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Weber district
Lee County, Illinois Hunting
What a Lee County hunter needs before opening day: permit status, zone flags, check station rules, sites to hunt and a county harvest record back to 2016.
Photo: David Wilson (CC BY 2.0)
Quick facts about Lee County
For the Hunt Illinois site list, this county counts as Northwest region country: the Rock River valley, the Driftless hills around Galena, the Quad Cities and the Illinois River corridor. Dixon anchors a county of 33,544 people by the 2024 Census estimate, 1.8% down from the 2020 base of 34,151. The Census gazetteer measures 725 square miles of land and 4 of water, the 19th largest land area of the 102.
The county shares its lines only with Bureau County, DeKalb County, LaSalle County, Ogle County and Whiteside County. IDNR assigns Lee County to the Weber district, where Beth Weber is the biologist of record.
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 Lee County
Deer in Lee County: permits and gun rules
Firearm deer hunting is open in Lee County: the first season runs November 20 to November 22, 2026 and the second December 3 to December 6, 2026. Bow season closes during each firearm period, leaving three windows that end on November 19, December 2 and January 17. After Lottery 3, IDNR still had 2,225 firearm permits unsold for Lee County: 1,368 either-sex and 857 antlerless.
| Permit type | Either-sex left | Antlerless left | Total left |
|---|---|---|---|
| Firearm | 1,368 | 857 | 2,225 |
| Muzzleloader | 206 | 134 | 340 |
Only 17 firearm counties had more permits left over after Lottery 3. For the December muzzleloader weekend, 340 permits were unsold, 206 either-sex plus 134 antlerless. Residents had first crack in Lottery 1; whatever remained after Lottery 3 is what this table counts. Each permit tags one deer, and a hunter may not exceed two antlered deer in a year, Special CWD excepted.
Rule checklist for Lee County
| Rule | In this county |
|---|---|
| Firearm deer | Open |
| Archery deer | Split season |
| Check station | Required |
| Leftover permits | 2,225 |
| 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.
Disease rules and turkey dates for Lee County
Lee County sits on the confirmed CWD county list (28 counties in 2026), which brings extra seasons and sampling. Since 2003 the surveillance program has found 47 infected deer here; of 299 adults tested in fiscal 2026, 22 were positive. Gun hunters in Lee County must present deer at a check station on the day of the kill, between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. The station is at Lee County 4H Center, 1196 Franklin Rd, Amboy, IL 61310. Antlerless-only Special CWD days fall on December 31 to January 3 and January 15 to 17 here, using an over-the-counter county 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 |
Spring turkey hunters in Lee County follow the North Zone calendar, opening April 12 and closing May 13, 2027. Two youth weekends open the spring, then five segments follow, and shooting stops at 1 p.m. each day.
| 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 |
Head drop-off near Lee County
Franklin Creek State Natural…
Green River State Wildlife…
Drop-off stations take adult deer heads for CWD testing: fill out a sample submission card and leave the head.
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.
Lee County harvest records
Hunters took 1,404 deer in Lee County during 2025-26 by IDNR county figures, 770 of them male. A rank of 59th statewide goes with a density of roughly 1.9 deer harvested per square mile. Statewide the harvest was 174,006, so this county accounts for 0.8% of it.
| Season | Deer taken | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Archery | 582 | 41% |
| Firearm | 621 | 44% |
| Muzzleloader | 12 | 1% |
| Youth | 33 | 2% |
| Late-winter and Special CWD | 156 | 11% |
Against an earlier average of 1,119 deer a season, the most recent total is above the pattern. Season by season the leader is firearm, which produced 44% of the deer.
In the 2026 spring season the county gave up 114 turkeys, and about 32.2% of permit holders tagged out. Youth hunters accounted for 10 of those birds, and the first segment yielded 32. 156 deer came from the Special CWD season of 2025-26, according to the CWD report.
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.
When each Lee County hunt starts and stops
56 season lines for 25 species reach Lee County this year, and the last column checks each against today's date.
| Animal | Window | Buy | Covers | Begins | Ends | Open? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.
Lee County sites open to licensed hunters
4,405 acres across 6 public sites make up the listed hunting ground in Lee County. Green River State Wildlife Area is the biggest, at 2,515 acres of state wildlife area.
| Site | Kind | Acres | Quota hunt | Trips 2025-26 | Species |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sinnissippi Lake | Fish and wildlife area | 700 | Yes | — | ducks, geese, furbearer trapping |
| Green River | State wildlife area | 2,515 | Yes | 1,374 | white-tailed deer, wild turkey, pheasant |
| Sand Prairie Habitat Area | Habitat area | 316 | Yes | 26 | mourning dove, rabbit |
| Maytown Pheasant Habitat Area | Habitat area | 159 | Yes | 57 | white-tailed deer, wild turkey, rabbit |
| Steward Pheasant Habitat Area | Habitat area | 80 | Yes | 19 | rabbit |
| Franklin Creek | Natural area | 635 | Yes | 375 | white-tailed deer, wild turkey |
Look at IDNR Controlled Pheasant Hunting Program (CPHA sites) for managed access beyond the public areas.
Permit hunts are common on state fish and wildlife areas, while many state parks open only a few species.
Neighbouring ground for Lee County hunters
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.
Lee County local services
Lee County holds 14 Census places; Dixon, Amboy and Ashton lead in population.
| Town | Kind | People 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| Dixon | City | 15,156 |
| Amboy | City | 2,224 |
| Ashton | Village | 939 |
| Franklin Grove | Village | 876 |
| Paw Paw | Village | 806 |
| Sublette | Village | 372 |
| Lee | Village | 308 |
| Compton | Village | 266 |
| Steward | Village | 223 |
| West Brooklyn | Village | 128 |
| Nelson | Village | 125 |
| Harmon | Village | 117 |
6 listed hunting businesss sit inside Lee County, and the cards below add the closest ones from nearby counties.
Phone numbers for Lee County wildlife questions
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.
Lee County shooters: ranges and shoot dates
Lee County has 1 range on file.
Ranges from the IDNR archery and hand-trap page, the Sparta complex pages, club sites and directory listings, checked November 13, 2026.
Legal hours near Lee County
The Digest sets deer hours at half an hour before sunrise until half an hour after sunset, so the window around Lee County below comes from the NOAA solar formula for this spot.
| Date | Season point | Sunrise | Sunset | Antlered or not | Blind hours | Spring hunt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 1, 2026 | Bow season opens | 6:52 a.m. | 6:41 p.m. | 6:22 a.m. to 7:11 p.m. | 6:22 a.m. to 6:41 p.m. | Not in season |
| Oct 10, 2026 | Youth deer weekend | 7:02 a.m. | 6:26 p.m. | 6:32 a.m. to 6:56 p.m. | 6:32 a.m. to 6:26 p.m. | Not in season |
| Nov 7, 2026 | Pheasant and quail | 6:36 a.m. | 4:46 p.m. | 6:06 a.m. to 5:16 p.m. | 6:06 a.m. to 4:46 p.m. | Not in season |
| Nov 20, 2026 | Shotgun deer opens | 6:52 a.m. | 4:34 p.m. | 6:22 a.m. to 5:04 p.m. | 6:22 a.m. to 4:34 p.m. | Not in season |
| Dec 11, 2026 | Muzzleloader weekend | 7:14 a.m. | 4:27 p.m. | 6:44 a.m. to 4:57 p.m. | 6:44 a.m. to 4:27 p.m. | Not in season |
| Dec 21, 2026 | Year's shortest day | 7:21 a.m. | 4:29 p.m. | 6:51 a.m. to 4:59 p.m. | 6:51 a.m. to 4:29 p.m. | Not in season |
| Dec 31, 2026 | Late-winter days | 7:24 a.m. | 4:35 p.m. | 6:54 a.m. to 5:05 p.m. | 6:54 a.m. to 4:35 p.m. | Not in season |
| Apr 12, 2027 | Spring turkey opens | 6:23 a.m. | 7:33 p.m. | 5:53 a.m. to 8:03 p.m. | 5:53 a.m. to 7:33 p.m. | 5:53 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.
Lee County gear picks
Four items that suit an Illinois year, from October bow hunts to January rabbits.
Amazon links are affiliate links. We may earn a commission at no cost to you.
Hang-on stand
Cornfield edges give little cover, so most hunters climb into a hardwood draw.
The white frame Ronald Reagan boyhood home in DixonPhoto: RB Photo (CC BY 2.0)
Orange sunset over Horseshoe Lake with the St. Louis skyline beyondPhoto: Bryan Werner (CC BY 2.0)
Snow on the bank of the Ohio River at Locks and Dam 53 near Grand ChainPhoto: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Louisville District (CC BY 2.0)
Lee County: common questions
When can I buy leftover deer permits for Lee County?
Over the counter from October 20, 2026. Check the IDNR permit inquiry page for the live count, which began at 2,225 firearm permits for Lee County after Lottery 3.
Should Lee County hunters worry about chronic wasting disease?
CWD is confirmed here, so follow the Special CWD and sampling rules and consider dropping a head at a sampling site.
Do Special CWD deer count against my limit in Lee County?
No. Deer taken in the Special CWD season do not count toward the two-antlered-deer yearly limit.
Which spring turkey zone is Lee County in?
The North Zone, with five segments from April 12 to May 13, 2027.
Which public hunting sites does Lee County have?
6 sites inside the county: Sinnissippi Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area, Green River State Wildlife Area and Sand Prairie Habitat Area.
How many archery deer are taken in Lee County?
582 in 2025-26, 41% of the county total.
Can I report a deer online in Lee County?
Yes, through the IDNR harvest reporting site, or by phone at 1-866-452-4325.
Are food plots allowed for deer hunting in Lee County?
Planted agricultural crops and normal food plots are not bait under the Digest wording we read, but dumping feed or minerals is.
How much is a hunting license for Lee County?
The Digest base price for a resident hunting license is $12.00 and nonresident $57.00, before vendor fees.
Who needs hunter orange in Lee County?
Anyone hunting deer in firearm seasons in open counties, with a solid blaze orange or pink cap and an upper garment showing at least 400 square inches.
Are Sundays open for deer in Lee County?
Season dates are listed as date ranges; the Digest does not say anything we could read about Sunday restrictions.
When does legal deer shooting light end in Lee County?
One-half hour after sunset: 5:04 p.m. on opening day of firearm season, November 20, 2026.
Can I hunt waterfowl in Lee County?
Yes, with the hunting license, habitat stamp, state and federal waterfowl stamps, and attention to site rules; public waterfowl sites are drawn by lottery.
Can I hire a hunting guide in Lee County?
2 IDNR licensed outfitter or guide listings for the county.
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.