Illinois deer research / Alexander County

Alexander County, Illinois — Deer Hunting Research

Southern IL region. FDR Deer Herd Index 23.9 — ranked #99 of 102 Illinois counties. Built from IDNR public harvest records and three record books deduplicated so every buck counts once.

E - Below Average
23.9 / 100
FDR Herd Index
#99 of 102
Statewide rank
32
Record-book bucks (deduped)
86,758
Public-land acres
577
2024 deer harvest

What drives the Alexander County index

Five weighted components, each scored 0–100 against all Illinois counties.

Habitat · 25%26
Herd quality · 30%35
Population · 18%9
Momentum · 12%11
Trophy history · 15%27

Trophy record — counted once

32 unique record-book bucks from 36 total listings across the major whitetail record books — 4 cross-book duplicates removed. Trophy rank #95 in Illinois.

BookBucks
Listed in one book only31
In two books0
In all three books1
Unique bucks32

2005–2024 harvest trend

SeasonArcheryFirearmTotal
2024238339577
2023204299503
2022244379623
2021189362551
2020223430653
2019232453685
2018193505698
2017199492691
2016164424588
2015224554778
2014200401601
2013243480723
2012214453667
2011197536733
2010213534747
2009275584859
2008250543793
2007216533749
2006240562802
2005211508719

IDNR reports harvest by archery / firearm / CWD; muzzleloader is not broken out separately. Success proxy: Alexander County runs 2.49 record-book bucks per 1,000 hunter-trips.

See full Alexander County harvest charts →

Harvest by sex

IDNR records each harvested deer by sex. In 2024, Alexander County ran 383 bucks (males) and 194 does (females) — 66.4% bucks.

SeasonBucks (M)Does (F)Total% bucks
202438319457766.4%
202333816550367.2%
202241021362365.8%
202136119055165.5%
202040924465362.6%
201941127468560%
201842227669860.5%
201742926269162.1%
201635823058860.9%
201545832077858.9%
201438921260164.7%
201342529872358.8%
201237729066756.5%
201145128273361.5%
201043631174758.4%
200948537485956.5%
200845134279356.9%
200746428574961.9%
200645235080256.4%
200543728271960.8%

See full Alexander County sex-composition chart →

Age structure

IDNR classifies each deer as adult, yearling (1.5-yr), or fawn. In 2024, Alexander County ran 64.3% adult, 24.4% yearling, and 11.3% fawn — a higher adult share points to a more mature age structure.

SeasonAdultYearlingFawnTotal
202437114165577
202332912252503
202240015172623
202135413364551
202041916272653
2019430154101685
201843417589698
2017422160109691
201635714784588
201551216997778
2014359142100601
2013438166119723
2012416136115667
2011458164111733
2010463147137747
2009574149136859
2008513158122793
2007438172139749
2006491161150802
2005418166135719

Age class is IDNR's field classification at check-in, not a lab-aged tooth-wear cohort; treat it as a directional maturity signal.

See full Alexander County composition charts →

Seasons & access

SeasonMethodDatesTags
Archery — Oct 1 to mid-Janarchery2025-10-01 → 2026-01-18otc
Firearm — 1st + 2nd Shotgun Seasonfirearm2025-11-21 → 2025-12-07otc
Muzzleloader — Decembermuzzleloader2025-12-12 → 2025-12-14otc

Public hunting land: 86,758 acres (53.7% of the county). Verify current season dates, permits, and site-specific rules with IDNR before hunting.

Where to hunt public in Alexander County

Cypress Creek National Wildlife Refuge · 33,443 acHorseshoe Lake-Alexander State Fish and Wildlife Area · 8,410 acRipple Hollow Roadless Area · 3,788 acDevil's Island tate Fish and Wildlife Area · 1,503 acCape Bend State Fish and Wildlife Area · 1,390 ac

Full list on the Illinois public hunting land directory.

See Alexander County on the map

Parcels with owner & acreage, public hunting land with regs, access points, leaf-off imagery, and this research — together on one hunting map.

Open Fully Drawn Scout — freeSee all Alexander County charts

Nearby counties

Pulaski · 25.2Union · 24.3Johnson · 20.2Jackson · 23.9Massac · 30.7Williamson · 30.3Pope · 20.6Perry · 55.9
← #98 Jackson County#100 Pope County →

Frequently asked questions

Is Alexander County, Illinois good for deer hunting?

Alexander County scores 23.9 of 100 on the FDR Deer Herd Index (E - Below Average), ranked #99 of 102 Illinois counties. The index is built from IDNR public harvest records, habitat, herd quality, momentum, and record-book history deduplicated across the major whitetail record books.

How many record-book bucks have come from Alexander County?

32 record-book whitetails are attributed to Alexander County across the major record books, with each buck counted once after cross-book deduplication.

Is there public hunting land in Alexander County, Illinois?

Yes — about 86,758 acres of public hunting land, roughly 53.7% of the county. Always verify current site regulations and permit requirements before hunting.

How many deer were harvested in Alexander County last season?

IDNR records show 577 deer harvested in Alexander County in 2024, the most recent reported season.