Illinois Deer Population: Based on hunting data about 730,000 whitetail deer in 2024, up from 680,000 in 2022 and 640,000 deer in 2021. A nearly stable population from 2013 to 2021 of around 640,000 to 690,000 deer following a large decline after an EHD outbreak in 2012 when the population was estimated at 700,000 to 750,000. A recent peak population around 2008 when the herd was estimated a 800,000 to 1,000,000. Herd analysis at right.
Illinois Deer News
Illinois farmers seeking changes to state’s deer management April 29, 2025 Brownfield Ag News
... would like to see include better record keeping of the state’s deer herd, as well as changes to the nuisance permit procedure and seasons...
Chronic wasting disease detected in four additional Illinois counties April 11, 2025 Illinois Department of Natural Resources
... Chronic wasting disease, or CWD, has been detected in Putnam, Marshall, Adams, and Peoria counties ... Adams County is the first documented case recorded outside of the leading edge of the CWD endemic region..,
New bill targets deer nuisance March 11, 2025 Illinois, FarmWeekNow
... Senate Bill 2160 ... encourages hunters to pursue more antlerless deer (does). This would include legalizing party hunting, or groups of outdoorsmen pooling their tags together, for antlerless tags or either-sex tags used to take antlerless deer...
IL 2024-25 deer season harvest numbers up 10K from previous year January 31, 2025 Illinois, WCIA Champaign on MSN
... Hunters across the state harvested a preliminary total of 170,758 deer during the archery and firearm seasons, which ended Jan. 19. The preliminary total for 2024-25 is an increase of 10,445 compared to the harvest of 160,313 deer for all seasons in 2023-24..,
Race On To Save St. Casimir Deer With Cheeseball Jug Stuck On His Head January 10, 2025 Illinois, Patch
... a baby buck has gotten his head stuck inside an empty gallon-sized cheeseball jug. Neighborhood social media groups are blowing up with pleas to help ... video of the poor little buck trying to knock the cheeseball jug off by hitting his head against a post ...
More Than 82,000 Deer Harvested During Illinois Firearm Deer Season December 24, 2024 The Leader Union
... 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 harvested 76,494 deer during the 2023 firearm season...
JJ Vaske, CA Miller - Wildlife Research, 2024
... CWD existed in Kansas for only 4 years when the study was conducted. Kansas hunters reported the highest percentage of correct knowledge questions. By comparison, the disease had existed in Illinois for 20 years; Illinois hunters reported the lowest percentage of correct responses. Knowledge is influenced by the newness of a disease. With a new disease, people attend to information campaigns. Over time, experience tempers concerns and knowledge about diseases...
Illinois Farm Bureau pushing deer management December 11, 2024 Brownfield Ag News
... “There’s a real ongoing challenge here with wildlife, and with DNR getting accurate information on what the real population is ... Our organization has been asking for improved demographic studies of deer.” [ president of the Illinois Farm Bureau] ...
Preliminary deer harvest numbers released December 9, 2024 Illinois, Metropolis Planet
... Hunters in Illinois harvested a preliminary total of 54,661 deer during the first weekend of the Illinois firearm deer season... hunters took 53,348 in 2023 and 52,354 deer in 2022 ..,
Oh deer! McLean County parks crews rescue doe that fell through the ice at Evergreen Lake December 6, 2024 Illinois, wglt
... Murphy said he then put on waders to go into the waist-high water and used a shovel to carve out a 30-foot path through the half-inch thick ice to get to the deer that he said was nearly frozen and frightened...
Cemetery Deer With Crooked Antler Brings Early Christmas Miracle December 5, 2024 Illinois, Beverly, IL Patch
... “His right antler was upside down and every year when he’d shed his antlers before winter, it would grow back upside down the next spring,” ... His front legs were white, and the rear right left leg was slightly turned in ... to the cemetery staff he is known as “Special.” ... I said, ‘Special, take two steps back,’” Nommensen recalled. “He takes two steps back...
IDNR reports more deer harvested in Nov. firearm season compared to 2023 December 5, 2024 Illinois, MSN
... the preliminary total for the first weekend of the firearm deer season between Nov. 22-24 was 54,661. Comparatively, hunters took 53,348 and 52,354 deer during the first firearm weekends in 2023 and 2022...
Sharpshooters provided 127 of 308 CWD-positive deer in Illinois October 29, 2024 Outdoor News
... Between Jan. 22 and March 29 of this year, Illinois DNR sharpshooters removed 1,744 deer from 19 counties as part of the agency’s effort to monitor and control CWD.
Testing of those deer resulted in 127 positive cases ..,
Illinois Hunters Reminded To Test Deer For CWD October 22, 2024, Q98.5
... First identified in Boone County in 2002, CWD has since spread across a 21-county area in the northern part of the state. Since its discovery, more than 170,000 deer have been tested statewide, with over 2,100 confirmed cases..,
Why collisions with deer may increase as daylight saving time ends and what you should watch for October 22, 2024 Illinois, NBC Chicago
... In 2021, more than 14,500 motor vehicle crashes involved deer in Illinois, a press release from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources said. 42% of those crashes took place between October, November and December, the agency said, with November being the highest-risk month...
DNR issues reminders for 2024-2025 archery deer season October 11, 2024 Illinois.gov
... Only antlered deer may be harvested during the Oct. 1-31 period of archery season in Champaign, Douglas, Macon, Moultrie, and Piatt counties to improve the deer population in those counties. An antlered deer is defined as having at least one antler 3 inches or longer..,
A deadly hemorrhagic disease spikes a week before Illinois' archery deer opener September 24, 2024 Illinois, Chicago Sun-Times
... Epizootic hemorrhagic disease spikes in Illinois with 43 counties reporting suspected cases by midday Tuesday, according to Chris Jacques, wildlife disease, large carnivore and invasive species program manager ..,
Illinois Department of Natural Resources Addresses Spread of Chronic Wasting Disease in Deer at Community Meetings September 7, 2024 Hoodline
... With CWD now confirmed in 21 counties, spanning the northern and northeast portions of Illinois, the agency is hosting a series of public meetings ... The first detection of the disease in the state dates back to 2002 near Roscoe..,
Pecatonica,IL Is In a Fawn Frenzy Over a Baby Being Separated From Its Mom July 11, 2024 Illionois, Q98.5
... A female deer in Pecatonica, Illinois who often interacts with neighbors, children, and dogs recently had a baby which she has been separated from ... The Pec police department watched the fawn for a hour, after seeing she was not super responsive they called animal control. [taken to Hoo Haven Wildlife Rehabilitation and Education Center] ...
IDNR announces detection of chronic wasting disease in Ford County May 1, 2024 Illinois, Illinois.gov
... Chronic wasting disease has been detected in Ford County, expanding the geographic presence of the infection in free-ranging deer populations in northern Illinois ... a suspect-deer exhibiting symptoms consistent with CWD infection. Other recent cases of CWD were documented previously in Bureau and Lee counties during 2023 and 2022, respectively..,
Deer hunters may see a change on the packaged meat if a bill is passed April 15, 2024 Illinois, Cities 92.9
... House Bill 2601 ... existing meat processing plants have to put labels on processed meat that says “not for sale” and “not inspected.” ... this bill cleans this up a bit and removes the [required label] ‘not inspected’ ...
INHS survey studies Illinois hunters' beliefs about controlling disease in deer populations April 3, 2024 University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
... The occurrence of CWD cases in deer is expanding, as the disease was found in 10 Illinois counties in 2012 and 19 counties in 2022... hunters’ perceptions of risk of CWD to both deer and humans have dropped slightly over the years. “The disease is no longer news, and people just don’t see the risk anymore,” ...
Elk coming and going makes history in Illinois November 15, 2023 Illinois, Chicago Sun-Times
... Wild elk graced the Chicago area until about 190 years ago. At least one was back... a wild elk was hit and killed on the southbound side of Interstate 55 near the intersection with I-80 in Joliet ..,
Illinois hunters harvested 76232 deer during firearm season, down from 2022 December 11, 2023 Chicago Sun-Times
... For the first modern season where certain rifles were allowed during Illinois’ firearm deer season, the impact appears negligible or minor on harvest totals. Illinois hunters harvested 76,232 deer (preliminary numbers) during the two parts of firearm season, down slightly from 76,854 deer in the 2022 firearm season...
County-by-county deer harvest stats released for 1st weekend of Illinois firearm season November 28, 2023 Illinois, YAHOO!News
... Hunters in Illinois killed about 1,000 more deer during the first weekend of the 2023 firearm season compared to last year, according to preliminary figures from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources...
Illinois hunters encouraged to have deer tested for Chronic Wasting Disease October 25, 2023, WHBF Davenport
...Chronic wasting disease ... first detected in a suspected adult female deer from northwest Boone County in 2002. Since then, 162,099 wild deer have been sampled statewide and 1,752 individual deer tested positive for CWD ..,
This year's deer season marks the first where Illinois hunters can use rifles WRSP October 11, 2023 Illinois, Fox Illinois
... As of January 2023, Illinois hunters are now permitted to hunt deer using rifles ... any rifles used must be converted to a single-shot rifle...
IDNR reminds hunters that drone use for hunting is prohibited September 27, 2023 Illinois, KFVS12
... for any aspect of hunting or recovery of wildlife is unlawful. Jed Whitchurch, the director of the IDNR Office of Law Enforcement, also says it is unfair...
More than 1600 hunting violations in Illinois in 2022 March 8, 2032 Illinois, Advantage News
... The most common hunting violation in Illinois is killing whitetail deer without the valid permits or out of season... The second most cited hunting violation in Illinois is using bait, like corn and salt licks, to attract deer...
More than 1600 hunting violations in Illinois in 2022 March 8, 2032 Illinois, Advantage News
... The most common hunting violation in Illinois is killing whitetail deer without the valid permits or out of season... The second most cited hunting violation in Illinois is using bait, like corn and salt licks, to attract deer...
Special chronic wasting disease deer season contributes to state's increased harvest March 6, 2023 Illinois, Shaw Local
... Sixteen northern Illinois counties – including Lee, Ogle and Carroll – were open to the special chronic wasting disease season. There also was a seven-day late winter season in 24 mostly central and western counties..,
EHD, Deer protected from deadly disease by newly discovered genetic differences Febraury 23, 2023 Illinois, Phys.org
... University of Illinois scientists have found gene variants in deer associated with the animals' susceptibility to EHD [Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease] ... "This is the first time this gene has been sequenced completely in white-tailed deer...
Overall deer harvest by Illinois hunters jumps nearly 8 percent February 22, 2023 Illinois, Chicago Sun-Times
... Illinois hunters harvested 158,010 deer during all 2022-23 firearm and archery seasons, up from 146,438 in ‘21-22... Sixteen northern Illinois counties were open to the special CWD season, which is used to assist in slowing the spread of chronic wasting disease in the Illinois deer herd... [details]
Deer impaled on Alton fence February 8, 2023 Illinois, Alton Telegraph
... A large white tailed doe was fatally injured Wednesday morning when it was impaled on a cast iron fence ... The deer's injuries were beyond lifesaving measures ...
Richmond residents don’t know what to do about roaming exotic deer February 6, 2023 Illinois, ShawLocal
... Delilah the fallow deer has been wandering around Richmond ... Getting Delilah out of the wild may come down to personal responsibility of the original owner ...
Police had been investigating Cox family of hunters in Freeburg for more than a month January 9, 2023 Illinois, BND
... officers allegedly observed trail cameras on nine baited deer stands or blinds with corn, molasses and mineral salt. Danny Cox, 63, told them on Nov. 18 that he’s a “conservationist” who feeds deer year-round to make sure they have enough to eat, the report stated. Deer baiting is illegal in Illinois due to ethical or “fair-chase” standards and the risk of disease spread with congregated feeding ...
Famous reindeer Rudolph has Illinois roots December 17, 2022 Jacksonville Journal-Courier
... Robert May, an Illinois copywriter whose creativity brought Rudolph to life in a 1939 storybook for Chicago-based department store giant Montgomery Ward...
Deer herd finds urban refuge at Rosehill Cemetery November 21, 2022 Illinois, Chicago Sun-Times
... The cemetery staff members say there may be as many as 16 deer roaming the 335 acres of Rosehill, the city’s largest cemetery ... “I’m out of apples — they really like apples,” said Brian Keleher, 72, who regularly visits Rosehill Cemetery to see the wildlife...
Hunters get set for firearm deer season in Southern Illinois November 11, 2022 The Southern Illinoisan
... Since 2012, deer hunters in Illinois have harvested between 145,000-162,000 deer each year... “We’re definitely below our all-time high (201,209 in 2005), but if you look at the last decade or so, we haven’t seen any major swings up or down from about 2012.” ..,
IDNR announces 2022 chronic wasting disease sampling locations for deer hunters October 27, 2022 Illinois, EIN News
... Since 2002 when the first deer was diagnosed with CWD in Illinois, 150,970 wild deer have been sampled statewide, and 1,383 individual deer have been found to be infected with CWD... Locations also can be found on the Hunt Illinois app at https://huntillinois.org/cwd-sampling or through an interactive map at https://bit.ly/CWDdropoffmap...
IDOT reminding drivers to watch out for deer October 19, 2022 Illinois, WRSP - Fox Illinois
... Fall is mating season for deer and that means deer become more active, mainly at dawn and dusk from October through December... Officials say in 2021, 14,522 motor vehicle crashes involved deer in Illinois...
Illinois Deer Archive: Population and Management, Deer in the News, Disease, Suburban Management, Transportation
Illinois data: In 2024, restrictions on antlerless deer during the hunt to support populations in some counties, but the overall anterless kill rose by 15% in 2024 and the total number of permits issued rose by 3.8%. The deer kill from the hunt rose by 6.5 percent in 2024. Using hunting data puts the 2024 population estimate at about 730,000 whitetail deer and 690,000 in 2023. The data for the chart below.
The chart estimating the deer population relies on hunting data (adjusted for number of hunters) and population estimates reported in the press for 2004, 2008, 2009, 2012, and 2017. The data.
In 2022 the state reported that a majority of counties are near or below their deer population goals. The deer kill in the 2022-23 season increased in part because 16 northern Illinois counties were open to a special chronic wasting disease season and there was a late winter season in 24 mostly central and western counties.
About 640,000 deer in 2021, down from about 690,000 in 2020. Some of the increase in the deer harvest in 2020 was attributed to increased hunting during the pandemic.
Deer populations in 2021 were thought to be stable to slightly increasing in a few regions, but hunting data indicates an overall decline from 2020. In a 2021 survey most hunters reported seeing fewer deer over the past five years. Good weather in 2020 supported populations. In 2020 the state changed hunting regulations to increase the deer population in three counties and reduce the population in 20 counties. An estimated 660,000 deer in 2019, and 652,000 for 2018 based on hunting data. In 2018 antlerless restrictions for east-central counties were implemented to grow the herd. By 2018, some regions the herd had rebounded from the state's worst outbreak of EHD in 2012.
The 2017 deer population was well below the state's carrying capacity, but populations were being managed with regard to social issues such as crop damage and deer-vehicle collisions. The 2017 harvest data and reported estimate indicate a stable to slightly increasing population of about 660,000 deer, an increase in west-central counties. .About 677,000 deer in 2015, 645,000 in 2014, and 660,000 in 2013 estimated using harvest data.
Deer herds were reported to be on the decline in 2015 largely as a result of high hunting pressure.
After a 25 percent drop in the 2013 harvest, the number of deer licenses for 2014 were reduced by 4.1 percent to 592,457 and the state changed its objective to increasing deer populations. Reduced again in 2015 to 577,244. Reasons for the decline include adverse weather conditions, herd reduction efforts and deer mortality due to outbreaks of epizootic hemorrhagic disease (EHD). Deer management goals were generally maintaining to increasing the herd. The 2014 harvest was 47 percent does, 49 percent in 2013. A population estimate of 700,000 deer in 2013, down from an estimate in 2012 of 700,000 to 750,000 deer. In 2011 the Northwest Herald reported on the "the widely-held opinion that there has been a drastic reduction in the population of whitetail deer in Illinois."
An estimate of 800,000 deer in 2009. Dramatic harvest declines became a major issue. In 2008 the population was estimated at 800,000 to 1 million, the peak population was at around this time. An estimate of nearly 800,000 deer in 2004. The herd was under a managed decline from 2005.
About 750,000 deer in 1995, the peak during the 1990s. The Illinois General Assembly decided deer management should be linked to the number of auto-deer accidents. In 2008 the Task Force on Deer Population control recommended a 14 percent reduction in the rate of deer vehicle collisions from peak levels, the IDNR began increasing the harvest to achieve that goal in 2009.
The 2017 deer population was well below the state's carrying capacity, but populations are being managed with regard to social issues such as crop damage and deer-vehicle collisions. 97 percent of the state's hunting property is privately owned with just 836,000 acres of public land.
Peak of the rut is November 8 - 11.
Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) was first discovered in the deer herd in 2002 near Roscoe. CWD was found in 19 northern counties by 2022 with over 150,000 deer tested. There were 1,383 for positives since testing began and 218 positives during Fiscal Year 2022. A special CWD hunt was held in the 2022-23 season to reduced deer in infected areas to slow the spread. Since 2002, 150,970 wild deer had been tested with 1,383 positive cases as of October, 2023. Confirmed in 21 counties by 2024 with 2,100 positive cases out of 170,000 deer tested by October, 2024. More in 2025.
Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease (EHD) Some EHD mortality occurs every year, but is worst in drought conditions when deer congregate around muddy areas where the midges that spread the disease are found. The worst recent outbreak was in 2012 when 2,043 dead deer reported to IDNR from 76 counties. EHD nearly absent in 2014 and at low levels in 2015, 2016, and 2017. Over 400 died in 2018. A 2022 study documents the norhward expansion of the disease. By October, 2023, 162,099 wild deer had been sampled statewide and 1,752 individual deer tested positive. A spike in EHD in September, 2024, with 43 counties apparently affected.
History: Illinois forests were filled with deer as settlement began. Over hunting during early settlement led to the virtual extinction of deer in Illinois by the late 1800's. Deer hunting was limited in about half the state by 1873 with the last open season in 1900. " The last deer in Northern Illinois was reported in 1874, although there were still deer kept in pens across the state. In 1901, Illinois imposed what was supposed to be a five-year moratorium on deer hunting. "As it turned out, whitetail deer basically had disappeared from the state, so that “temporary” closure lasted 56 years." In the 1930s By the 1930s, "the United States Forest Service and the Illinois Department of Conservation were releasing deer into the wilds of southern Illinois from game farms." By 1940 the deer population was about 500.
Prior to the 1950s, occasional escapes and releases of deer from privately-owned preserves, translocations conducted by the Illinois Department of Conservation (currently IDNR) and the United States Forest Service, and possibly immigration of deer from adjacent states led to the reintroduction of white-tailed deer in Illinois." History More History
"By 1950, white-tailed deer were known to inhabit 68 Illinois counties, and 33 counties were opened for deer hunting in 1957." An estimate of 2,550 in 1949-1950 and more than 3,075 in 1950-1951 (p. 12). A census in 1957 showed about 15,000 deer concentrated in the far northwest of the state with some in the southern forests and the first modern firearm season opened.
Even by the 1970's, it was rare to see a deer. History "... during the 1980s while (firearm) hunter success appeared to stabilize at 45-47 percent. During the 1980 firearm deer season, 20,700 deer were harvested by 75,800 permittees statewide compared to a peak harvest of 123,792 deer with 329,940 permits in 2005. Projections based upon population trend data indicate a stable to slightly declining statewide population from 2004 through 2008." More history.
Deer Population Estimates: 1940: 500. 1950: 3,100. 1960: 19,195. 1968: 25,000.
Population Estimates from State Research: 1982: 299,493. 1988: 539,644.
Elk Eliminated from Illinois by around 1830, at least one came back in 2023, killed by a car in Joliet.
Reindeer A 17,000-year-old reindeer jaw old from Kendall County, IL reported discovered in 2021.
Mountain Lions Eliminated from Illinois before the 1870s with occasional recent sightings typically of young lions from South Dakota.
Bobcat, once nearly extinct, the population grew to around 5,000 by 2014.
Coyotes, a 2019 study in the Chicago region fund coyotes accounted for 77.8& or mortality for deer fawns.
Report Poaching and Baiting: 1-877-2-DNR-LAW
Other useful links:
- Living with White-tailed Deer in Illinois, University of Illinois Extension - Chronic Wasting Disease Statistics - Deer Vehicle Accident Goals, used to set population targets. - Fox Valley Wildlife Center - Illinois Deer Hunting Information
Below a graph of the Indiana Deer Hunt Results from 2011 to 2020 from IDNR
