deer
More than 81,000 deer harvested during Illinois firearm deer season
SPRINGFIELD – Hunters in Illinois took a preliminary total of 81,225 deer during the seven-day 2025 Illinois firearm deer season that concluded Dec. 7. Comparatively, hunters harvested 82,496 deer during the 2024 firearm season. The preliminary harvest for the second weekend of the firearm season Dec. 4-7 was 29,816 compared with 27,835 deer harvested during…
Read MoreMore than 51,000 deer harvested during first weekend of Illinois firearm deer season
SPRINGFIELD – Hunters in Illinois harvested a preliminary total of 51,409 deer during the first weekend of the Illinois firearm deer season between Nov. 21-23. Comparatively, hunters took 54,661 and 53,348 deer during the first firearm weekends in 2024 and 2023. Illinois’ seven-day firearm deer season will conclude December 4-7. Youth hunters with an unfilled,…
Read MoreD’oh, a deer: ‘Tis the season to look out for amorous mammals
SPRINGFIELD – The leaves are changing, the nights are getting longer, the smell of pumpkin spice is in the air – and deer are on the move. The Illinois Department of Transportation and Illinois Department of Natural Resources are reminding the public to be alert for deer as we enter peak mating season, with their movements…
Read MoreIllinois sets new record for youth deer season harvest
SPRINGFIELD – Illinois youth deer hunters set a new record for the season, harvesting a preliminary total of 4,714 deer Oct. 11-13. Top harvest counties include Randolph, 259; Pike, 164; Adams, 155; Jefferson, 155; and Marion, 135. Madison County was well back from the leaders at 51. Comparatively, youth hunters took 4,097 deer during the…
Read MoreOut-of-state deer poachers ordered to pay nearly $120,000 in southern Illinois
BENTON – Five men from Mississippi were sentenced in southern Illinois federal court after admitting to using spotlights to illegally hunt white-tailed deer in Massac, Jefferson, Union, Pope and Clark counties. Lee J. Johnson, 54, of Saucier, Mississippi, pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful transport of wildlife in violation of the Lacey Act and was…
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