Illinois deer research / Bond County

Bond County, Illinois — Deer Hunting Research

Southern IL region. FDR Deer Herd Index 40.8 — ranked #72 of 102 Illinois counties. Built from IDNR public harvest records and three record books deduplicated so every buck counts once.

C - Above Average
40.8 / 100
FDR Herd Index
#72 of 102
Statewide rank
59
Record-book bucks (deduped)
75,720
Public-land acres
1,450
2024 deer harvest

What drives the Bond County index

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

Habitat · 25%52
Herd quality · 30%12
Population · 18%41
Momentum · 12%82
Trophy history · 15%46

Trophy record — counted once

59 unique record-book bucks from 63 total listings across the major whitetail record books — 4 cross-book duplicates removed. Trophy rank #71 in Illinois.

BookBucks
Listed in one book only59
In two books0
In all three books0
Unique bucks59

2005–2024 harvest trend

SeasonArcheryFirearmTotal
20245808701,450
20235447631,307
20224927541,246
20214396471,086
20204946681,162
20194207101,130
20183977331,130
20173456631,008
2016328579907
20153496771,026
2014344574918
2013355564919
20123627541,116
20113967861,182
20104167571,173
20094298431,272
20084419141,355
20073811,1721,553
20064191,0821,501
20054101,1651,575

IDNR reports harvest by archery / firearm / CWD; muzzleloader is not broken out separately. Success proxy: Bond County runs 3.47 record-book bucks per 1,000 hunter-trips.

See full Bond County harvest charts →

Harvest by sex

IDNR records each harvested deer by sex. In 2024, Bond County ran 811 bucks (males) and 639 does (females) — 55.9% bucks.

SeasonBucks (M)Does (F)Total% bucks
20248116391,45055.9%
20237675401,30758.7%
20226875591,24655.1%
20216664201,08661.3%
20206744881,16258%
20196265041,13055.4%
20186574731,13058.1%
20175794291,00857.4%
201647443390752.3%
20155304961,02651.7%
201448543391852.8%
201345046991949%
20125705461,11651.1%
20116155671,18252%
20106285451,17353.5%
20096426301,27250.5%
20086786771,35550%
20078646891,55355.6%
20068156861,50154.3%
20058727031,57555.4%

See full Bond County sex-composition chart →

Age structure

IDNR classifies each deer as adult, yearling (1.5-yr), or fawn. In 2024, Bond County ran 63.4% adult, 20.8% yearling, and 15.9% fawn — a higher adult share points to a more mature age structure.

SeasonAdultYearlingFawnTotal
20249193012301,450
20238492791791,307
20227662881921,246
20216752311801,086
20207402491731,162
20196812641851,130
20186682641981,130
20175872461751,008
2016529180198907
20156052341871,026
2014541200177918
2013509182228919
20126062132971,116
20116762562501,182
20107002432301,173
20097792282651,272
20087662932961,355
20078083384071,553
20067833203981,501
20058673133951,575

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 Bond 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: 75,720 acres (30.9% of the county). Verify current season dates, permits, and site-specific rules with IDNR before hunting.

Where to hunt public in Bond County

Nature Preserve · 87 ac

Full list on the Illinois public hunting land directory.

See Bond 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 Bond County charts

Nearby counties

Clinton · 43.6Montgomery · 54.1Fayette · 49.9Madison · 38.1Washington · 58.4Marion · 56.1Macoupin · 66.3St. Clair · 37.2
← #71 Clinton County#73 Stephenson County →

Frequently asked questions

Is Bond County, Illinois good for deer hunting?

Bond County scores 40.8 of 100 on the FDR Deer Herd Index (C - Above Average), ranked #72 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 Bond County?

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

Is there public hunting land in Bond County, Illinois?

Yes — about 75,720 acres of public hunting land, roughly 30.9% of the county. Always verify current site regulations and permit requirements before hunting.

How many deer were harvested in Bond County last season?

IDNR records show 1,450 deer harvested in Bond County in 2024, the most recent reported season.