Illinois deer research / Boone County

Boone County, Illinois — Deer Hunting Research

Northern IL region. FDR Deer Herd Index 40.5 — ranked #74 of 102 Illinois counties. Built from IDNR public harvest records and three record books deduplicated so every buck counts once.

C - Above Average
40.5 / 100
FDR Herd Index
#74 of 102
Statewide rank
35
Record-book bucks (deduped)
29,084
Public-land acres
374
2024 deer harvest

What drives the Boone County index

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

Habitat · 25%60
Herd quality · 30%29
Population · 18%19
Momentum · 12%30
Trophy history · 15%67

Trophy record — counted once

35 unique record-book bucks from 37 total listings across the major whitetail record books — 2 cross-book duplicates removed. Trophy rank #90 in Illinois.

BookBucks
Listed in one book only35
In two books0
In all three books0
Unique bucks35

2005–2024 harvest trend

SeasonArcheryFirearmTotal
2024207127374
2023203104331
2022177106311
2021176105308
2020182138353
2019145109275
2018125140292
2017127136285
2016117121276
2015147127310
2014152110292
201314373236
2012115145285
2011127129275
2010125132289
2009169156372
2008126159315
2007146184355
2006160214414
2005185275501

IDNR reports harvest by archery / firearm / CWD; muzzleloader is not broken out separately. Success proxy: Boone County runs 2.98 record-book bucks per 1,000 hunter-trips.

See full Boone County harvest charts →

Harvest by sex

IDNR records each harvested deer by sex. In 2024, Boone County ran 261 bucks (males) and 113 does (females) — 69.8% bucks.

SeasonBucks (M)Does (F)Total% bucks
202426111337469.8%
20232389333171.9%
20222139831168.5%
202120610230866.9%
202020914435359.2%
20191888727568.4%
20182029029269.2%
20171909528566.7%
201616211427658.7%
201519811231063.9%
201417411829259.6%
20131409623659.3%
201217710828562.1%
201116411127559.6%
201016012928955.4%
200920217037254.3%
200817813731556.5%
200722513035563.4%
200625316141461.1%
200528521650156.9%

See full Boone County sex-composition chart →

Age structure

IDNR classifies each deer as adult, yearling (1.5-yr), or fawn. In 2024, Boone County ran 58% adult, 25.9% yearling, and 16% fawn — a higher adult share points to a more mature age structure.

SeasonAdultYearlingFawnTotal
20242179760374
20232028841331
20221888241311
20211807553308
20202088956353
20191727330275
20181826743292
20171697442285
20161676049276
20151609555310
20141636960292
20131376039236
20121567455285
20111466960275
20101566568289
20092087787372
20081597779315
20071849279355
200619898118414
200525889154501

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 Boone 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: 29,084 acres (16.1% of the county). Verify current season dates, permits, and site-specific rules with IDNR before hunting.

Where to hunt public in Boone County

Kinnikinnick Creek Nature Preserve · 112 acCrow's Foot State Fish and Wildlife Area · 109 ac

Full list on the Illinois public hunting land directory.

See Boone 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 Boone County charts

Nearby counties

Winnebago · 37.8McHenry · 33.5DeKalb · 38.7Kane · 38.4Ogle · 40.2Lee · 51.3Lake · 31Kendall · 32.1
← #73 Stephenson County#75 Ogle County →

Frequently asked questions

Is Boone County, Illinois good for deer hunting?

Boone County scores 40.5 of 100 on the FDR Deer Herd Index (C - Above Average), ranked #74 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 Boone County?

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

Is there public hunting land in Boone County, Illinois?

Yes — about 29,084 acres of public hunting land, roughly 16.1% of the county. Always verify current site regulations and permit requirements before hunting.

How many deer were harvested in Boone County last season?

IDNR records show 374 deer harvested in Boone County in 2024, the most recent reported season.