The Illinois Department of Natural Resources is reminding hunters to make safety a priority as they head to the field for the start of the Illinois Firearm Deer Season this week.  The seven-day firearm deer season opens Friday through Sunday and will conclude on Thursday, December 5^th through Sunday, December 8^th.  The legal hunting hours for the Illinois Firearm Deer Season are one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset.  Hunters successful in taking a deer during the firearm season in most counties must register the deer they harvest online through the IDNR website at http://www.dnr.illinois.gov/hunting or by phoning 1-866-452-4325.  Hunters using the online or phone-in system must register their harvest by 10 PM on the day they take the deer.  In addition to the seven-day Illinois Firearm Deer Season, other upcoming firearm hunting seasons in the state include the three-day Muzzleloader-only Deer Season on December 13^th through the 15^th, and the seven-day split Late-Winter Firearm Antlerless-only Deer Season and Special CWD Deer Season on December 26^th through the 29^th and January 17^th through the 19^th, 2014.  Hunters successful in taking deer in Illinois are also encouraged to consider donating to the Illinois Sportsmen Against Hunger program.  The program allows hunters to donate whole deer for processing into venison that is provided to food banks, food pantries and other charitable organizations in local communities throughout the state.  For more information visit www.dnr.illinois.gov/programs/ISAH.