Freeman Sports

The Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) is taking applications from youth and adult turkey hunters for spring 2022 turkey hunting on private land through the Illinois Recreational Access Program (IRAP).

The IDNR has leased just more than 20,000 acres of private land for the spring 2022 hunting season through IRAP, creating 635 public access turkey sites in 41 counties. Sites are available during the 2022 Spring Youth Turkey Hunt and during the third and fourth segments of the 2022 Spring Wild Turkey Hunting Season at no cost to the participant. All applications are now to be completed entirely online.
Youth hunters (age 17 and under) must be accompanied by a non-hunting supervisor (parent or designee of parent). Both youth and their supervisors must complete an IRAP application online by 5 p.m. Feb. 14, 2022. Youth hunters must acquire their over-the-counter permits prior to the start of their hunt if awarded an IRAP hunting site. A total of 254 sites are available for the two-weekend youth season (March 26-27, 2022, and April 2-3, 2022).
Learn more visit
https://www2.illinois.gov/dnr/news/Pages/Apply-now-for-spring-turkey-hunting-opportunities-through-IRAP.aspx

Illinois residents are reminded that it is time to apply for the 2020 Firearm Deer Season this fall.

Beginning March 10, resident Illinois hunters can apply online for the first lotteries for firearm and muzzleloader deer permits

For more information visit
https://www2.illinois.gov/dnr/hunting/Pages/DeerHunting.aspx

Hard Copies of The Digest of Hunting & Trapping Regulations are available at vendors that sell IDNR license & permits
https://www.dnr.illinois.gov/hunting/Documents/HuntTrapDigest.pdf

The 2020 Fishing Tournament season is upon us!

Fishing tournament organizers can apply to the IDNR for 2020 fishing tournament permits now. Use the IDNR Fishing Tournament Permitting System to access your account or to apply for an online account. Applications are reviewed on a "first come, first served" basis. Last year, we had over 2500 applications for fishing tournaments in Illinois!

Note: For returning groups, catch results from 2019 tournaments must be entered before fishing clubs and tournament trails will be allowed to request tournament dates for 2020.

Access the permitting system here: https://www.ifishillinois.org/tournament/index.php
Ifishillinois

Beginning today, Illinois Resident and Non-Resident Archery Deer Permits are available over-the-counter from DNR Direct license and permit vendors. The Illinois Archery Deer Season is Oct. 1, 2019 through Jan. 19, 2020. https://www.dnr.illinois.gov/LPR/Pages/DeerPermitsFees.aspx

The new 2019-2020 Illinois Digest of Hunting and Trapping Regulations is now available online at:
https://www.dnr.illinois.gov/hunting/Pages/HuntTrapDigest.aspx
Find a preview on the IDNR YouTube channel:
https://youtu.be/DDZ39IlAQrQ

Print copies will be available later this summer.

Reminder: This Sunday, June 30 is the deadline for non-resident hunters to apply for 2019-20 IL Archery Deer combination permits; Sunday is also the deadline for resident and non-resident hunters to apply for the 2nd lottery for firearm and muzzleloader deer permits.

https://www.dnr.illinois.gov/hunting/deer/Pages/DeerSeasonsDeadlinesAvailablePermits.aspx

Keep up with news from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) by reading Inside Illinois DNR each month. You’ll find the June edition athttps://www.dnr.illinois.gov/director/Documents/InsideIDNR-JUNE2019.pdf

2019 Illinois Fishing Licenses go on sale starting TODAY, March 1, 2019. The 2019 licenses are valid through March 31, 2020. You can purchase your license online here: https://www.dnr.illinois.gov/LPR/Pages/default.aspx