The first weekend of shotgun deer season will bring thousands and thousands of hunters out across the state of Illinois.

Ed Cross with the Department of Natural Resources says archery season began in October, but shotgun season is the big season.

Hunters will also have a chance during the last weekend of the month, and the first two days of December.

Western Illinois is very popular with hunters, Cross says it has some of the best deer hunting ground in the country.
But he says southern Illinois and parts of northwestern Illinois also draw plenty of hunters and see large harvest numbers.

94.1 WGFA