, 2026 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring youth | Turkey permit | Statewide | Mar 27, 2027 | Apr 4, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey 1 | Turkey permit | North Zone | Apr 12, 2027 | Apr 16, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey 2 | Turkey permit | North Zone | Apr 17, 2027 | Apr 22, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey 3 | Turkey permit | North Zone | Apr 23, 2027 | Apr 28, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey 4 | Turkey permit | North Zone | Apr 29, 2027 | May 5, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey 5 | Turkey permit | North Zone | May 6, 2027 | May 13, 2027 | |
| Ring-necked pheasant | Upland bird | License | North Zone | Nov 7, 2026 | Jan 8, 2027 | |
| Ring-necked pheasant | Upland bird | License | South Zone | Nov 7, 2026 | Jan 15, 2027 | |
| Bobwhite quail | Upland bird | License | North Zone | Nov 7, 2026 | Jan 8, 2027 | |
| Bobwhite quail | Upland bird | License | South Zone | Nov 7, 2026 | Jan 15, 2027 | |
| Hungarian partridge | Upland bird | License | North Zone | Nov 7, 2026 | Jan 8, 2027 | |
| Hungarian partridge | Upland bird | License | South Zone | Nov 7, 2026 | Jan 15, 2027 | |
| Rabbit | Rabbit | License | Statewide | Nov 7, 2026 | Feb 15, 2027 | |
| Gray and fox squirrel | Squirrel | License | Statewide | Aug 1, 2026 | Feb 15, 2027 | |
| Teal | Early teal | Waterfowl stamps | Statewide | Sep 5, 2026 | Sep 13, 2026 | |
| Ducks, mergansers and coots | Regular duck season | Waterfowl stamps | North Zone | Oct 24, 2026 | Dec 27, 2026 | |
| Ducks, mergansers and coots | Regular duck season | Waterfowl stamps | Central Zone | Oct 31, 2026 | Jan 3, 2027 | |
| Ducks, mergansers and coots | Regular duck season | Waterfowl stamps | South Zone | Nov 14, 2026 | Jan 24, 2027 | |
| Ducks, mergansers and coots | Scaup | Waterfowl stamps | North Zone | Oct 24, 2026 | Dec 27, 2026 | |
| Ducks, mergansers and coots | Scaup | Waterfowl stamps | Central Zone | Oct 31, 2026 | Jan 3, 2027 | |
| Ducks, mergansers and coots | Scaup | Waterfowl stamps | South Zone | Nov 14, 2026 | Jan 24, 2027 | |
| Youth waterfowl days | Youth waterfowl | Waterfowl stamps | North Zone | Oct 17, 2026 | Oct 18, 2026 | |
| Youth waterfowl days | Youth waterfowl | Waterfowl stamps | Central Zone | Oct 24, 2026 | Oct 25, 2026 | |
| Youth waterfowl days | Youth waterfowl | Waterfowl stamps | South Zone | Nov 7, 2026 | Jan 30, 2027 | |
| Canada goose | Early season | Waterfowl stamps | North and Central Zones | Sep 1, 2026 | Sep 15, 2026 | |
| Canada goose | Early season | Waterfowl stamps | South Zone | Sep 1, 2026 | Sep 15, 2026 | |
| Canada goose | Regular season | Waterfowl stamps | North Zone | Oct 24, 2026 | Jan 26, 2027 | |
| Canada goose | Regular season | Waterfowl stamps | Central Zone | Oct 31, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | |
| Canada goose | Regular season | Waterfowl stamps | South Zone | Nov 14, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | |
| Light geese | Regular season | HIP and license | North Zone | Oct 24, 2026 | Jan 26, 2027 | |
| Light geese | Regular season | HIP and license | Central Zone | Oct 31, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | |
| Light geese | Regular season | HIP and license | South Zone | Nov 14, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | |
| Light geese | Conservation Order | HIP and license | North Zone | Jan 27, 2027 | Apr 30, 2027 | |
| Light geese | Conservation Order | HIP and license | Central and South Zones | Feb 1, 2027 | Apr 30, 2027 | |
| White-fronted goose | Regular season | Waterfowl stamps | Central Zone | Oct 31, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | |
| White-fronted goose | Regular season | Waterfowl stamps | North Zone | Oct 31, 2026 | Jan 26, 2027 | |
| White-fronted goose | Regular season | Waterfowl stamps | South Zone | Nov 14, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | |
| Brant | Regular season | HIP and license | All zones | Oct 24, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | |
| Rails | Rails | HIP and license | Statewide | Sep 5, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 | |
| Wilson's snipe | Snipe | HIP and license | Statewide | Sep 5, 2026 | Dec 20, 2026 | |
| Mourning and white-winged dove | Dove | HIP and license | Statewide | Sep 1, 2026 | Jan 9, 2027 | |
| American woodcock | Woodcock | HIP and license | Statewide | Oct 17, 2026 | Nov 30, 2026 | |
| American crow | Crow | License | Statewide | Oct 28, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Raccoon | Hunting | License | Statewide | Nov 10, 2026 | Feb 15, 2027 | |
| Opossum | Hunting | License | Statewide | Nov 10, 2026 | Feb 15, 2027 | |
| Red fox | Hunting | License | Statewide | Nov 10, 2026 | Feb 15, 2027 | |
| Bobcat | Hunting | License | Statewide (except closed zone) | Nov 10, 2026 | Feb 15, 2027 | |
| Woodchuck | Hunting | License | Statewide | Jun 1, 2026 | Mar 31, 2027 |
From the 2026-27 Illinois Hunting and Trapping Digest (Illinois Department of Natural Resources), checked November 13, 2026.
Will IDNR and federal hunting areas
Public hunting in Will County means 6 listed sites, a combined 25,939 acres by the fact sheet figures. The largest is Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie, a tallgrass prairie of 17,000 acres.
| Site | Kind | Acres | Quota hunt | Trips 2025-26 | Species |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Des Plaines | Fish and wildlife area | 3,500 | Yes | 1,860 | white-tailed deer, ducks, geese |
| Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie | Tallgrass prairie | 17,000 | No | — | white-tailed deer, wild turkey |
| Kankakee River | State park | 4,000 | Yes | 2,585 | white-tailed deer, wild turkey, ducks |
| Vesely/Wilmington Shrub Prairie | Natural area | 305 | Yes | 88 | white-tailed deer, wild turkey |
| Illinois and Michigan Canal State Trail | State trail | 1,000 | No | 38 | furbearer trapping |
| Des Plaines Game Propagation Center | Game propagation center | 134 | No | 1,860 | white-tailed deer, furbearer trapping |
Landowner programs open to hunters in Will County: IDNR Controlled Pheasant Hunting Program (CPHA sites).
Access rules differ by site, and the quota hunt column below flags where permits are drawn.
Public areas a short drive from Will
Closed rows in the data for Will County include Briscoe Mounds, Lake Renwick Heron Rookery, Prairie Bluff, Hitts Siding Prairie, Long Run Seep and Thorn Creek Woods and 3 more.
From Hunt Illinois site fact sheets, the 2025-26 Public Hunting Areas Report and IDNR and FWS pages (Illinois Department of Natural Resources); acres are fact-sheet huntable acres, not polygon areas; checked November 13, 2026.
Towns, shops and contacts around Will County
The largest places in Will County by the 2024 Census estimate are Joliet, Bolingbrook and Plainfield, and 45 incorporated or census-designated places lie inside the county.
| Town | Kind | People 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| Joliet | City | 151,837 |
| Bolingbrook | Village | 74,756 |
| Plainfield | Village | 48,881 |
| Romeoville | Village | 41,177 |
| New Lenox | Village | 28,480 |
| Lockport | City | 26,915 |
| Homer Glen | Village | 24,852 |
| Frankfort | Village | 21,160 |
| Crest Hill | City | 20,223 |
| Mokena | Village | 19,915 |
| Shorewood | Village | 18,522 |
| Manhattan | Village | 10,772 |
We list 16 businesses in Will County and the closest from adjoining counties after them.
IDNR people to call about Will County
Towns and population from the Census Bureau (2024); services from IDNR outfitter and CWD station lists, Hunters Feeding Illinois and Yellow Pages listings (not individually verified); biologist from the IDNR district biologist page; checked November 13, 2026.
Coming up in Will County
As of November 13, 2026 this county has 1 date ahead, namely IDNR hunter education class.
| When | Title | Location | Tickets or sign-up | Page |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 14–15, 2026 | IDNR Hunter Education class, Essex listing type IDNR hunter education class | S. Wilmington Sportsman's Club, 42628 County Line Rd Essex | Schedule page | Source |
Where Will County hunters confirm a rifle or slug zero
Will County has 12 ranges on file, Des Plaines (IDNR site) among them on IDNR ground.
| Where to shoot | Town | Guns or bows | Gate rule |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oakpark Sportsmen's Club gun club | Plainfield | rifle, handgun, trap, shotgun | Members only |
| Palos Sportsmans Club trap and skeet club | Frankfort | trap, skeet, 5-stand, shotgun | Members only |
| Range USA (Shorewood) indoor range | Shorewood | rifle, handgun, rimfire | Access not stated |
| Strictly Archery archery range | Shorewood | archery, 3D archery | Access not stated |
| Range USA Mokena indoor range | Mokena | – | Access not stated |
| The Range At 355 outdoor range | Bolingbrook | – | Access not stated |
Dates in this county
Ranges from the IDNR archery and hand-trap page, the Sparta complex pages, club sites and directory listings, checked November 13, 2026.
Clock times for Will County hunters
Teal run from sunrise to sunset in September; every other waterfowl day starts a half hour before sunrise.
| When | Event | First sun | Last sun | Deer legal | Duck legal | Turkey legal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 1, 2026 | Bow season opens | 6:47 a.m. | 6:36 p.m. | 6:17 a.m. to 7:06 p.m. | 6:17 a.m. to 6:36 p.m. | Not in season |
| Oct 10, 2026 | Youth deer weekend | 6:57 a.m. | 6:21 p.m. | 6:27 a.m. to 6:51 p.m. | 6:27 a.m. to 6:21 p.m. | Not in season |
| Nov 7, 2026 | Pheasant and quail | 6:30 a.m. | 4:42 p.m. | 6:00 a.m. to 5:12 p.m. | 6:00 a.m. to 4:42 p.m. | Not in season |
| Nov 20, 2026 | Shotgun deer opens | 6:46 a.m. | 4:30 p.m. | 6:16 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. | 6:16 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. | Not in season |
| Dec 11, 2026 | Muzzleloader weekend | 7:08 a.m. | 4:23 p.m. | 6:38 a.m. to 4:53 p.m. | 6:38 a.m. to 4:23 p.m. | Not in season |
| Dec 21, 2026 | Year's shortest day | 7:14 a.m. | 4:25 p.m. | 6:44 a.m. to 4:55 p.m. | 6:44 a.m. to 4:25 p.m. | Not in season |
| Dec 31, 2026 | Late-winter days | 7:18 a.m. | 4:31 p.m. | 6:48 a.m. to 5:01 p.m. | 6:48 a.m. to 4:31 p.m. | Not in season |
| Apr 12, 2027 | Spring turkey opens | 6:18 a.m. | 7:27 p.m. | 5:48 a.m. to 7:57 p.m. | 5:48 a.m. to 7:27 p.m. | 5:48 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. |
Hours rules from the 2026-27 Illinois Hunting and Trapping Digest (Illinois Department of Natural Resources); sunrise and sunset worked out for this location with the NOAA solar formula on Central Time; checked November 13, 2026. Legal hours for every county.
Load the truck for Will County
Picked for cornfields, creek bottoms and river backwaters; nothing loads until you tap.
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Chest waders
Illinois River backwaters and flooded corn run knee to waist deep in Illinois.
A flooded old stone quarry among bare trees in Will CountyPhoto: Curtis Abert (CC BY 2.0)
A flock of birds over open grassland at Midewin National Tallgrass PrairiePhoto: Forest Service, USDA (Public Domain Mark 1.0)
A young eastern cottontail in the grass at MidewinPhoto: Joseph Gage (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Will County FAQ
When is the deadline to report a deer or turkey in Will County?
Deer must be reported by 10 p.m. the day of harvest, and spring turkeys also by 10 p.m.
How does the Will County deer harvest compare with the rest of Illinois?
It is 0.6% of the 174,006 deer taken statewide, 71st among counties.
Can nonresidents hunt in Will County?
Yes, with a nonresident license ($57.00 base price) and the permits for what they hunt; Lottery 1 is for residents only.
Is feeding deer legal in Will County?
Not at any time: Illinois bans feeding deer and hunting over bait, including store-bought attractants.
What days of the week can I hunt in Will County?
Season dates are published as calendar ranges; the Digest states no weekday restriction that we could find, so confirm with IDNR for Sundays.
How long is a hunter safety card good for?
Illinois hunter safety certificates are valid for life.
When does goose season start near Will County?
Canada goose and other goose seasons follow zone calendars and run into January and, for light geese, a Conservation Order to April 30.
What time can I start deer hunting in Will County?
One-half hour before sunrise. On November 20, 2026 sunrise near Will is 6:46 a.m., so legal shooting light starts 6:16 a.m. and ends 5:00 p.m..
Is Will County hard to draw a deer permit for?
The county ranks 35th of 99 for leftover permits (1,211 firearm permits), so it is easier than the typical county to find a permit after the lotteries.
How many hunting businesses are in Will County?
Our directory lists 16 within the county and more nearby.
Can I hunt antlerless deer after the gun seasons in Will County?
Yes, through the late-winter or Special CWD hunts in late December and January.
Is Will on the CWD confirmed county list?
It is. IDNR counts 28 confirmed counties and Will is among them.
What is the biggest public hunting area in Will County?
Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie, about 17,000 acres of tallgrass prairie.
How many turkey segments does Will County get?
Five regular segments in the North Zone, beginning April 12, plus youth weekends.
From the 2026-27 Digest (Illinois Department of Natural Resources), hunter orange, baiting, Sunday statement, harvest reporting, CWD rules, license fees and the county data above. Checked November 13, 2026.