Illinois Firearm Deer Hunters Harvest Preliminary Total of 76,547 Deer During Seven-Day Season

Illinois deer hunters harvested a preliminary total of 76,547 deer during the seven-day traditional firearm deer hunting season that closed Sunday, Dec. 7. That figure compares to 74,318 deer harvested during the 2013 firearm season. Preliminary figures for the second segment of the firearm season totaled 24,717, up 34 percent from 18,483 in 2013. Overall, the total represented a slight increase from 2013, with a preliminary first segment harvest of 51,830 compared with 55,708 deer harvested during the first weekend of the 2013 Firearm Season.

Hunters are reminded that an additional 20 counties have been closed to the Late-Winter Antlerless-Only Seasons, Jan. 1-4 and Jan. 16-18.

Additional deer hunting opportunities remain.

• The Illinois Muzzleloader Season is Dec. 12-14.
• The first Late-Winter Antlerless-Only and CWD Deer Seasons will be Jan. 1 - 4, 2015.
• The second Late-Winter Antlerless-Only and CWD Deer Seasons will be Jan. 16 - 18, 2015.
• Archery Deer Season continues through Jan. 18, 2015.

There were 678 deer taken in Effingham County during the shotgun season; 519 the first weekend, 159 the second weekend. The total is 10 more than in 2013. 

As far as area counties: Clay County--973 this year, up from 863 in 2013...Cumberland County--607, up from 592 last year...Fayette County--1,442, up from 1,394 last year...Jasper County--852, up from 837...and Shelby County--959, up from 919 in 2013.