FREQUENTLY
ASKED QUESTIONS
Updated
08/08
[E-mail
contacts]
Links
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DNR Direct Online License Sales - Licenses, Permits and Stamps (resident & non-resident)
*We do not sell Federal
Waterfowl Stamps online* or call 1-888-6-PERMIT
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Q. Can I find my Safety Certification Numbers (& print it?) online?
A.
Safety Certication Numbers can be found online and a new Certification Card printed.
Q.
Where can I find information about the new World Shooting & Recreational Complex?
A.
Visit the WSRC website.
Q.
What equipment is legal for archery hunting?
A.
Double check your hunting regulations, but a long recurve or
compound bow with a minimum pull of 40 pounds at some point within a
28-inch draw. Minimum arrow length is 20 inches, and broadheads must
be used. Broadheads may have fixed or expandable cutting surfaces, but they must
be barbless and have a minimum 7/8 inch diameter when fully opened.
Broadheads with fixed cutting surfaces must be metal or flint-, chert- or obsidian-knapped;
broadheads with expandable cutting surfaces must be metal. Go to our hunting page here or our Hunting Digest here.
Q.
Where is information for disabled outdoor recreational opportunities?
A. We have
a great site for the disabled sportsman
Q. How many
deer are there in Illinois?
A. There are about 800,000 whitetails wandering the state.
Q.
How many deer hunters are there?
A. In 2008, we have over 500,000 hunters registered in our database.
Q.
How soon must a hunter check in his deer?
A.It is
unlawful to harvest a deer without checking it in by 10:00 p.m. on the
same calendar day the deer was taken by either calling our Virtual Checkstation
or going online here. The only exception to this is for counties being
surveyed for Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) during the Firearm Deer Season
and during the Special Chronic Wasting Disease Hunting Season, when hunters
must take their deer to the designated County Check Station on the same
day of harvest. Check stations are open from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. ~
Virtual Checkstation is online here.
Q.
What is the definition of an antlered deer and an antlerless deer?
A. An antlered
deer is defined as a deer having at least one antler of a length of 3
inches or more. An antlerless deer is defined as a deer without antlers
or a deer having antlers less than 3 inches long.
Q.
How can I make my deer legal before transporting it to a meat processor?
A.
It is illegal
to deliver a deer or parts of a deer to a meat processor without the temporary
harvest tag (paper leg tag) with the Confirmation Number written on it.
The tag and confirmation number must remain with the deer while it is
processed, then must remain with the processed deer until it is at the
legal residence of the person who legally took or possessed the deer.
For counties with a check station during the firearm deer season, and
counties open to the Special CWD Deer Season, it is unlawfull to deliver
a deer or parts of a deer to a meat processor without the plastic leg
tag that is affixed at the check-in station. This leg tag must remain
attached to the leg of the deer until it is processed, then must remain
with the processed deer until it is at the legal residence of the person
who legally took or possessed the deer.
Q. What
about harvesting a white deer?
A. It is unlawful to take an all white white-tailed deer at any
time.
Q.
When is it illegal to carry a bow and arrow during the archery season?
A. It is
unlawful to carry a bow with a nocked arrow in the field, except during
legal hunting hours.
Q.
If I'm a non-resident and want to hunt in Illinois, what do I need?
A. Refer
to non-resident information for rules, regulations & laws.
Q. If I'm a minor and want to hunt or trap in Illinois, what do
I need?
A. Refer
to our Hunting &
Trapping Information. This will also give you information on statewide regulations.
Q. When is Firearm Deer Season in Illinois?
A. The
weekends before (Friday, Saturday and Sunday) and after Thanksgiving weekend
(Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday). There is also a three-day late-winter
season for antlerless deer beginning the first Friday after January 11.
Check the hunting site for more info on dates.
Q. How many firearm deer hunting permits are remaining for a certain county?
A. Check
the License and Permit Section (Hunting Page)
for available permits or call 217/782-7305 from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Monday - Friday. Turkey permits are also listed.
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Q. What types of licenses, permits, or stamps do I need to fish or hunt?
A. Please
check the License/Stamps and Hunting application form index on our home
page,
since requirements vary based on age and other factors and some dates
and rules may change from year to year.
Q. Where can I go for state facts, symbols and fun things for kids to
learn?
A. We have
a great educational site. There's also a site that tells you about our state symbols.
Q. Where can I find information on your Financial Aid & Grants Programs?
A. Information can be found on our Financial
Assistance, Grants Program or Financial Assistance programs.
Q. Where can I call for goose season (closures) and quotas?
A. We have
a GOOSE SEASON HOTLINE TOLL-FREE # 1-877-249-3679 - FOR BEST ACCESS PLEASE
CALL ON WEEKENDS OR FROM 5 P.M. TO 8 A.M. ON WEEKDAYS. You
can also check out the surveys on-line @ /admin//waterfowl/
Q. I just bought a boat, what do I need to do
to register it?
A. Obtain
an application from either a boat dealer, currency exchange, DNR office,
state park, or download from our watercraft
page. Complete the application and send in the top copy to
us. Keep the middle copy with you until you receive registration documents
from us. Your copy allows you to use the watercraft in the interim.
The back side of the application identifies registration fees and other
documents (title, Certificate of Origin, Dept. of Revenue receipt, etc.)
which needs to be sent to us. Please allow 8 weeks for processing; during
the peak boating season the processing time may increase. You may also
call us at 217-557-0180 or 1-800-382-1696 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Monday - Friday.
If the watercraft
has never been registered and titled in Illinois, complete the application
as a "NEW" registration.
Q. Must I register my inflatable boat(s)?
A. Illinois
law includes inflatable boats in the definition of "watercraft" and as
such, they must be numbered in accordance with the law. Complying with
this law presents certain problems for owners of inflatable boats. Most
commonly used materials for numbering boats won't hold up well on inflatables.
The most common means of compliance is to affix the numbers and expiration
decal to a board which is then attached to the grab rail allowing it to
hang over the side in the location where numbers would normally be painted.
There are two companies (that we know of) that offer methods to affix
numbers directly to a rubber boat:
1) Inland Marine, 1320 Cape Coral Highway, Cape Coral, FL (813) 463-7552
offers a stencil and paint that will adhere to rubber and flex without
flaking off.
2) West Shore Marine, 208 Beacon St., Marblehead, MA (617) 639-0480 sells
numbers and letters made of the same material that the boats are made
of and can be permanently glued on.
Q.
What types of services and/or permits does the department issue?
A. IDNR
issues many types of permits and has various services, some
of which are:
- Water
Resources, call 217-785-4863
- Coal
Mining & Reclamation, call 217-785-5199
- Aggregate
Mining and Storage Certifications, call 217-785-9019
- Blasting
License, call 217-785-0356
- Mining
Certification (first class papers, Mine Manager, Metal Mine Foreman,
etc.) call 217-782-0120
- Oil
and Gas permits, call 217-782-3718
- Wildlife
Rehabilitator, Cross Bow, Falcony permits, Ginseng, Mounting, Salvage
& Timber Buyers Licenses, call 217/782-6431
- Collection
& Research in IL State Parks, Forest & Conservation Areas
call 217-785-8774
- Deer,
turkey, Pheasant, Goose and Duck Reservations for Public Hunting areas,
call 217-782-7305
- Fishing
licenses, resident & non-resident, call 217-782-2965
- Fish
& Game Buyers, Dealers, Retailers and wholesalers permits/licenses,
for fishing licenses, commercial, or Furbearer permits, Possession
of Wildlife, or Taxidermy permits, call 217-785-3423
- Possession
of Endangered or Threatened Species, call 217-785-8774
- Professional
Geologists, call 217-333-5111
- Scientific
Collecting Permits, call 217-785-8547
- Special
Land Use or Utilities Permits, call 217-785-1188
- Wildlife
Importing/Exporting or Wildlife Nuisance Permits (game/furbearing),
call 217-217-782-6384
- Wildlife
Nuisance Permits (non-game) call 217-782-6384
- Activity
Permits in Parks - call the site where the event will be
- Aquaculture
and Game Breeders call 217-785-3423
- Collection
and Research in IL Nature Preserves, call 217-785-8686
Q. Do
you have a listing of frequently asked phone numbers?
- BOAT
(watercraft) registration/title 217-557-0180 or 1-800-382-1696
- Renew
your watercraft by phone: 1-866-867-3542
- HIP
# & Goose Harvest Counts 1-800-Wetlands
- Crossbow
applications and information is 217-782-6431
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Deer Permits 217-782-7305
- FOID
Cards (State
Police) 217-782-7980
- Goose
Season Hotline Toll-Free Number is 1-877-249-3679
- Hunting
& Fishing Licenses
217-782-2965
- Internship
Programs 217-782-4963
- Law
Enforcement 217-782-6431
- Migratory
Rules & Regulations Office
of the Migratory Bird Management (Federal)
- Poacher
Hotline 1-877-236-7529
- Road
Kill (Questions) 217-782-6431
- Safety
Education 1-800-832-2599
- Snowmobile
registration and Information
217-557-0180 or 1-800-382-1696
- Target
Poachers 1-877-236-7529
- Turkey
Permits and Information 217-782-7305
- Web-related
and all other questions 217-782-6232
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