Illinois firearm deer season harvest totals nearly 100,000 | News

Firearm deer hunters in Illinois took a preliminary total of 99,324 deer during the seven-day firearm deer season on Nov. 16-18 and Nov. 29-Dec. 2, according to the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR).  This year’s preliminary firearm season harvest total compares with the 97,820 deer taken during the 2011 firearm season.  

Wayne County led all of southeastern Illinois where hunters took 1,716 deer, compared to last year's total of 1,871.

In White County, hunters shot 872 deer this year while in Wasbash County, 311 deer were taken.

Other counties' deer harvest totals included:

• Saline 1071
• Gallatin  512
• Edwards  430
• Lawrence 592
• Richland  751

"If you enjoy deer hunting in warm, spring-like weather, this was the season for you," said IDNR Forest Wildlife Program Manager Paul Shelton.  "One of the benefits of having a split firearm deer season is that we typically avoid getting caught in a single weather pattern that might negatively impact the overall harvest.  This year conditions were much more favorable during the first season and less so during the second, but I think we're right on track with our harvest in most areas."

Preliminary harvest reports show the top five county totals for deer taken during the seven-day firearm season were Pike (3,068), Fulton (2,815), Adams (2,534), Jo Daviess (2,534), and Randolph (2,221).

Continuing and upcoming deer hunting opportunities in Illinois include: 

• The archery deer season, continuing through Jan. 20, 2013; 
• The three-day Illinois muzzleloader-only deer season is this week on Dec. 7-9, 2012;
• The seven-day split Late-Winter Firearm Antlerless-only Deer Season and Special CWD Deer Season are Dec. 27-30, 2012 and Jan. 18-20, 2013.

Permits for both the Late-Winter and Special CWD seasons will be available over the counter through DNR Direct license and permit vendors beginning Dec. 11.  Archery and remaining muzzleloader-only permits are also available over the counter from DNR Direct vendors.  Vendor locations by county are available on the IDNR website at this link:  http://www.dnr.illinois.gov/LPR/Pages/LicensePermitVendors.aspx