SPRINGFIELD — Illinois hunters reported a preliminary total of 54,661 deer harvested during the first weekend of the 2024 firearm deer season, which took place from Nov. 22 to Nov. 24. This figure reflects an increase from 53,348 deer harvested during the same period in 2023 and 52,354 in 2022.
The seven-day firearm deer season in Illinois will continue through Dec. 5-8, with additional hunting opportunities scheduled for the remainder of the 2024-2025 season. These include a muzzleloader-only deer season from Dec. 13-15, as well as late-winter antlerless-only and chronic wasting disease deer seasons in select counties from Dec. 26-29 and Jan. 17-19. The archery deer season remains open through Jan. 19, though it will be closed in counties that are open for firearm deer hunting from Dec. 5-8.
Get The Latest News!
Don't miss our top stories and need-to-know news everyday in your inbox.
The Illinois Department of Natural Resources provides further details on deer hunting regulations and opportunities on its website.
Preliminary harvest totals by county for the first weekend of the firearm deer season are available, showcasing fluctuations in deer numbers across various regions compared to previous years. For instance, Adams County saw a decrease from 1,423 deer harvested in 2023 to 1,414 in 2024, while Clay County experienced an increase from 1,007 to 1,118.
As the season progresses, hunters and wildlife officials will continue to monitor deer populations and harvest data.
A table of preliminary Illinois firearm deer harvest totals by county for the first weekend of the 2024 season and comparable totals for 2023 and 2022 follows.
County | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | ||
ADAMS | 1437 | 1423 | 1414 | ||
ALEXANDER | 239 | 199 | 225 | ||
BOND | 537 | 562 | 594 | ||
BOONE | 71 | 74 | 80 | ||
BROWN | 655 | 591 | 629 | ||
BUREAU | 609 | 695 | 628 | ||
CALHOUN | 465 | 476 | 499 | ||
CARROLL | 331 | 389 | 387 | ||
CASS | 423 | 448 | 434 | ||
CHAMPAIGN | 137 | 144 | 165 | ||
CHRISTIAN | 403 | 417 | 412 | ||
CLARK | 721 | 721 | 783 | ||
CLAY | 889 | 1007 | 1118 | ||
CLINTON | 606 | 588 | 735 | ||
COLES | 487 | 415 | 523 | ||
CRAWFORD | 673 | 729 | 788 | ||
CUMBERLAND | 542 | 511 | 575 | ||
DEKALB | 73 | 83 | 97 | ||
DEWITT | 220 | 220 | 261 | ||
DOUGLAS | 120 | 121 | 129 | ||
EDGAR | 424 | 413 | 407 | ||
EDWARDS | 317 | 283 | 309 | ||
EFFINGHAM | 653 | 696 | 763 | ||
FAYETTE | 1184 | 1166 | 1298 | ||
FORD | 86 | 85 | 86 | ||
FRANKLIN | 956 | 888 | 879 | ||
FULTON | 1249 | 1296 | 1317 | ||
GALLATIN | 305 | 306 | 301 | ||
GREENE | 634 | 624 | 660 | ||
GRUNDY | 172 | 217 | 204 | ||
HAMILTON | 741 | 750 | 838 | ||
HANCOCK | 1128 | 992 | 1102 | ||
HARDIN | 548 | 467 | 366 | ||
HENDERSON | 283 | 320 | 318 | ||
HENRY | 275 | 321 | 300 | ||
IROQUOIS | 257 | 344 | 338 | ||
JACKSON | 1484 | 1371 | 1355 | ||
JASPER | 794 | 784 | 851 | ||
JEFFERSON | 1249 | 1286 | 1406 | ||
JERSEY | 425 | 435 | 475 | ||
JO DAVIESS | 843 | 967 | 936 | ||
JOHNSON | 874 | 749 | 759 | ||
KANE | 18 | 27 | 24 | ||
KANKAKEE | 114 | 138 | 139 | ||
KENDALL | 43 | 49 | 34 | ||
KNOX | 737 | 821 | 715 | ||
LAKE | 5 | 4 | 7 | ||
LASALLE | 427 | 499 | 392 | ||
LAWRENCE | 399 | 426 | 476 | ||
LEE | 314 | 385 | 424 | ||
LIVINGSTON | 268 | 310 | 323 | ||
LOGAN | 193 | 215 | 252 | ||
MACON | 155 | 135 | 156 | ||
MACOUPIN | 1120 | 1077 | 1200 | ||
MADISON | 509 | 484 | 549 | ||
MARION | 1186 | 1202 | 1272 | ||
MARSHALL | 412 | 429 | 462 | ||
MASON | 249 | 280 | 239 | ||
MASSAC | 268 | 247 | 235 | ||
MCDONOUGH | 495 | 528 | 530 | ||
MCHENRY | 129 | 204 | 152 | ||
MCLEAN | 349 | 432 | 407 | ||
MENARD | 215 | 262 | 260 | ||
MERCER | 509 | 600 | 542 | ||
MONROE | 856 | 821 | 798 | ||
MONTGOMERY | 619 | 592 | 707 | ||
MORGAN | 442 | 432 | 435 | ||
MOULTRIE | 158 | 156 | 182 | ||
OGLE | 356 | 503 | 418 | ||
PEORIA | 576 | 581 | 554 | ||
PERRY | 969 | 941 | 918 | ||
PIATT | 89 | 84 | 100 | ||
PIKE | 1129 | 1189 | 1136 | ||
POPE | 1068 | 994 | 895 | ||
PULASKI | 222 | 208 | 206 | ||
PUTNAM | 228 | 244 | 229 | ||
RANDOLPH | 1518 | 1506 | 1565 | ||
RICHLAND | 487 | 480 | 533 | ||
ROCK ISLAND | 408 | 526 | 480 | ||
SALINE | 628 | 611 | 605 | ||
SANGAMON | 327 | 357 | 358 | ||
SCHUYLER | 904 | 875 | 914 | ||
SCOTT | 190 | 254 | 216 | ||
SHELBY | 883 | 895 | 921 | ||
ST. CLAIR | 576 | 560 | 595 | ||
STARK | 118 | 150 | 131 | ||
STEPHENSON | 342 | 375 | 307 | ||
TAZEWELL | 352 | 377 | 371 | ||
UNION | 812 | 813 | 798 | ||
VERMILION | 369 | 419 | 392 | ||
WABASH | 122 | 126 | 156 | ||
WARREN | 290 | 337 | 352 | ||
WASHINGTON | 771 | 747 | 802 | ||
WAYNE | 1015 | 938 | 1113 | ||
WHITE | 553 | 542 | 532 | ||
WHITESIDE | 335 | 402 | 391 | ||
WILL | 134 | 167 | 150 | ||
WILLIAMSON | 1287 | 1163 | 1165 | ||
WINNEBAGO | 154 | 181 | 174 | ||
WOODFORD | 434 | 475 | 528 | ||
Total | 52,354 | 53,348 | 54,661 |
