Season Dates
| Species | Season | Hunting Units | Opens | Closes | Season Dates Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ring-necked Pheasants | Regular (Male Pheasants Only) | Statewide | Tentative | ||
| Ring-necked Pheasants (Youth Season) | Youth | Statewide | Tentative |
| Species | Season | Hunting Units | Opens | Closes | Season Dates Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ring-necked Pheasants | Regular (Male Pheasants Only) | Statewide | Tentative | ||
| Ring-necked Pheasants (Youth Season) | Youth | Statewide | Tentative |
Pheasant Regulations
Residents & Nonresidents: A hunting license (see Licenses & Permits) or proof of exemption.
Any nonresident hunting game birds on a WMA (this includes any GMA, PHA, WRP, WDU, or WMU), must possess a game bird permit.
Open areas include Alfalfa, Beaver, Cimarron, Garfield, Grant, Harper, Kay, Major, Noble, Osage, Texas, Woods and Woodward counties; and the portions of Blaine, Dewey, Ellis, Kingfisher and Logan counties north of State Highway 51.
Cocks only: Two cocks daily; four in possession after the first day.
Persons who hunt in two states having separate daily limits may not exceed the largest number of birds that can legally be taken in one of the states in which they take birds.
Evidence of sex (head or one foot) must remain on the bird until it has reached its final destination.
Shotgun (conventional or muzzleloading), archery equipment, legal raptors, hand-propelled missile, slingshot and as otherwise provided under General Hunting Regulations.
Seasons on public lands may vary from statewide seasons. Consult public hunting lands special regulations.
Official sunrise to official sunset.
| Description | Dates | |
|---|---|---|
| Pheasant Season - Youth Only | 2026 | Season Dates Start: Sep 26, 2026 End: Oct 4, 2026 | |
Pheasant Season - Traditional | 2026 | Season Dates |
| Season / Area | Season Dates | Daily Bag Limit | Possession Limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| General / Statewide | Nov 8 - Dec 21 | 2 males per day for first two days of the season; 3 males per day after the first two days of the season. | Triple the daily bag |
| Archery Only | Oct 11 - Nov 2 Dec 22 - Jan 18 | 2 pheasants per day for first two days of the season; 3 pheasants per day after the first two days of the season. The daily archery bag may contain not more than 1 female pheasant. | Triple the daily bag |
| Falconry | Aug 16 - Feb 28 | 2 pheasants per day for first two days of the season; 3 pheasants per day after the first two days of the season. The daily falconry bag may contain birds of either sex. Hawking hours are Sunrise to Sunset. | Triple the daily bag. |
NOTE: Des Plaines, Green River, Iroquois County, Jim Edgar Panther Creek, Johnson Sauk Trail, Moraine View, Sand Ridge and Wayne Fitzgerrell will be open for the Illinois Youth Pheasant hunt only on Nov. 11th.
| Site Name | Directions | Check-in Time | Season Dates |
|---|---|---|---|
DES PLAINES | Between Des Plaines and Kankakee Rivers. W. Side I-55 - Exit #241. | 7:00-8:30 AM | Oct 29 – Dec 28, 2025 |
ELDON HAZLET | 5 Mi. N. of Carlyle on Rt. 127,then 2 Mi. E. on Hazlet Park Rd. | 7:00-8:00 AM | Nov 5, 2025 – Jan 4, 2026 |
GREEN RIVER | 4.5 Mi. N. of Ohio, IL on Rt. 26, then 3 Mi. W. on Maytown Rd. | 8:00-8:30 AM | Oct 30 Nov 1, 2, 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 28, 29, 30 Dec 12, 13, 14, 2025 |
IROQUOIS COUNTY | 1 Mi. S of St. Anne on Rt. 1, then 7 Mi. E. on gravel rd. | 8:00-8:30 AM | Oct 29 – Dec 28, 2025 |
JIM EDGAR PANTHER CREEK | 2 Mi. W. of Ashland on Rt. 125, then N. on Newmansville Rd. to County Hwy. 11, then W. 1.5 Mi. | 8:00 - 8:30 AM | Nov 2, 2025 – Jan 15, 2026 |
JOHNSON SAUK TRAIL | 5 Mi. N. of Kewanee on Rt. 78 or 5 Mi. S. of I-80 Exit #33 on Rt. 78 | 8:00-8:30 AM | Nov 1, 2025 – Jan 8, 2026, |
KANKAKEE RIVER | Approximately 7 Mi. W. of Bradley-Bourbonnais on Rt. 102 or 10 Mi. E. of Wilmington on Rt. 102 | 8:00-8:30 AM | Nov 1, 2025 – Jan 8, 2026 |
MORAINE VIEW | 12 Mi. East of Bloomington on Rt. 9 to LeRoy- Lexington Rd., then S. 4.5 Mi. | 7:00-8:00 AM | Oct 29 – Dec 28, 2025 |
SAND RIDGE | From Rt. 136, proceed 4.5 Mi. to Forest City, then 2 Mi. W.- Follow signs | 8:00-8:30 AM | Nov 2, 2025 – Jan 15, 2026 |
SILVER SPRINGS STATE PARK | Head West on IL 71 from Il 71/Il 47 intersection for 2.7 miles, turn right onto Eldamain Road for 1.7 miles, then turn left onto Fox Rd for 1 mile | 8:00 - 8:30 AM | Oct 30 – Dec 28, 2025 |
1.5 Mi. W. of Interstate 57 on Rt. 154 | 7:00-8:00 AM |