SPRINGFIELD, IL – Hunters in Illinois harvested a preliminary total of 116,708 deer during the seven-day firearm deer hunting season Nov. 16-18 and Nov. 29-Dec. 2, Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) Acting Director Sam Flood announced today.

The preliminary second-season (Nov. 29-Dec. 2) harvest total was 31,218, compared with the 29,117 deer taken by hunters during the second season last year. This year’s preliminary first-season (Nov. 16-18) deer harvest was 85,490, compared with a first-season harvest of 86,075 in 2006.  The preliminary harvest total includes deer taken in all 98 counties in which firearm deer hunting is permitted, as well as Chain O’Lakes State Park in Lake County.

“Congratulations to all of the hunters who were successful in taking a deer this season,” Flood said.  “The totals show that Illinois continues to provide some of the best deer hunting opportunity in the country.”

Preliminary reports show that Pike County was tops among county deer harvest totals for the firearm season as hunters there took 3,732 deer.  Other top county harvest totals were Jefferson (2,805), Adams (2,791), Fulton (2,671), and JoDaviess (2,662).

“The deer harvest during the first three days of the season last month was comparable to last year, and hunters followed up with an increased harvest total during the final four days of the season last weekend,” said IDNR Forest Wildlife Program manager Paul Shelton.  “While the weather was wet and wintry the last two days of the season, many hunters stayed in the field and found deer.”

The three-day Illinois muzzleloader-only deer season is Dec. 7-9, while the Late Winter Firearm Antlerless-only Deer Season is Jan. 18-20, 2008.  Permits were issued previously for these seasons.  The statewide archery deer hunting season continues through Jan. 17, 2008.

Deer hunters with unfilled deer permits from the firearm season, muzzleloader season or archery season may use those permits during the Late Winter Firearm Antlerless-only Deer Season if the permits are for one of the counties open for the late winter season.  Counties that will be open for the Late Winter

Deer hunters with unfilled deer permits from the firearm season, muzzleloader season or archery season may use those permits during the Late Winter Firearm Antlerless-only Deer Season if the permits are for one of the counties open for the late winter season.  Counties that will be open for the Late Winter season are: Adams, Bond, Brown, Bureau, Calhoun, Carroll, Cass, Christian, Clark, Clay, Clinton, Coles, Crawford, Cumberland, Edgar, Edwards, Effingham, Fayette, Franklin, Fulton, Greene, Hamilton, Hancock, Henderson, Henry, Jackson, Jasper, Jefferson, Jersey, Jo Daviess, Johnson, Knox, Lawrence, Lee, Logan, Macoupin, Madison, Marion, Marshall, Massac, McDonough, McLean, Menard, Mercer, Monroe, Montgomery, Morgan, Peoria, Perry, Pike, Putnam, Randolph, Richland, Rock Island, Saline, Sangamon, Schuyler, Scott, Shelby, St. Clair, Stark, Stephenson, Tazewell, Union, Vermilion, Wabash, Warren, Washington, Wayne, White, Whiteside, Williamson, and Woodford.

Hunters in Boone, DeKalb, Grundy, LaSalle, McHenry, Ogle and Winnebago counties can participate in a special Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) Deer Season Jan. 18-20, 2008 to help control deer densities and the spread of chronic wasting disease.  Permits for the CWD antlerless-only season are scheduled to be available beginning Dec. 11 for $5 each at participating DNR Direct license and permit vendors. In addition, hunters with unfilled 2007 firearm, muzzleloader, youth deer hunt or archery deer permits valid for one of the open counties may use those permits to hunt during the CWD season. Hunters using unfilled permits from the 2007 firearm, muzzleloader, youth or archery season during the CWD hunt may take deer appropriate for that permit (antlerless-only or either-sex). Check stations will be manned during the CWD season in the open counties. Successful hunters will be required to bring their deer to a check station prior to 8 p.m. on the day of harvest. Hunters who submit samples for CWD testing will be given an additional permit valid for the remainder of the season.

The table below includes preliminary county harvest totals for the first and second portions of the 2007 firearm deer season, the preliminary total firearm harvest for 2007 and the comparable county harvest totals for 2006.

  2007 2007   
  First Second 2007 2006
County Season Season Total Total
Adams 2140 651 2791 3061
Alexander 339 146 485 523
Bond 877 288 1165 1085
Boone 133 49 182 217
Brown 1135 475 1610 1669
Bureau 1205 432 1637 1330
Calhoun 1036 496 1532 1645
Carroll 921 257 1178 1157
Cass 665 242 907 929
Champaign 272 116 388 335
Christian 574 167 741 687
Clark 1122 381 1503 1415
Clay 1177 460 1637 1642
Clinton 808 243 1051 1071
Coles 621 208 829 793
Crawford 950 347 1297 1280
Cumberland 693 252 945 935
DeKalb 213 95 308 296
DeWitt 320 123 443 424
Douglas 212 54 266 266
Edgar 608 225 833 770
Edwards 434 136 570 623
Effingham 923 257 1180 1236
Fayette 1684 602 2286 2229
Ford 123 30 153 159
Franklin 979 394 1373 1492
Fulton 2003 668 2671 2521
Gallatin 451 227 678 718
Greene 1209 488 1697 1764
Grundy 354 164 518 500
Hamilton 1036 469 1505 1551
Hancock 1698 660 2358 2246
Hardin 907 306 1213 1057
Henderson 586 176 762 797
Henry 742 218 960 877
Iroquois 548 274 822 737
Jackson 1824 699 2523 2596
Jasper 1049 341 1390 1378
Jefferson 1997 808 2805 2710
Jersey 790 280 1070 1229
JoDaviess 2055 607 2662 2716
Johnson 1435 452 1887 1907
Kane 48 23 71 91
Kankakee 191 80 271 273
Kendall 67 50 117 130
Knox 1244 418 1662 1398
Lake 25 2 27 
LaSalle 1127 417 1544 1292
Lawrence 497 239 736 803
Lee 577 178 755 808
Livingston 498 143 641 575
Logan 401 119 520 470
Macon 252 100 352 1151
Macoupin 1677 602 2279 469
Madison 995 278 1273 747
Marion 1677 618 2295 301
Marshall 696 192 888 2137
Mason 489 192 681 1156
Massac 471 251 722 2218
McDonough 902 313 1215 803
McHenry 360 179 539 649
McLean 541 233 774 719
Menard 392 147 539 536
Mercer 828 252 1080 1071
Monroe 910 291 1201 1301
Montgomery 1149 335 1484 1419
Morgan 899 327 1226 1177
Moultrie 251 113 364 361
Ogle 1035 355 1390 1331
Peoria 1317 413 1730 1486
Perry 1161 453 1614 1717
Piatt 184 58 242 223
Pike 2610 1122 3732 3795
Pope 1473 670 2143 2218
Pulaski 547 240 787 823
Putnam 454 148 602 525
Randolph 1890 708 2598 2763
Richland 745 269 1014 1097
Rock Island 806 223 1029 1065
Saline 734 356 1090 1130
Sangamon 743 232 975 1046
Schuyler 1346 560 1906 955
Scott 508 173 681 1810
Shelby 1193 403 1596 692
St. Clair 868 276 1144 1556
Stark 258 86 344 360
Stephenson 837 361 1198 1114
Tazewell 625 199 824 802
Union 1551 564 2115 2127
Vermilion 719 286 1005 933
Wabash 252 100 352 388
Warren 554 167 721 757
Washington 1083 332 1415 1511
Wayne 1446 640 2086 2032
White 808 420 1228 1248
Whiteside 806 208 1014 958
Will 287 148 435 504
Williamson 1391 582 1973 2008
Winnebago 410 132 542 506
Woodford 837 279 1116 1084
Total 85490 31218 116708 115192