Hunters harvested nearly 87 thousand deer during the seven day firearm season in Illinois, with up numbers in all area counties. Hunters took 86,771 deer over two firearm hunting weekends. That’s about 10 thousand more than last year says State Department of Natural Resources spokesperson Tim Schweizer.
This weekend is muzzleloader-only season and the late-winter antlerless-only and CWD deer seasons December 31st thru January 3rd. Archery deer season continues thru January 17th.
As for area counties, Fayette County saw 501 deer harvest in the second weekend, adding up to a 2015 total of 1655 deer harvested—that’s up from 1444 last year. Bond County saw 178 deer taken in the second weekend for a total of 677 deer harvested—which is up from 574 taken in 2014. Effingham County saw 248 deer taken in the 2nd weekend, for a two season total of 872 deer harvested—which is up from 678 one year ago.