ILLINOIS (IRN) — Illinois deer hunters have been in the field for over a month, but the state’s most popular deer season begins this weekend.

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 said archery season began in October, but shotgun season is the big season.

“We will see thousands of hunters from the state of Illinois and outside of the state of Illinois hit a deer stand this weekend,” Cross said. “They are all looking to get a deer in Illinois.

Western Illinois is very popular with hunters, Cross said 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.

“This weekend is one where people across Illinois circle this one on their calendar,” Cross said. “I know that some schools actually take Friday off because so many high school kids don’t come to school on that day. It really is a popular event that families, father, sons, daughters, grandparents because it is an important day for them.”

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