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Illinois 2018-19 deer hunting seasons result in preliminary harvest of 151,577 deer

Archers, youth, and muzzleloaders contribute to totals

information provided by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (January 28, 2019) – Hunters in Illinois harvested a preliminary total of 151,577 deer during all 2018-19 archery and firearm seasons, which concluded on January 20. This total is slightly higher than the total harvest for all seasons in 2017-18: 147,695 deer.

Other deer stats

During the 2018-19 deer seasons, hunters took 45 percent does and 55 percent males.

Archery deer hunters in Illinois took a preliminary total of 61,079 deer during the season which began on October 1, 2018, and concluded on January 20, 2019. That compares with the harvest of 57,929 deer during the 2017-18 archery season.

Youth deer hunters harvested a preliminary total of 1,650 deer during the three-day Illinois Youth Deer Season (October 6-8, 2018), compared to 2,378 in 2017.

Hunters took a preliminary total of 80,896 deer during the Illinois Firearm Deer Season on November 16-18, 2018, and November 29–December 2, 2018, compared with 80,117 deer taken during the 2017 firearm season.

Hunters using muzzleloading rifles harvested 3,863 deer during the Muzzleloader-Only Deer Season on December 7-9, 2018, compared with 3,765 in the 2017 muzzleloader season.

Other seasons

The 2018-19 Late-Winter Antlerless-Only and Special CWD (chronic wasting disease) deer seasons concluded on January 20, 2019, with a combined preliminary harvest total for both seasons of 4,089 deer, compared with a harvest of 3,506 deer taken during those seasons in 2017-18. Season dates for the seven-day Late-Winter and CWD seasons were December 27-30, 2018, and January 18-20, 2019.

There were 15 northern Illinois counties open to the Special CWD Season in both the 2018-19 and 2017-18 seasons. The Special CWD season is used to assist in slowing the spread of chronic wasting disease in the Illinois deer herd.

There were 20 counties open for the Late-Winter Antlerless Season in 2018-19, while 22 counties were open for the Late-Winter season in 2017-18. Counties that are at or below their individual deer population goal for two consecutive years may be removed from the Late-Winter season.

Melanie Jongsma
Melanie Jongsma
Melanie Jongsma grew up in Lansing, Illinois, and believes The Lansing Journal has an important role to play in building community through trustworthy information.