Illinois deer research / Champaign County

Champaign County, Illinois — Deer Hunting Research

Central IL region. FDR Deer Herd Index 66.1 — ranked #11 of 102 Illinois counties. Built from IDNR public harvest records and three record books deduplicated so every buck counts once.

B - Strong
66.1 / 100
FDR Herd Index
#11 of 102
Statewide rank
57
Record-book bucks (deduped)
36,206
Public-land acres
699
2024 deer harvest

What drives the Champaign County index

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

Habitat · 25%74
Herd quality · 30%82
Population · 18%19
Momentum · 12%59
Trophy history · 15%83

Trophy record — counted once

57 unique record-book bucks from 63 total listings across the major whitetail record books — 6 cross-book duplicates removed. Trophy rank #74 in Illinois.

BookBucks
Listed in one book only57
In two books0
In all three books0
Unique bucks57

2005–2024 harvest trend

SeasonArcheryFirearmTotal
2024427272699
2023385196581
2022377217594
2021367201568
2020427232659
2019393208601
2018375209584
2017360198558
2016296227523
2015306217523
2014298228526
2013334225559
2012384342726
2011399338737
2010428321749
2009410288698
2008410320730
2007426391817
2006449334783
2005469324793

IDNR reports harvest by archery / firearm / CWD; muzzleloader is not broken out separately. Success proxy: Champaign County runs 5.77 record-book bucks per 1,000 hunter-trips.

See full Champaign County harvest charts →

Harvest by sex

IDNR records each harvested deer by sex. In 2024, Champaign County ran 439 bucks (males) and 260 does (females) — 62.8% bucks.

SeasonBucks (M)Does (F)Total% bucks
202443926069962.8%
202339518658168%
202239020459465.7%
202137419456865.8%
202042123865963.9%
201937222960161.9%
201834523958459.1%
201733522355860%
201632220152361.6%
201529922452357.2%
201429323352655.7%
201329826155953.3%
201242630072658.7%
201138335473752%
201041033974954.7%
200937332569853.4%
200841431673056.7%
200746035781756.3%
200646431978359.3%
200545134279356.9%

See full Champaign County sex-composition chart →

Age structure

IDNR classifies each deer as adult, yearling (1.5-yr), or fawn. In 2024, Champaign County ran 72.1% adult, 19.9% yearling, and 8% fawn — a higher adult share points to a more mature age structure.

SeasonAdultYearlingFawnTotal
202450413956699
202341612144581
202238912481594
202141810248568
202046814348659
201941811865601
201840911857584
201736312174558
201634111765523
20153628972523
201434211074526
201334111999559
2012479138109726
2011478126133737
2010481142126749
2009449114135698
2008469124137730
2007515142160817
2006459145179783
2005514131148793

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 Champaign 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: 36,206 acres (5.7% of the county). Verify current season dates, permits, and site-specific rules with IDNR before hunting.

Where to hunt public in Champaign County

Gifford State Habitat Area · 103 acTrelease Woods · 74 acBrownfield Woods · 64 ac

Full list on the Illinois public hunting land directory.

See Champaign 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 Champaign County charts

Nearby counties

Douglas · 56.7Piatt · 71.2Ford · 59.3Vermilion · 79.2Coles · 63.8Edgar · 80.5Moultrie · 58De Witt · 60
← #10 Macoupin County#12 Clark County →

Frequently asked questions

Is Champaign County, Illinois good for deer hunting?

Champaign County scores 66.1 of 100 on the FDR Deer Herd Index (B - Strong), ranked #11 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 Champaign County?

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

Is there public hunting land in Champaign County, Illinois?

Yes — about 36,206 acres of public hunting land, roughly 5.7% of the county. Always verify current site regulations and permit requirements before hunting.

How many deer were harvested in Champaign County last season?

IDNR records show 699 deer harvested in Champaign County in 2024, the most recent reported season.