Hunters take 82,496 deer during Illinois firearm deer season

SPRINGFIELD – Hunters in Illinois took a preliminary total of 82,496 deer during the seven-day 2024 Illinois firearm deer season that concluded Dec. 8. Comparatively, hunters killed 76,494 deer during the 2023 firearm season.

The preliminary harvest for the second segment of the 2024 firearm season Dec. 5-8 was 27,835 compared with 22,883 deer harvested during the second part of the 2023 season.

The preliminary harvest for the first segment of this year’s firearm season Nov. 22-24 was 54,661 deer.

Remaining 2025 deer hunting opportunities in Illinois include: late-winter antlerless-only and chronic wasting disease (CWD) season, in designated counties Jan. 17-19 and archery deer season continues through Jan. 19.

Here are the totals for 2024 listed with the county first, then totals for the first season, second season, and total for 2024 and then the 2023 total for comparison.

• Ogle: 418, 275, 693, 662

• Carroll: 387, 164, 551, 522

• Lee: 424, 231, 655, 548

• Jo Daviess: 836, 442, 1,378, 1,368

• Stephenson: 307, 174, 481, 535

• Whiteside: 291, 256, 647, 611

Adams County led the state with 1,565, 734, 2,299, 2183.