Illinois deer research / Bureau County

Bureau County, Illinois Deer Hunting Research

Central IL region. FDR Deer Herd Index 51.7, ranked #51 of 102 Illinois counties. Built from IDNR public harvest records and the Buck Index.

C - Above Average
51.7 / 100
FDR Herd Index
#51 of 102
Statewide rank
87→
Buck Index
228,795
Bow-huntable acres (10 m estimate)
1,906
2024 deer harvest

What drives the Bureau County index

The FDR Index combines five measured parts into one 0 to 100 score. Each part is scored 0–100 against all Illinois counties.

Habitat74
Herd quality30
Population47
Momentum36
Buck Index77

Buck Index

87→ out of 100. How this county ranks on the Buck Index against every county we cover. 100 is the top. Land is measured as what a hunter can actually hunt (10 m estimate).

Hunting pressure

Pressure Index 3.8 / 10 (Middle). About 4.7 deer hunters per square mile of huntable land: 38th percentile of 3,051 rated counties in 48 states, 31st percentile within Illinois. How often deer run into people, 0 to 10 on one scale across every rated state; 10 is the most crowded county in the country.

Modeled. Illinois does not publish hunter numbers by county, so FDR places this county within Illinois from deer harvest per huntable acre (2020 to 2024 seasons) and population density. The model was checked against agency hunter counts in Michigan, Indiana and Missouri, and against agency hunter surveys by hunting unit in 10 more states. It estimates crowding; it is not a hunter count. Illinois averages 5.2 deer hunters per square mile of huntable land (state wildlife agency count, 2023-24 season).

2005–2024 harvest trend

SeasonArcheryFirearmTotal
20247231,0271,906
20238471,0681,915
20228069931,799
20217119541,665
20208281,0811,909
20197191,0391,758
20186891,1751,864
20176521,0801,732
20166341,0951,729
20156271,1971,824
20146221,1161,738
20136591,2301,889
20127591,7422,501
20117421,6142,356
20108001,8242,624
20098921,8572,749
20088421,9402,782
20078861,9872,873
20068221,6572,479
20058411,9152,756

Totals are IDNR's all-season county harvest; firearm includes the youth, muzzleloader and late-winter seasons. Source: Hunt Illinois county deer harvest. Buck density: Bureau County averages 2.32 adult bucks harvested per 1,000 huntable acres (2005-2024).

See full Bureau County harvest charts →

Harvest by sex

IDNR records each harvested deer by sex. In 2024, Bureau County ran 1,035 bucks (males) and 871 does (females): 54.3% bucks.

SeasonBucks (M)Does (F)Total% bucks
20241,0358711,90654.3%
20231,0958201,91557.2%
20229978021,79955.4%
20219337321,66556%
20201,0438661,90954.6%
20199707881,75855.2%
20181,0258391,86455%
20179677651,73255.8%
20169687611,72956%
20151,0018231,82454.9%
20149467921,73854.4%
20139299601,88949.2%
20121,2741,2272,50150.9%
20111,1591,1972,35649.2%
20101,2971,3272,62449.4%
20091,3131,4362,74947.8%
20081,3241,4582,78247.6%
20071,5161,3572,87352.8%
20061,2901,1892,47952%
20051,5031,2532,75654.5%

See full Bureau County sex-composition chart →

Age structure

IDNR classifies each deer as adult, yearling (1.5-yr), or fawn. In 2024, Bureau County ran 66.3% adult, 19.3% yearling, and 14.4% fawn. A higher adult share points to a more mature age structure.

SeasonAdultYearlingFawnTotal
20241,2643672751,906
20231,3363482311,915
20221,2373152471,799
20211,0853242561,665
20201,2253902941,909
20191,1273482831,758
20181,2033433181,864
20171,1413122791,732
20161,1323152821,729
20151,2033232981,824
20141,0763243381,738
20131,1252824821,889
20121,6003675342,501
20111,4783934852,356
20101,6593576082,624
20091,6963596942,749
20081,7503746582,782
20071,8343936462,873
20061,5203536062,479
20051,6594186702,747

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 Bureau County composition charts →

Seasons & access

SeasonMethodDatesTags
Archery · Oct 1 to mid-Janarchery2026-10-01 → 2027-01-17otc
Firearm · 1st + 2nd Shotgun Seasonfirearm2026-11-20 → 2026-12-06otc
Muzzleloader · Decembermuzzleloader2026-12-11 → 2026-12-13otc

Bow-huntable land, public and private: 228,795 acres (10 m estimate). Verify current season dates, permits, and site-specific rules with IDNR before hunting.

Where to hunt public in Bureau County

Hennepin Canal · 4,322 acLake DePue State Fish and Wildlife Area · 2,231 acMautino State Fish and Wildlife Area · 913 acMiller-Anderson Woods State Natural Area · 507 acPutnam County Conservation Area · 222 ac

Full list on the Illinois public hunting land directory.

See Bureau 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.

See all Bureau County charts

Nearby counties

Putnam · 58Lee · 48.1Stark · 49.4Marshall · 54Whiteside · 34.9Henry · 48.5LaSalle · 45.8Peoria · 43.2
← #50 Douglas County#52 Scott County →

Frequently asked questions

Is Bureau County, Illinois good for deer hunting?

Bureau County scores 51.7 of 100 on the FDR Deer Herd Index (C - Above Average), ranked #51 of 102 Illinois counties. The index is built from IDNR public harvest records, habitat, herd quality, momentum, and the Buck Index.

What is the Buck Index for Bureau County?

Bureau County has a Buck Index of 87 out of 100. How this county ranks on the Buck Index against every county we cover. 100 is the top. Land is measured as what a hunter can actually hunt (10 m estimate).

Is there public hunting land in Bureau County, Illinois?

Yes: the Illinois public hunting land directory lists 5 sites in Bureau County, including Hennepin Canal, Lake DePue State Fish and Wildlife Area, Mautino State Fish and Wildlife Area. Always verify current site regulations and permit requirements before hunting.

How many deer were harvested in Bureau County last season?

IDNR records show 1,906 deer harvested in Bureau County in 2024, the most recent reported season.

Cite this

Fully Drawn Research. "Bureau County, Illinois deer hunting research." County page. https://www.fullydrawnresearch.ai/research/il/bureau. Accessed Nov 1, 2026.

Data and charts from this page are free to use with attribution. See the Content Lab.

Sources: Illinois DNR public harvest and public-land records, plus FDR's own land data for the Buck Index. Public-record data only: no private contact information, no landowner lists.

Fully Drawn Research is independent and not affiliated with or endorsed by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. Historical data and modeled indexes describe the past; they are not a promise of hunting outcomes. Always verify current seasons, permits, and site rules with IDNR before you hunt.

© Fully Drawn Research · FDR Scout