IL SB0710

Amends Illinois Wildlife Code to allow youth hunters participating in the special 3-day youth-only deer hunting season to receive one either-sex permit and one antlerless-only permit

Expands wildlife damage control permits by allowing the Department of Natural Resources to issue permits when wildlife poses a risk to human safety (not just property damage), and requires the Department to adopt rules for automatic issuance of additional antlerless-only deer permits to landowners who harvest 50% or more of their issued permits

Overhauls landowner and tenant deer and turkey hunting permit eligibility to include bona fide current income beneficiaries of trusts that own Illinois land, with permits consisting of one either-sex and one antlerless-only permit for both firearm and archery seasons

Creates a new guest permit system allowing current owners of 240+ acres to designate up to 5 non-owner individuals to receive guest deer hunting permits (one either-sex and one antlerless-only), with guests paying standard permit fees including non-resident fees if applicable

Takes effect January 1, 2026, except changes to landowner/tenant permit provisions (Section 3.1-6) take effect January 1, 2027