Whitetail Forecast
Live Springfield-area forecast

Deer Hunting Times Today in Illinois

Illinois farm-country deer often wait on cooler windows, making today’s Springfield timing more useful than an all-day average.

Strongest sit window today in Illinois

Top sit window in Illinois today (Springfield-area read): early morning, 6:54 AM – 9:09 AM, at 67/100 (Good). Evening 4:15 PM – 6:30 PM rates 63/100; Midday 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM rates 33/100. Morning stand (6:54 AM – 9:09 AM) — solid window. Be in your stand 30–45 min before the window opens. Times are local and move with sunrise and sunset.

Today's sit windows

Early Morning
6:54 AM – 9:09 AM
Good · 67/100
Midday
10:00 AM – 2:00 PM
Poor · 33/100
Evening
4:15 PM – 6:30 PM
Fair · 63/100

Movement Index

55
Fair
Movement Index · Springfield, IL

Fair — Stick to your best spots and be disciplined. This isn't a day to gamble on a new location.

As of Sunday, October 25, 2026 at 3:28 PM · Confidence: High — High data completeness/model agreement: Timestamped temperature change is available and past weather readings are available for the weather trend. The score is a planning guide, not a promise you'll see deer.

Check your ZIP

Get the free 0–100 deer movement score by ZIP for where you hunt.

See today's Springfield score

Top sit today

Morning stand (6:54 AM – 9:09 AM) — solid window. Be in your stand 30–45 min before the window opens.

Season phase: pre-rut

Top movement times

  • 6:54 AM – 9:09 AM
  • 4:15 PM – 6:30 PM

Strongest movement window

The strongest deer movement today in Illinois usually lines up with the strongest daylight window listed above. Match a clean wind to that window, then run your ZIP before you climb — the score is a planning guide, not a sighting promise.

Today's hunting conditions

  • 78°F
  • Wind NW at 2 mph
  • Weather trend falling
  • Waxing Gibbous moon

What's driving it

  • Warm Front: Up 5°F in observations — warmer conditions may reduce the daytime component of the index.
  • Temperature: 78°F — warm conditions that tend to push deer toward more nocturnal activity patterns.
  • Season: Pre-Rut: Bucks are making scrapes and rubs. Daylight sightings increase. Grunt calls and mock scrapes are effective.

Want this score before every weekend?

Every Thursday we email weekend deer movement scores for an Illinois town and where the rut stands on our calendar. Free.

Free. One email a week. Unsubscribe anytime.

FAQ

Is today a good day to hunt deer in Illinois?

Check today's Springfield-area Movement Index on this page (55/100, Fair) and what that rating means: Excellent is 88+, Good 65–87, Fair 42–64, and Poor 41 or below. Then match a clean wind to the strongest sit window and run your ZIP. The score is a planning guide, not a sighting or harvest promise.

Is morning or evening better for deer hunting in Illinois today?

Morning rates higher on today's Springfield-area read: morning 6:54 AM – 9:09 AM at 67/100, evening 4:15 PM – 6:30 PM at 63/100. Pick the one that also gives you a clean wind and quiet access to your stand.

Check your ZIP

Get the free 0–100 deer movement score by ZIP for where you hunt.

County forecasts