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Bureau County, Illinois
Bureau County Hunting Overview
Bureau County for 2026-27: firearm deer is open, 3,473 permits were still unsold after Lottery 3, and 4 public sites lie inside the line.
Photo: David Brossard (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Know Bureau County before you go
The Northwest region that holds Bureau County runs across the Rock River valley, the Driftless hills around Galena, the Quad Cities and the Illinois River corridor. About 32,486 people called the county home in 2024 (2.4% down from the 2020 base of 33,274), and Princeton is where the offices sit. Ground inside the county line adds up to 869 square miles, near 556,205 acres; 7 counties are larger.
Neighbouring counties are Henry County, LaSalle County, Lee County, Marshall County, Putnam County, Stark County and Whiteside County, all inside Illinois. Reach the district biologist, Matt Hunsaker, for the Hunsaker area that takes in Bureau County.
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}
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Bureau County
Permits and rules for Bureau County deer hunters
Every firearm county shares the same two gun seasons, so in Bureau County the dates to circle are November 20 through November 22 and December 3 through December 6. Archery deer is split around the gun seasons: October 1 to November 19, November 23 to December 2, then December 7 to January 17. Leftover firearm permits for Bureau County total 3,473, split 2,340 either-sex and 1,133 antlerless.
| Permit type | Either-sex left | Antlerless left | Total left |
|---|---|---|---|
| Firearm | 2,340 | 1,133 | 3,473 |
| Muzzleloader | 182 | 101 | 283 |
That ranks the county 4th of 99 firearm counties for leftover permits, where first place has the most. Leftover muzzleloader stock stands at 283: 182 either-sex and 101 antlerless. From October 20 the leftovers can be bought at license vendors or online, and the numbers above are the counts after Lottery 3. No hunter may take more than two antlered deer a year across youth, archery, muzzleloader and firearm seasons; the Special CWD season is exempt, and each permit covers one deer.
Bureau County deer rules at a glance
| Rule | In this county |
|---|---|
| Firearm deer | Open |
| Archery deer | Split season |
| Check station | Required |
| Leftover permits | 3,473 |
| 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.
Bureau County zone flags and CWD rules
A CWD positive has turned up here, and IDNR keeps Bureau County on its list of 28 confirmed counties. The annual surveillance report tallies 4 CWD positives from the county between November 2003 and June 2026, and 3 of 283 adult samples tested positive in fiscal 2026. Check-station duty applies here, one of 18 counties, with a window of 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on harvest day. The site: Bureau County Fairgrounds, 811 W Peru St, Princeton, IL 61356. A Special CWD season is held in Bureau County: antlerless deer only, December 31 to January 3 and January 15 to 17, on a county-specific permit.
| 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 |
Expect five spring segments in the North Zone, starting April 12 and finishing May 13, 2027. The 2027 youth weekends fall on March 27 and 28 and April 3 and 4; adults wait for segment one.
| 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 |
CWD head drop-off stations near Bureau County
Green River State Wildlife…
Marshall SFWA
IDNR lists 38 voluntary head drop-off sites, and these are the two closest to the county center.
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.
Bureau County deer and turkey harvest figures
County harvest tables for the 2025-26 seasons credit Bureau with 1,848 deer, including 783 does. The total sits 37th in the state and equals about 2.1 deer taken per square mile. One deer in every 94 taken in Illinois came from Bureau, a 1.1% share of 174,006.
| Season | Deer taken | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Archery | 726 | 39% |
| Firearm | 872 | 47% |
| Muzzleloader | 16 | 1% |
| Youth | 31 | 2% |
| Late-winter and Special CWD | 203 | 11% |
The newest season sits level with the 1,809 average of 2016 through 2024. Weapons split the harvest unevenly; firearm topped the list with 872 deer.
162 gobblers and bearded hens were reported on county permits in spring 2026, a 23.9% rate of success. Of the total, 12 came during youth weekends and 52 in the first regular segment. Late-winter Special CWD hunting contributed 203 deer in 2025-26.
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.
Bureau seasons by species
Archery deer, spring turkey and furbearer dates run far past the November gun weekends, which means most of the calendar for Bureau County falls outside the firearm seasons.
| Game | Season name | Permit kind | Zone | From | To | Right now |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.
Where the public hunting ground lies in Bureau County
Count 4 public hunting sites in Bureau County: 3,465 listed acres in total. Top of the list sits Lake DePue State Fish and Wildlife Area: 1,700 acres classed as a fish and wildlife area.
| Site | Kind | Acres | Quota hunt | Trips 2025-26 | Species |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake DePue | Fish and wildlife area | 1,700 | No | 148 | ducks, geese, furbearer trapping |
| Mautino | Fish and wildlife area | 891 | Yes | 243 | white-tailed deer, wild turkey, mourning dove |
| Miller-Anderson Woods | Natural area | 524 | No | 279 | white-tailed deer |
| Hennepin Canal State Trail | State trail | 350 | Yes | 261 | white-tailed deer, wild turkey, mourning dove |
Site-specific rules matter: some areas limit shot type, close at set hours or require a permit drawn in advance.
Close public sites beyond the county line
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.
Supplies, meat processing and contacts for Bureau County
Of 23 places in the county, Princeton, Spring Valley and De Pue are the most populous.
| Town | Kind | People 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| Princeton | City | 7,667 |
| Spring Valley | City | 5,404 |
| De Pue | Village | 1,573 |
| Ladd | Village | 1,387 |
| Walnut | Village | 1,265 |
| Wyanet | Village | 858 |
| Sheffield | Village | 798 |
| Tiskilwa | Village | 714 |
| La Moille | Village | 670 |
| Dalzell | Village | 643 |
| Buda | Village | 465 |
| Ohio | Village | 458 |
Shops, processors, taxidermists and outfitters in the data: 4 here and more across the line.
Biologist and headquarters
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.
Banquets, classes and shows in Bureau County
1 date ahead are held inside the county, covering NWTF banquet. Of these, 1 is a chapter dinner with tickets from the host.
| Day | What | Place | Next step | From |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 30, 2027 | Bureau Creek Gobblers NWTF Banquet category: NWTF banquet | 14180 1800 East Street | Event page | Source |
Bureau County hunting hours by date
Regular duck and goose hours end at sunset, a full half hour earlier than deer hours, and the Bureau County columns show that gap on each date.
| Date | Marker | Sunrise | Sunset | Deer | Ducks, geese | Spring turkey |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 1, 2026 | Bow season opens | 6:53 a.m. | 6:42 p.m. | 6:23 a.m. to 7:12 p.m. | 6:23 a.m. to 6:42 p.m. | Not in season |
| Oct 10, 2026 | Youth deer weekend | 7:03 a.m. | 6:27 p.m. | 6:33 a.m. to 6:57 p.m. | 6:33 a.m. to 6:27 p.m. | Not in season |
| Nov 7, 2026 | Pheasant and quail | 6:36 a.m. | 4:48 p.m. | 6:06 a.m. to 5:18 p.m. | 6:06 a.m. to 4:48 p.m. | Not in season |
| Nov 20, 2026 | Shotgun deer opens | 6:52 a.m. | 4:36 p.m. | 6:22 a.m. to 5:06 p.m. | 6:22 a.m. to 4:36 p.m. | Not in season |
| Dec 11, 2026 | Muzzleloader weekend | 7:14 a.m. | 4:29 p.m. | 6:44 a.m. to 4:59 p.m. | 6:44 a.m. to 4:29 p.m. | Not in season |
| Dec 21, 2026 | Year's shortest day | 7:21 a.m. | 4:31 p.m. | 6:51 a.m. to 5:01 p.m. | 6:51 a.m. to 4:31 p.m. | Not in season |
| Dec 31, 2026 | Late-winter days | 7:24 a.m. | 4:37 p.m. | 6:54 a.m. to 5:07 p.m. | 6:54 a.m. to 4:37 p.m. | Not in season |
| Apr 12, 2027 | Spring turkey opens | 6:25 a.m. | 7:34 p.m. | 5:55 a.m. to 8:04 p.m. | 5:55 a.m. to 7:34 p.m. | 5:55 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 Bureau County
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A red barn above freshly worked furrows in Concord Township near BudaPhoto: David Brossard (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Morning light reflecting on the Ohio River at Paducah, across from Massac CountyPhoto: jjmusgrove (CC BY 2.0)
Orange sunset over Horseshoe Lake with the St. Louis skyline beyondPhoto: Bryan Werner (CC BY 2.0)
Hunting Bureau County, answered
Where can I confirm the Sunday rule for Bureau County?
Ask IDNR directly, because the Digest and IDNR pages we read are silent on the point.
What time is sunrise in Bureau County in November?
About 6:52 a.m. on November 20, 2026, with sunset at 4:36 p.m..
How do I know which duck zone covers Bureau County?
Read the road description in the Digest or the IDNR waterfowl zones PDF, since zone lines follow roads and not county borders.
Are there taxidermists in Bureau County?
1 taxidermist listed inside the county.
How many leftover deer permits does Bureau County have?
3,473 firearm and 283 muzzleloader permits remained after the third lottery, and the count falls as they sell.
Is there a CWD check station in Bureau County?
Yes, firearm deer must be checked at a station: Bureau County Fairgrounds, 811 W Peru St, Princeton, IL 61356.
Is there a late-winter deer season in Bureau County?
No, Bureau County is not on the 2026-27 late-winter antlerless county list.
Is Bureau County in the North or South turkey zone?
IDNR lists it in the North Zone (66 counties), so the spring dates start April 12.
Are there closed public sites in Bureau County?
Our data shows no closed hunting sites inside the county.
Which season produces most of the Bureau deer harvest?
In 2025-26 the firearm seasons produced 872 deer and archery 726.
Do I have to report my deer in Bureau County?
Yes. Every deer must be reported by phone or online by 10 p.m. on harvest day, and firearm deer go to a station too.
How long after removing bait can I hunt in Bureau County?
An area is considered baited for 10 consecutive days after the bait is gone.
What license do I need to hunt in Bureau County?
A hunting license (resident $12.00 base price), the State Habitat Stamp ($5.00), the right permits, and waterfowl stamps if you hunt ducks or geese.
Do I need hunter safety to hunt in Bureau County?
Anyone born on or after January 1, 1980 must complete hunter safety education or show a prior-year hunting license before buying one.
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.