Agencies
Services
Deer Lottery Drawings Information
To check the status of your application, follow the instructions below.
- Go to ExploreMoreIL™ and select the Log In To My Account button.
- Navigate to your Customer Homepage. Scroll down the page and select the Purchase History button.
- If you were awarded a 2026 Lottery 1 permit, under the Purchase History screen, you will see one (or more) of the following Priv Codes:
1500-26 Resident Deer Either-Sex Firearm 2026 Permit - Lottery 1
1501-26 Resident Deer Antlerless-Only Firearm 2026 Permit - Lottery 1
1528-26 Resident Deer Either-Sex Muzzleloader 2026 Permit - Lottery 1
1529-26 Resident Deer Antlerless-Only Muzzleloader 2026 Permit - Lottery 1
- Permits will be mailed to successful applicants prior to the start of the hunting season.
- Unsuccessful lottery applicants will receive a refund check from the Illinois Comptroller's Office.
Permit Quotas After Lottery 1
Large data table content is loading...
| PERMIT TYPE | SPECIAL HUNT AREA OR COUNTY | EITHER-SEX PERMITS AFTER 2026 LOTTERY 1 | ANTLERLESS-ONLY PERMITS AFTER 2026 LOTTERY 1 |
|---|
Large data table content is loading...
| PERMIT TYPE | SPECIAL HUNT AREA OR COUNTY | EITHER-SEX PERMITS AFTER 2026 LOTTERY 1 | ANTLERLESS-ONLY PERMITS AFTER 2026 LOTTERY 1 |
|---|
Over-the-Counter (OTC) Permit Sales - 2026
The remaining county-specific firearm and muzzleloader permit quotas after Lottery 3 are the starting quotas for over-the-counter (OTC) permit sales.
OTC permit sales begin October 20, 2026, at Department-designated agents. Permits are sold on a first-come, first-served basis. Permits will be sold until quotas are exhausted, or until the close of the respective deer season, whichever occurs first. Persons may purchase one or more permits during this period, subject to availability.
OTC permits are sold in person only; no online or phone sales available.
Special Hunt Area permits are only available during the lottery application period and are not sold over the counter.
