Illinois deer research / Christian County
Christian County, Illinois — Deer Hunting Research
Southern IL region. FDR Deer Herd Index 57.1 — ranked #36 of 102 Illinois counties. Built from IDNR public harvest records and three record books deduplicated so every buck counts once.
B - StrongWhat drives the Christian County index
Five weighted components, each scored 0–100 against all Illinois counties.
Trophy record — counted once
65 unique record-book bucks from 70 total listings across the major whitetail record books — 5 cross-book duplicates removed. Trophy rank #67 in Illinois.
| Book | Bucks |
|---|---|
| Listed in one book only | 63 |
| In two books | 2 |
| In all three books | 0 |
| Unique bucks | 65 |
2005–2024 harvest trend
| Season | Archery | Firearm | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 564 | 621 | 1,185 |
| 2023 | 531 | 582 | 1,113 |
| 2022 | 537 | 563 | 1,100 |
| 2021 | 529 | 556 | 1,085 |
| 2020 | 577 | 613 | 1,190 |
| 2019 | 546 | 564 | 1,110 |
| 2018 | 529 | 610 | 1,139 |
| 2017 | 470 | 551 | 1,021 |
| 2016 | 426 | 608 | 1,034 |
| 2015 | 465 | 612 | 1,077 |
| 2014 | 463 | 534 | 997 |
| 2013 | 471 | 536 | 1,007 |
| 2012 | 454 | 664 | 1,118 |
| 2011 | 516 | 687 | 1,203 |
| 2010 | 446 | 652 | 1,098 |
| 2009 | 497 | 607 | 1,104 |
| 2008 | 451 | 670 | 1,121 |
| 2007 | 430 | 747 | 1,177 |
| 2006 | 478 | 683 | 1,161 |
| 2005 | 454 | 674 | 1,128 |
IDNR reports harvest by archery / firearm / CWD; muzzleloader is not broken out separately. Success proxy: Christian County runs 5.68 record-book bucks per 1,000 hunter-trips.
See full Christian County harvest charts →
Harvest by sex
IDNR records each harvested deer by sex. In 2024, Christian County ran 607 bucks (males) and 578 does (females) — 51.2% bucks.
| Season | Bucks (M) | Does (F) | Total | % bucks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 607 | 578 | 1,185 | 51.2% |
| 2023 | 671 | 442 | 1,113 | 60.3% |
| 2022 | 620 | 480 | 1,100 | 56.4% |
| 2021 | 637 | 448 | 1,085 | 58.7% |
| 2020 | 650 | 540 | 1,190 | 54.6% |
| 2019 | 613 | 497 | 1,110 | 55.2% |
| 2018 | 660 | 479 | 1,139 | 57.9% |
| 2017 | 582 | 439 | 1,021 | 57% |
| 2016 | 570 | 464 | 1,034 | 55.1% |
| 2015 | 564 | 513 | 1,077 | 52.4% |
| 2014 | 535 | 462 | 997 | 53.7% |
| 2013 | 520 | 487 | 1,007 | 51.6% |
| 2012 | 564 | 554 | 1,118 | 50.4% |
| 2011 | 651 | 552 | 1,203 | 54.1% |
| 2010 | 560 | 538 | 1,098 | 51% |
| 2009 | 574 | 530 | 1,104 | 52% |
| 2008 | 544 | 577 | 1,121 | 48.5% |
| 2007 | 672 | 505 | 1,177 | 57.1% |
| 2006 | 655 | 506 | 1,161 | 56.4% |
| 2005 | 653 | 475 | 1,128 | 57.9% |
See full Christian County sex-composition chart →
Age structure
IDNR classifies each deer as adult, yearling (1.5-yr), or fawn. In 2024, Christian County ran 70.4% adult, 14.5% yearling, and 15.1% fawn — a higher adult share points to a more mature age structure.
| Season | Adult | Yearling | Fawn | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 834 | 172 | 179 | 1,185 |
| 2023 | 785 | 193 | 135 | 1,113 |
| 2022 | 746 | 199 | 155 | 1,100 |
| 2021 | 722 | 211 | 152 | 1,085 |
| 2020 | 815 | 215 | 160 | 1,190 |
| 2019 | 726 | 224 | 160 | 1,110 |
| 2018 | 737 | 212 | 190 | 1,139 |
| 2017 | 664 | 210 | 147 | 1,021 |
| 2016 | 661 | 206 | 167 | 1,034 |
| 2015 | 667 | 217 | 193 | 1,077 |
| 2014 | 596 | 185 | 216 | 997 |
| 2013 | 643 | 156 | 208 | 1,007 |
| 2012 | 728 | 168 | 222 | 1,118 |
| 2011 | 752 | 207 | 244 | 1,203 |
| 2010 | 700 | 164 | 234 | 1,098 |
| 2009 | 681 | 170 | 253 | 1,104 |
| 2008 | 731 | 154 | 236 | 1,121 |
| 2007 | 760 | 196 | 221 | 1,177 |
| 2006 | 712 | 190 | 259 | 1,161 |
| 2005 | 683 | 194 | 251 | 1,128 |
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 Christian County composition charts →
Seasons & access
| Season | Method | Dates | Tags |
|---|---|---|---|
| Archery — Oct 1 to mid-Jan | archery | 2025-10-01 → 2026-01-18 | otc |
| Firearm — 1st + 2nd Shotgun Season | firearm | 2025-11-21 → 2025-12-07 | otc |
| Muzzleloader — December | muzzleloader | 2025-12-12 → 2025-12-14 | otc |
Public hunting land: 53,742 acres (11.7% of the county). Verify current season dates, permits, and site-specific rules with IDNR before hunting.
See Christian 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.
Nearby counties
Frequently asked questions
Is Christian County, Illinois good for deer hunting?
Christian County scores 57.1 of 100 on the FDR Deer Herd Index (B - Strong), ranked #36 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 Christian County?
65 record-book whitetails are attributed to Christian County across the major record books, with each buck counted once after cross-book deduplication.
Is there public hunting land in Christian County, Illinois?
Yes — about 53,742 acres of public hunting land, roughly 11.7% of the county. Always verify current site regulations and permit requirements before hunting.
How many deer were harvested in Christian County last season?
IDNR records show 1,185 deer harvested in Christian County in 2024, the most recent reported season.