Deer hunting down in Bureau, La Salle, Putnam counties on first weekend of 2024

Hunters in Illinois garnered 54,661 deer during the first weekend of the Illinois firearm deer season between Nov. 22-24.

Comparatively, hunters took 53,348 and 52,354 deer during the first firearm weekends in 2023 and 2022, respectively.

While hunting numbers were up across the state, deer taken in La Salle, Bureau and Putnam counties was lower than the previous year. There were 628 deer hunted in Bureau County, 392 in La Salle County, 229 in Putnam County and 462 in Marshall County. Those totals are 107 less in La Salle County than the previous year, 67 less in Bureau County and 15 less in Putnam County. There were 33 more deer taken in Marshall County than the previous year.

Illinois’ seven-day firearm deer season will conclude Dec. 5-8.

Remaining 2024-2025 deer hunting opportunities in Illinois include: muzzleloader-only deer season Dec. 13-15; late-winter antlerless-only and chronic wasting disease deer seasons in select counties only, Dec. 26-29 and Jan. 17-19; archery deer season continues through Jan. 19. Archery deer hunting is closed Dec. 5-8 in counties open for firearm deer season.

Go online to the Illinois Department of Natural Resources’ website for more information about deer hunting.