Hunters stop in Will County
Joliet, Illinois hunting guide
Public land from Joliet: 0 places inside 10 miles, 11 inside 25, and one county rule book for all of them.
Photo: Ken Lund (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Joliet land table and map
The nearest public places to Joliet begin beyond 10 miles, and 11 of them fall inside 25. No site with a stated size lies inside 10 miles of Joliet; out to 25 miles the records give 44,438 acres.
Of the places listed, Des Plaines State Fish and Wildlife Area is the nearest that carries no flag, at 10 mi. The last entry inside 25 miles is Kankakee River State Park, 23 mi from Joliet; the list mixes 6 land types.
| Area | Type | Miles | Band | In county | Hunting access |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Des Plaines SFWA | Fish and wildlife area | 10 mi | Inside 25 | Will | Some hunts by permit |
| Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie | Tallgrass prairie | 11 mi | Inside 25 | Will | Open in season |
| Des Plaines Game Propagation | Propagation center | 13 mi | Inside 25 | Will | Open in season |
| Goose Lake Prairie SNA | Natural area | 14 mi | Inside 25 | Grundy | Some hunts by permit |
| Heidecke Lake SFWA | Fish and wildlife area | 14 mi | Inside 25 | Grundy | Some hunts by permit |
| Vesely | Natural area | 17 mi | Inside 25 | Will | Some hunts by permit |
| Illinois and Michigan Canal | State trail | 19 mi | Inside 25 | Will, LaSalle + | Open in season |
| Silver Springs SFWA | Fish and wildlife area | 21 mi | Inside 25 | Kendall | Some hunts by permit |
| Braidwood Lake SFWA | Fish and wildlife area | 22 mi | Inside 25 | Grundy | Open in season |
| Mazonia SFWA | Fish and wildlife area | 22 mi | Inside 25 | Grundy | Some hunts by permit |
| Kankakee River SP | State park | 23 mi | Inside 25 | Kankakee, Will | Some hunts by permit |
Rings and distances from places.json (lands.json points to the Census point of Joliet, straight lines); access cells from each record’s own fields (IDNR Hunt Illinois fact sheets, 50 CFR 32.32 for refuges, Corps and program records). Acres are the sizes printed in those records. Checked November 13, 2026.
Read this before driving out of Joliet
The three nearest mapped places, with their size, county and what each fact sheet says:
Des Plaines SFWA
Plan for check-in rules; the site runs quota hunts for at least one species.
Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie
Seasons here follow the statewide calendar for the species the fact sheet names.
Des Plaines Game Propagation
Seasons here follow the statewide calendar for the species the fact sheet names.
From lands.json (IDNR Hunt Illinois fact sheets and the 2025-26 Public Hunting Areas Report, 50 CFR 32.32, USFS and Corps pages). Checked November 13, 2026.
Joliet hunters and the Will County rule book
Joliet sits in Will County, which is open to firearm deer hunting this season. The leftover count for Will County reads 793 either-sex and 418 antlerless firearm permits, and 161 and 104 for the muzzleloader season. Once the lotteries close, the remaining permits are sold over the counter from October 20.
CWD has been confirmed in Will County. Will County is one of the 25 Special CWD season counties. Firearm hunters report to the county check station, Des Plaines Game Propagation Center, 30550 S Boathouse Rd, Wilmington, IL 60481.
The North Zone covers Will County for spring turkey, with segments from April 12 to May 13 of 2027. The next marker on the Will County calendar falls on November 20, 2026: shotgun deer opens. The calendar for Will County runs 56 lines long once every species and weapon is counted.
| What | Where it stands |
|---|---|
| Firearm season | Open |
| Archery deer | Split by gun seasons |
| Spring turkey zone | North Zone |
| CWD confirmed | Yes |
| Special CWD season | Yes |
| Check station needed | Yes, firearm deer |
| Late-winter antlerless | No |
| Restricted Archery Zone | No |
| Leftover firearm permits | 793 either-sex, 418 antlerless |
| Day | What happens |
|---|---|
| Oct 1, 2026 | Bow season opens |
| Oct 10, 2026 | Youth deer weekend |
| Nov 7, 2026 | Pheasant and quail |
| Nov 20, 2026 | Shotgun deer opens |
| Dec 11, 2026 | Muzzleloader weekend |
| Dec 21, 2026 | Year's shortest day |
| Dec 31, 2026 | Late-winter days |
County rules from the 2026-27 Illinois Hunting and Trapping Digest (Illinois Department of Natural Resources); firearm counties, CWD counties, check stations, spring turkey zones and the permit inquiry system. Checked November 13, 2026.
Joliet permits and season windows
25 species and 56 season lines apply around Joliet this year, and the last column checks each window against today.
| Species | Window | Permit | Reach | First | Last | Today? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | |
| Eastern cottontail | 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 (sora and Virginia) | 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 (groundhog) | 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.
Deer and turkey taken in Will County, near Joliet
Hunters in Will County took 1,063 deer across the 2025-26 seasons, and the table splits them by weapon.
| Season | Total |
|---|---|
| Deer, all seasons | 1,063 |
| Male deer | 621 |
| Female deer | 442 |
| Archery | 717 |
| Firearm | 241 |
| Muzzleloader | 6 |
| Youth | 8 |
| Late-winter and CWD | 91 |
| Spring turkey 2026 | 98 |
| Turkey, youth | 5 |
| Turkey, segment 1 | 28 |
| Turkey, segment 2 | 27 |
| Turkey, segment 3 | 24 |
| Turkey, segment 4 | 14 |
| Turkey, segment 5 | 5 |
Deer: IDNR deer harvest by county (2025-26 seasons); turkey: spring turkey harvest by county (2026); county figures, not town figures. Checked November 13, 2026.
IDNR contacts and CWD stations for Joliet
IDNR lists Joe Rogus as district biologist for the area that holds Joliet, in the Northeast region. IDNR runs its statewide office from Springfield, 143 miles out from Joliet. For leaving a deer head for CWD testing, the nearest listed station is Des Plaines Game Propagation Center, 13 miles off.
Rogus district biologist
IDNR headquarters
Des Plaines Game Propagation
Gebhard Woods SP
Silver Springs State Fish
District biologists from the IDNR District Wildlife Biologists page and the IDNR wildlife districts map (as of August 16, 2026); drop-off stations from the 2026-27 CWD sampling locations (services.json); straight-line distances. Checked November 13, 2026.
Off-limits land around Joliet
Before heading out of Joliet, check that the ground ahead is not one of these closed places.
| Place | Manager | Distance | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brandon Road Interbasin Project | IDNR site | 2.4 mi | Closed here |
| Prairie Bluff | Natural area | 5.4 mi | Closed here |
| Lake Renwick Heron Rookery | Natural area | 6.1 mi | Closed here |
| Channahon | State park | 7.6 mi | Closed here |
| Briscoe Mounds | IDNR site | 7.7 mi | Closed here |
| Long Run Seep | Natural area | 9.2 mi | Closed here |
| Illinois Waterways | IDNR site | 9.4 mi | Closed here |
| Hitts Siding Prairie | Natural area | 15 mi | Closed here |
From lands.json closed rows (IDNR sites with no Hunt Illinois hunting fact sheet and no hunting land-use polygon, plus refuges where 50 CFR 32.32 reserves hunting). Checked November 13, 2026.
Joliet gear and game care
Within 25 miles of Joliet: 29 gun or outdoor shops, 9 taxidermists, 0 game processors and 5 guide or outfitter listings. The processor list reaches 32 miles before it names one, Grant Park Custom Meats in Franklin Park. Will County appears as the licensed county of 1 outfitter or preserve.
Listings from Yellow Pages, store locators, IDNR outfitter and preserve lists, CWD vendor and Hunters Feeding Illinois lists (services.json); chain stores left out and not every listing was checked as open, so call first. Checked November 13, 2026.
Events a drive from Joliet
On November 13, 2026 the 30-mile ring showed 4 dates ahead: IDNR hunter education class, NWTF banquet and sportsmen’s show. Tickets for the 1 banquet night come from each chapter.
| Day | What | Mi | Place | Next step | From |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 14–15, 2026 | IDNR Hunter Education class, Essex kind: IDNR hunter education class | 10 | S. Wilmington Sportsman's Club, 42628 County Line Rd Essex | Schedule page | Source |
| Dec 13, 2026 | Kane County Sportsman’s Show kind: sportsmen’s show | 29 | Lake County Sportsman’s Show, 525 S Randall Rd | Show page | Source |
| Jan 10, 2027 | Kane County Sportsman’s Show kind: sportsmen’s show | 29 | Lake County Sportsman’s Show, 525 S Randall Rd | Show page | Source |
| May 8, 2027 | Kane County Gobblers Hunting Heritage Event NWTF Banquet kind: NWTF banquet | 29 | 7N761 Corron Rd | Event page | Source |
Joliet shooters: the three nearest ranges
From central Joliet, the first pin on the map is Range USA (Shorewood) at 2 miles.
Straight-line miles from the town centre; ranges checked November 13, 2026.
Clock times for Joliet hunters
Hunters in Joliet must be done by 1 p.m. in the spring turkey season, even though deer hunters keep shooting light until after dark.
| Day | Note | Sunup | Sundown | Deer day | Goose day | Turkey day |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 1, 2026 | Bow season opens | 6:48 a.m. | 6:36 p.m. | 6:18 a.m. to 7:06 p.m. | 6:18 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 | 6:31 a.m. | 4:42 p.m. | 6:01 a.m. to 5:12 p.m. | 6:01 a.m. to 4:42 p.m. | Not in season |
| Nov 20, 2026 | Shotgun deer opens | 6:47 a.m. | 4:30 p.m. | 6:17 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. | 6:17 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. | Not in season |
| Dec 11, 2026 | Muzzleloader weekend | 7:09 a.m. | 4:23 p.m. | 6:39 a.m. to 4:53 p.m. | 6:39 a.m. to 4:23 p.m. | Not in season |
| Dec 21, 2026 | Year's shortest day | 7:15 a.m. | 4:25 p.m. | 6:45 a.m. to 4:55 p.m. | 6:45 a.m. to 4:25 p.m. | Not in season |
| Dec 31, 2026 | Late-winter days | 7:19 a.m. | 4:31 p.m. | 6:49 a.m. to 5:01 p.m. | 6:49 a.m. to 4:31 p.m. | Not in season |
| Apr 12, 2027 | Spring turkey opens | 6:19 a.m. | 7:28 p.m. | 5:49 a.m. to 7:58 p.m. | 5:49 a.m. to 7:28 p.m. | 5:49 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 Joliet
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FAQ, hunting near Joliet
Where do I take a deer head for CWD testing near Joliet?
Special CWD season counties include Will County. Take heads to Des Plaines Game Propagation Center, about 13 miles from Joliet, or any sampling vendor on the list.
What are legal deer hours at Joliet on the shortest day?
December 21, 2026 gives Joliet sunrise at 7:15 a.m. and sunset at 4:25 p.m.; the Digest adds half an hour at each end for deer.
What do Joliet hunters pay for a hunting license?
A resident hunting license is $12.00 at the Digest base price, and a nonresident one is $57.00; vendors add a fee, and a habitat stamp is also required.
Is hunter orange required for turkey near Joliet?
For firearm deer in a county open to firearm seasons, yes: a solid blaze orange or pink cap and an upper garment with at least 400 square inches of it.
Are there Sunday hunting limits near Joliet?
The 2026-27 Digest and the IDNR pages we read state no Sunday rule, so we cannot say; confirm with IDNR or the site office before you plan one.
Is Joliet in the North, Central or South waterfowl zone?
Open the road description in the Digest and compare it with a map of Will County; the zones page reprints it.
Who cuts and wraps game near Joliet?
For a mount, the nearest listed studio is Fish Specialties Taxidermy, roughly 4 miles from Joliet.
Why are some IDNR sites near Joliet left out of the land table?
Brandon Road Interbasin Project is on the closed rows of the land data, 2.4 mi away, with no hunting shown.
How many turkeys were taken in Will County in spring 2026?
The 2025-26 deer count for Will County was 1,063, with 717 taken by bow and 241 by gun.
Is there public hunting ground close to Joliet?
Not within 10 miles; the first open ground is Des Plaines State Fish and Wildlife Area, 10 miles out.
Can I hunt deer with a shotgun near Joliet?
Will County is not one of the closed counties, so firearm weekends run in the usual way and a county permit is needed.
What do the leftover permit numbers for Will County mean?
Check the permit inquiry system for the live count; the page figure of 793 either-sex firearm permits was the leftover total in Will County after the third lottery.
What dates does spring turkey run near Joliet?
Gobbler hunters use the North Zone dates here, April 12 through May 13, 2027, after the youth weekends.
From places.json, lands.json, regs.json (the 2026-27 Illinois Hunting and Trapping Digest, hunter orange, Sunday hunting, license fees, CWD), counties.json, harvest.json and services.json. Checked November 13, 2026.
Other photos on this page: Forest Service, Eastern Region (Public Domain Mark 1.0); Forest Service, Eastern Region (Public Domain Mark 1.0); Forest Service, USDA (Public Domain Mark 1.0); Forest Service, Eastern Region (Public Domain Mark 1.0).