Illinois landowner deer hunting permits let anyone who owns at least 40 acres in the state, and Illinois residents who lease that much commercial farmland, get deer tags directly from the Department of Natural Resources without going through the lottery. Residents pay nothing. Non-residents pay a set fee and are limited to hunting their own ground. The rules reach beyond the person on the deed to certain family members, tenants, trust beneficiaries, and equity holders in businesses that own qualifying land, and the application has to be in by September 1 for the fall season.
The 40-Acre Rule and Who It Covers
The threshold is 40 acres of Illinois land, with the IDNR rounding half an acre or more up to the next whole acre.1Illinois Department of Natural Resources. Illinois Administrative Code Title 17 Section 528 From there, four groups can qualify under Illinois Administrative Code Title 17, Section 528.20:
- Owners. Anyone who owns 40 or more acres in Illinois. The land does not have to be farm or forest ground for owners.
- Resident tenants. Illinois residents who rent or lease 40 or more acres of commercial agricultural land. A hunting lease does not count, and neither does any other non-agricultural lease.
- Trust beneficiaries. People named in a trust’s documents as current income beneficiaries of a trust that owns 40 or more acres, with no waiting condition like reaching a certain age or outliving someone else.
- Equity holders in businesses. Shareholders of corporations, members of LLCs, and partners in partnerships that own 40 or more acres in a county, where the ownership interest is genuine rather than nominal.
You cannot hold both a landowner permit and a tenant permit for the same season.
Immediate Family Who Live on the Property
A qualifying landowner, tenant, or trust beneficiary can extend permits to immediate family, but Illinois reads that phrase tightly. It covers a spouse, children, brothers, sisters, and parents, and only those who permanently reside on the same property.2Illinois Department of Natural Resources. Illinois Resident Landowner Program Deer and Turkey Hunting Permits Information An adult son or daughter living in another town does not qualify, even though the family relationship is direct. The residence condition is the piece most families miss.
Land Held Through a Business or Trust
Corporations, LLCs, and partnerships that own qualifying acreage can pass permits to their equity holders under 520 ILCS 5/3.1-6, but the interest has to be real. For public companies, that means stock bought at market price. For private companies, LLCs, and partnerships, it means an interest whose value reflects your actual share of the entity’s appraised assets, held with the intent to keep it for at least five years. Family-owned corporations may allow gifted shares if they accurately reflect ownership percentage. Partnership permits are available only to Illinois residents.
Trust beneficiaries have to be named in the trust documents as current income beneficiaries with no preconditions other than the trustee actually distributing income. Land leased to a business entity does not qualify that entity’s members. When hunting on a business-entity permit, you must carry the permit along with paperwork proving your interest in the entity.3Illinois General Assembly. 520 ILCS 5/3.1-6 – Special Deer, Turkey, and Combination Hunting Licenses
Business-entity permits are capped at one per 40 acres. Corporations and LLCs can receive up to 15 permits per county; partnerships are limited to three per county.2Illinois Department of Natural Resources. Illinois Resident Landowner Program Deer and Turkey Hunting Permits Information
Residents vs. Non-Residents
The state runs two separate programs, and the differences go well beyond price.
Resident Program
Illinois residents get their landowner permits free.4Illinois General Assembly. Illinois Administrative Code Title 17 Section 528.40 – Landowner/Tenant Permit Fees They can qualify as owners, tenants on commercial farmland, trust beneficiaries, or equity holders in any qualifying business entity, including partnerships. One application covers every permit type they are eligible for that season. A resident permit is valid on any Illinois land the hunter owns, not just the parcel listed on the application, so long as the county is open for that season. The same portability applies to business-entity permits: an equity holder can hunt any land owned by the entity.5Legal Information Institute. Illinois Administrative Code Title 17 Section 528.30 – Landowner/Tenant Permits
Non-Resident Program
Non-residents who own at least 40 acres can hunt, but only on their own land. The statute is written for non-residents who “wish to hunt on their land only.”3Illinois General Assembly. 520 ILCS 5/3.1-6 – Special Deer, Turkey, and Combination Hunting Licenses For 2026, fees are $175 for a Combination Firearm Deer permit (one either-sex and one antlerless-only tag) and $210 for a Combination Archery Deer permit (same tag combination).
Non-residents cannot get tenant permits or partnership-based permits, and muzzleloader tags are not available through this program. A non-resident who wants a muzzleloader tag has to enter the regular lottery. The application runs in two steps: submit an eligibility application with supporting documents for IDNR approval, then buy the permits through the licensing system once approved.6Illinois Department of Natural Resources. Nonresident Landowner Program Deer and Turkey Hunting Permits Information
What Permits You Can Get
Through a single resident landowner application, you can apply for:
- A Combination Firearm Deer permit (one either-sex tag and one antlerless-only tag), available only in counties open to firearm deer hunting.
- A Combination Archery Deer permit (one either-sex tag and one antlerless-only tag).
The same application also covers fall turkey permits for counties with open seasons, so you do not file separately for each type.5Legal Information Institute. Illinois Administrative Code Title 17 Section 528.30 – Landowner/Tenant Permits
Landowner Permit or Lottery: You Have to Pick
You cannot hold both a landowner permit and a lottery-drawn permit for the same season. If you receive a landowner permit for firearm deer or fall turkey, or even have a pending landowner application on file, you are locked out of the first and second lottery drawings for that season. If you draw in the first or second lottery, you lose landowner eligibility for the season.2Illinois Department of Natural Resources. Illinois Resident Landowner Program Deer and Turkey Hunting Permits Information
For most landowners, the landowner route wins on the math: it is free, guaranteed, and valid on any of your Illinois land. The lottery becomes more interesting if you want to hunt a county where you own no property, since landowner permits are tied to land you actually own.
How to Apply
Applying takes property records, not guesswork. You need:
- An IDNR customer number from the state’s online licensing system.
- Proof of ownership: a recorded deed or a current property tax statement. A contract for deed works if you are purchasing under one.
- The property’s legal description, including county, township, section, and range, plus the Parcel Index Number from county tax records.
- The Landowner Certification and Property Information forms, on which you attest to the acreage and land use. Tenants also need a written lease agreement.
Mail the application and supporting documents to the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, Attn: Permits Dept., One Natural Resources Way, Springfield, IL 62702. Non-resident landowners have to file the eligibility application every year, even if nothing about their ownership has changed.6Illinois Department of Natural Resources. Nonresident Landowner Program Deer and Turkey Hunting Permits Information
The IDNR does not send status updates. To confirm your application was received and processed, email DNR.Permits1@illinois.gov or call 217-782-7305 well before the deadline. Processing takes weeks and there is no grace period, so submit early.
2026 Deadlines
For the 2026 fall deer seasons, resident and non-resident landowner applications and every required supporting document must be received and approved by the IDNR no later than September 1, 2026. Anything received after that is denied and returned.7Illinois Department of Natural Resources. Deer Permit Applications
Approved non-residents then have until September 11, 2026 to buy their permits through the licensing system. Miss that second deadline after clearing eligibility and the permits are gone for the season.6Illinois Department of Natural Resources. Nonresident Landowner Program Deer and Turkey Hunting Permits Information
What Happens If You Get It Wrong
Providing false information on a landowner application, or hunting under a permit you were not entitled to, can bring Class A misdemeanor charges. In Illinois, a Class A misdemeanor carries a jail sentence of less than one year and a fine of up to $2,500.8Illinois General Assembly. 730 ILCS 5/5-4.5-55 – Class A Misdemeanor A conviction can also cost you your hunting privileges. The IDNR pays particular attention to sham business entities set up only to generate additional permits.