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Illinois guns and range gear
Illinois Gun Buying Guide: Dealer Transfers, Legal Hunting Weapons, Chain Stores and Range Gear
A gun bought online is shipped to a federally licensed dealer you name, not to your house. You sign ATF Form 4473 at his counter, wait for the background check and pay whatever transfer fee he sets. State paperwork beyond the federal form is a question for the dealer; below you will find the weapons the IDNR Digest allows for hunting, the chain stores we checked and gear for the range.
Photo: formatc1 (CC BY-SA 2.0)
From web checkout to your hands: four steps
Federal law sets the sequence everywhere. What Illinois adds on top is something the dealer can explain at the counter.
1. Name a dealer
Type the licensed Illinois shop you trust into the ship-to field.
2. The box goes to the shop
Staff log the delivery and call you when it is ready.
3. Paperwork at the counter
Take photo ID, complete the federal form and wait for the check.
4. The shop’s fee
Each dealer sets its own charge; ask the amount before you order.
Federal transfer steps per ATF. Illinois purchase rules are not summarised here; ask the dealer what state paperwork it needs.
What the Digest permits, season by season
Shotguns, slug guns, single-shot rifles, bows, crossbows and waterfowl shotguns, set against the hunts they are legal for, so a purchase matches the season.
| Season or game | Legal | Not legal | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| all game (statewide) | Shotgun no larger than 10 gauge, barrel at least 18 inches and overall length at least 26 inches; shot no larger than lead BB, steel T or BBB other non-toxic (shot size unrestricted for furbearers; slugs only for deer and furbearers). | Shotgun holding more than three shells in magazine and chamber combined unless plugged (not applicable on licensed hunting preserves except for migratory birds, nor during the light goose Conservation Order); rifle, handgun or airgun for game birds or migratory birds; discharging a rifle, handgun or airgun on, over or into water or ice; guns with silencers. | IDNR Digest |
| deer firearm – single-shot centerfire rifle | Single-shot centerfire rifle (one round in magazine and chamber combined; manufactured or modified single shot; no magazine in possession or close proximity that would let the rifle hold more than one round) in a bottleneck centerfire cartridge .30 caliber or larger with a case length not exceeding 1.4 inches, or a straight-walled centerfire cartridge .30 caliber or larger, both with a factory load showing at least 500 foot-pounds of energy at the muzzle; soft point or expanding bullets only. | Full metal jacket or non-expanding military-style bullets for deer; any other firearm or ammunition in the field while hunting deer except as listed. IDNR rifle page also states centerfire handguns (non-revolver) and centerfire rifles may not hold more than 3 rounds in magazine and chamber combined from Jan. 1, 2027 (see regs_flagged.json). | IDNR Digest |
| deer firearm – shotgun, handgun, muzzleloader | Shotgun 10 to 20 gauge loaded with slugs only (minimum projectile .44 caliber; not capable of firing more than three consecutive slugs); single or double barreled muzzleloading rifle at least .45 caliber with a barrel at least 16 inches shooting a single projectile; centerfire handgun .30 caliber or larger (case-length and 500 ft-lb rules as for rifles; revolver or single-shot handgun with barrel at least 4 inches); only blackpowder or approved substitute (smokeless only in muzzleloaders designed for it). | Breech-loaded projectiles in a muzzleloader. | IDNR Digest |
| deer archery | Long, recurve or compound bow with minimum pull of 30 pounds within a 28-inch draw and arrow at least 20 inches; crossbow with minimum draw weight 125 pounds, overall length 24 inches, working safety, bolts at least 14 inches; broadheads at least 7/8 inch when open. Archery equipment is legal on private land during firearm season only with a valid county Firearm Deer Permit. | Electronic arrow-tracking systems using radio telemetry; any firearm in possession while bowhunting deer (except concealed carry handguns per statewide rules). | IDNR Digest |
| turkey – shotgun | .410 to 10 gauge shotguns; No. 4 shot is the largest shot allowed. | Any other firearm for the purpose of hunting wild turkeys (except under concealed carry rules); live or electronic decoys, dogs, recorded calls; nets or traps. | IDNR Digest |
| turkey – archery | Long, recurve or compound bow (30 pounds at 28 inches, arrows 20 inches); crossbow 125 pounds, 24 inches long, working safety, bolts 14 inches; broadheads at least 7/8 inch open. Hunters may carry a shotgun and bow during spring season. | Electronic arrow-tracking systems; any firearm in possession while archery turkey hunting in fall season. | IDNR Digest |
| migratory waterfowl | Shotgun no larger than 10 gauge holding no more than three shells (non-toxic shot). | Trap, snare, net, rifle, pistol, swivel gun, punt gun, battery gun, machine gun, fishhook, poison, drug, explosive or stupefying substance; hunting by driving or chasing waterfowl with motorized conveyance. | IDNR Digest |
From the 2026-27 Illinois Hunting and Trapping Digest (Illinois Department of Natural Resources), checked November 13, 2026. Read the full Digest before hunting. This is not a summary of Illinois purchase law.
Illinois rules that come with a new hunting gun
Hunter orange, hunter education, legal hours, houses and landowner permission, baiting, ground blinds and drones.
| Topic | Rule |
|---|---|
| Hunter education | Anyone born on or after January 1, 1980 must complete hunter safety education (certificate of competency) or show a prior-year Illinois hunting license issued by Illinois or another state before buying a hunting license. |
| The certificate | Hunter safety certificates are valid for life (IDNR hunter safety page). Apprentice hunting license: no course needed; supervised by a licensed hunter 21 or older. |
| Hunting hours | Hunting only during the hours specified for each species relative to official sunrise-sunset times; some IDNR sites are more restrictive. |
| Hunting near inhabited dwellings | No hunting or letting a dog hunt within 300 yards of an inhabited dwelling without the owner or tenant's permission; the restriction is 100 yards when trapping, bowhunting, hunting with a shotgun using shotshells only, on licensed hunting preserves, on federally owned and managed lands, and on IDNR-owned, managed, leased or controlled lands. |
| Landowner permission | It is unlawful to take or attempt to take wildlife, or let a dog hunt, on land or waters of another, or knowingly shoot a gun or bow at wildlife on or flying over another person's property, without permission from the owner or the owner's designee (written authorization with notarized signature). Purple paint on trees or posts marks no-trespassing land. Illinois law does not grant a right of trespass to retrieve wounded wildlife. |
| Baiting and feeding deer | May not feed deer at any time or take deer by the use or aid of bait of any kind; baited area stays baited for 10 consecutive days after removal; see regs.json baiting. |
| Ground blinds on IDNR land | During firearm deer seasons a ground blind on IDNR-owned or managed land needs at least 400 square inches of solid blaze orange or pink on the uppermost portion, visible for 360 degrees; tree stands may not be built or used with nails, screws or devices piercing the bark on IDNR sites, and only one tree stand or ground blind per hunter on IDNR sites. |
| Hunter interference and drones | May not interfere with or disturb another person lawfully taking wildlife with intent to prevent the taking, and may not use a drone in a way that interferes with another person's lawful taking. |
From regs.json and laws.json (the 2026-27 Digest and 17 Ill. Adm. Code, LII mirror, unofficial), checked November 13, 2026.
Academy, Bass Pro, Cabela’s and Dunham’s stores across Illinois
The store list covers 8 Dunham's Sports, 3 Bass Pro Shops, 3 Academy Sports + Outdoors and 1 Cabela's locations, from Galesburg and Quincy to Gurnee and Hoffman Estates.
| Town | Street | County | Chain | Note | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bolingbrook | 709 Janes Ave | Will | Bass Pro Shops | Firearm-order notice | source |
| East Peoria | 1000 Bass Pro Shops Dr | Tazewell | Bass Pro Shops | Firearm-order notice | source |
| Galesburg | 1890 N. Henderson St | Knox | Dunham's Sports | Store list only | source |
| Gurnee | 6112 West Grand Ave | Lake | Bass Pro Shops | Firearm-order notice | source |
| Hoffman Estates | 5225 Prairie Stone Pkwy | Cook | Cabela's | Firearm-order notice | source |
| Jacksonville | 1909 W. Morton Ave | Morgan | Dunham's Sports | Store list only | source |
| Mattoon | 700 Broadway Ave East | Coles | Dunham's Sports | Store list only | source |
| Mount Vernon | 3917 Broadway Suite 3 | Jefferson | Dunham's Sports | Store list only | source |
| O'Fallon | 1574 W Highway 50 | St. Clair | Academy Sports + Outdoors | Firearms and ammo department | source |
| Pekin | 3465 Court Street | Tazewell | Dunham's Sports | Store list only | source |
| Peoria | 7611 North Grand Prairie Drive | Peoria | Academy Sports + Outdoors | Firearms and ammo department | source |
| Peru | 1606 36th Street | LaSalle | Dunham's Sports | Store list only | source |
| Quincy | 3415 Broadway | Adams | Dunham's Sports | Store list only | source |
| Springfield | 3231 S. Veterans Pkwy | Sangamon | Academy Sports + Outdoors | Firearms and ammo department | source |
| Sterling | 2900 E Lincolnway | Whiteside | Dunham's Sports | Store list only | source |
Academy rows from the academy.com Illinois store pages; Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s rows from the /us/il/ pages in the stores.basspro.com and stores.cabelas.com sitemaps; Dunham’s rows from the store list on dunhamssports.com, which does not say which stores sell firearms. Retrieved November 13, 2026. Sportsman’s Warehouse has no Illinois store page, Scheels refused the request and Walmart, farm-and-ranch chains and local gun shops are not in this list.
Online departments of the chains that have Illinois stores
These plain links go to the national gun, ammunition and gear pages of each chain. What a given Illinois store stocks can be thinner than the site.
| Retailer | Departments | Illinois stores |
|---|---|---|
| Bass Pro Shops | Firearms Ammo Shooting gear | Bolingbrook, East Peoria and Gurnee |
| Cabela's | Firearms Ammo Shooting gear | Hoffman Estates |
| Academy Sports + Outdoors | Firearms Ammo Shooting gear | O'Fallon, Peoria and Springfield |
| Dunham's Sports | – | Galesburg, Jacksonville, Mattoon, Mount Vernon, Pekin, Peru, Quincy and Sterling |
Department links from each retailer site (list checked Oct 9, 2026). Store towns from the Illinois store rows (November 13, 2026).
Web-only gun sellers that ship to an Illinois dealer
None of these sellers has an Illinois shop. Guns go to the licensed dealer you choose and the same four steps apply.
Retailer list checked Oct 9, 2026; each ships guns to a licensed dealer, never to a home address.
Range-day kit from Amazon
Muffs, glasses, gridded paper and a steady rest for a windy morning on a club bench in the prairie counties.
Amazon links are affiliate links; a purchase may earn this site a commission at no cost to you. Amazon does not sell guns or ammunition.
Clay-shooting extras for an Illinois trap or hand-trap day
Home practice gear for Illinois archery hunters
Where to fire a new gun for the first time
After the purchase: ranges, matches and the law
- Illinois shooting ranges230 listed
- Indoor ranges44 listed
- Illinois shooting events120 still to come
- Hunting lawsweapons and methods
Illinois gun buying questions
Can I hunt Illinois deer with a centerfire rifle?
Single-shot centerfire rifle (one round in magazine and chamber combined; manufactured or modified single shot; no magazine in possession or close proximity that would let the rifle hold more than one round) in a bottleneck centerfire cartridge .30 caliber or larger with a case length not exceeding 1.4 inches, or a straight-walled centerfire cartridge .30 caliber or larger, both with a factory load showing at least 500 foot-pounds of energy at the muzzle; soft point or expanding bullets only. Not legal: Full metal jacket or non-expanding military-style bullets for deer; any other firearm or ammunition in the field while hunting deer except as listed. IDNR rifle page also states centerfire handguns (non-revolver) and centerfire rifles may not hold more than 3 rounds in magazine and chamber combined from Jan. 1, 2027 (see regs_flagged.json).
Which firearms are legal for Illinois deer besides a shotgun?
Shotgun 10 to 20 gauge loaded with slugs only (minimum projectile .44 caliber; not capable of firing more than three consecutive slugs); single or double barreled muzzleloading rifle at least .45 caliber with a barrel at least 16 inches shooting a single projectile; centerfire handgun .30 caliber or larger (case-length and 500 ft-lb rules as for rifles; revolver or single-shot handgun with barrel at least 4 inches); only blackpowder or approved substitute (smokeless only in muzzleloaders designed for it).
What shotgun and shot are legal for Illinois game in general?
Shotgun no larger than 10 gauge, barrel at least 18 inches and overall length at least 26 inches; shot no larger than lead BB, steel T or BBB other non-toxic (shot size unrestricted for furbearers; slugs only for deer and furbearers). Not legal: Shotgun holding more than three shells in magazine and chamber combined unless plugged (not applicable on licensed hunting preserves except for migratory birds, nor during the light goose Conservation Order); rifle, handgun or airgun for game birds or migratory birds; discharging a rifle, handgun or airgun on, over or into water or ice; guns with silencers.
Which bows and crossbows qualify for archery deer?
Long, recurve or compound bow with minimum pull of 30 pounds within a 28-inch draw and arrow at least 20 inches; crossbow with minimum draw weight 125 pounds, overall length 24 inches, working safety, bolts at least 14 inches; broadheads at least 7/8 inch when open. Archery equipment is legal on private land during firearm season only with a valid county Firearm Deer Permit.
What is legal for Illinois waterfowl?
Shotgun no larger than 10 gauge holding no more than three shells (non-toxic shot). Not legal: Trap, snare, net, rifle, pistol, swivel gun, punt gun, battery gun, machine gun, fishhook, poison, drug, explosive or stupefying substance; hunting by driving or chasing waterfowl with motorized conveyance.
What gun can I use for spring turkey?
.410 to 10 gauge shotguns; No. 4 shot is the largest shot allowed.
Who must hold a hunter safety certificate?
Anyone born on or after January 1, 1980 must complete hunter safety education (certificate of competency) or show a prior-year Illinois hunting license issued by Illinois or another state before buying a hunting license.
Is blaze orange required for grown hunters?
See the Digest.
Do the Amazon buttons sell shells or cartridges?
They do not; Amazon stocks no firearms or ammunition. The buttons search for muffs, glasses, targets, bags and archery items, and a sale can pay this site a commission.
Which chain stores did we check?
Dunham's Sports (8 stores), Bass Pro Shops (3 stores), Academy Sports + Outdoors (3 stores) and Cabela's (1 stores); the Bass Pro and Cabela’s pages show a firearm-order notice, and the Academy pages list a Firearms + Ammo department.
What will a dealer charge to receive my gun?
Nothing fixed; every licensed dealer names its own fee, so phone the shop first.
Will an online rifle order arrive at my door?
No. It goes to a licensed dealer, where Form 4473 and the background check come before you take it home.
Next: a lane, a bench or a club match
Other photos on this page: simonov (CC BY-SA 2.0); Chris Yarzab (CC BY 2.0); IvyMike (CC BY 2.0).