Many first- or second-year hunters hit the woods and forests in the state for the opening weekend of firearm deer hunting.

The new or nearly new hunters are part of wave of people that started up during COVID to get outside and explore a new hobby.

Dan Skinner – Forest Wildlife Program Manager with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources says after getting hunters out for the first or second time the work is underway to keep them coming back year after year.

The next weekend of firearm hunting season is December 1st through the 4th.