Illinois deer research / Clay County
Clay County, Illinois Deer Hunting Research
Southern IL region. FDR Deer Herd Index 56.6, ranked #34 of 102 Illinois counties. Built from IDNR public harvest records and the Buck Index.
B - StrongWhat drives the Clay 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.
Buck Index
83→ 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 4.9 / 10 (Middle). About 5.5 deer hunters per square mile of huntable land: 49th percentile of 3,051 rated counties in 48 states, 71st 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
| Season | Archery | Firearm | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 790 | 1,924 | 2,714 |
| 2023 | 729 | 1,672 | 2,401 |
| 2022 | 651 | 1,554 | 2,205 |
| 2021 | 671 | 1,308 | 1,979 |
| 2020 | 752 | 1,427 | 2,179 |
| 2019 | 652 | 1,278 | 1,930 |
| 2018 | 562 | 1,388 | 1,950 |
| 2017 | 513 | 1,283 | 1,796 |
| 2016 | 519 | 1,238 | 1,757 |
| 2015 | 491 | 1,292 | 1,783 |
| 2014 | 530 | 1,168 | 1,698 |
| 2013 | 502 | 1,042 | 1,544 |
| 2012 | 540 | 1,477 | 2,017 |
| 2011 | 637 | 1,682 | 2,319 |
| 2010 | 610 | 1,638 | 2,248 |
| 2009 | 629 | 1,617 | 2,246 |
| 2008 | 604 | 1,673 | 2,277 |
| 2007 | 639 | 1,921 | 2,560 |
| 2006 | 663 | 1,825 | 2,488 |
| 2005 | 680 | 1,811 | 2,491 |
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: Clay County averages 2.79 adult bucks harvested per 1,000 huntable acres (2005-2024).
See full Clay County harvest charts →
Harvest by sex
IDNR records each harvested deer by sex. In 2024, Clay County ran 1,367 bucks (males) and 1,347 does (females): 50.4% bucks.
| Season | Bucks (M) | Does (F) | Total | % bucks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 1,367 | 1,347 | 2,714 | 50.4% |
| 2023 | 1,320 | 1,081 | 2,401 | 55% |
| 2022 | 1,156 | 1,049 | 2,205 | 52.4% |
| 2021 | 1,092 | 887 | 1,979 | 55.2% |
| 2020 | 1,133 | 1,046 | 2,179 | 52% |
| 2019 | 1,033 | 897 | 1,930 | 53.5% |
| 2018 | 1,045 | 905 | 1,950 | 53.6% |
| 2017 | 1,013 | 783 | 1,796 | 56.4% |
| 2016 | 950 | 807 | 1,757 | 54.1% |
| 2015 | 936 | 847 | 1,783 | 52.5% |
| 2014 | 906 | 792 | 1,698 | 53.4% |
| 2013 | 813 | 731 | 1,544 | 52.7% |
| 2012 | 1,020 | 997 | 2,017 | 50.6% |
| 2011 | 1,141 | 1,178 | 2,319 | 49.2% |
| 2010 | 1,077 | 1,171 | 2,248 | 47.9% |
| 2009 | 1,093 | 1,153 | 2,246 | 48.7% |
| 2008 | 1,115 | 1,162 | 2,277 | 49% |
| 2007 | 1,379 | 1,181 | 2,560 | 53.9% |
| 2006 | 1,346 | 1,142 | 2,488 | 54.1% |
| 2005 | 1,353 | 1,138 | 2,491 | 54.3% |
See full Clay County sex-composition chart →
Age structure
IDNR classifies each deer as adult, yearling (1.5-yr), or fawn. In 2024, Clay County ran 66.3% adult, 14.1% yearling, and 19.6% fawn. A higher adult share points to a more mature age structure.
| Season | Adult | Yearling | Fawn | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 1,800 | 383 | 531 | 2,714 |
| 2023 | 1,602 | 366 | 433 | 2,401 |
| 2022 | 1,418 | 334 | 453 | 2,205 |
| 2021 | 1,254 | 303 | 422 | 1,979 |
| 2020 | 1,452 | 316 | 411 | 2,179 |
| 2019 | 1,267 | 337 | 326 | 1,930 |
| 2018 | 1,174 | 340 | 436 | 1,950 |
| 2017 | 1,098 | 332 | 366 | 1,796 |
| 2016 | 1,046 | 337 | 374 | 1,757 |
| 2015 | 1,072 | 322 | 389 | 1,783 |
| 2014 | 1,052 | 244 | 402 | 1,698 |
| 2013 | 929 | 281 | 334 | 1,544 |
| 2012 | 1,107 | 335 | 575 | 2,017 |
| 2011 | 1,297 | 376 | 646 | 2,319 |
| 2010 | 1,334 | 326 | 588 | 2,248 |
| 2009 | 1,355 | 313 | 578 | 2,246 |
| 2008 | 1,368 | 331 | 578 | 2,277 |
| 2007 | 1,457 | 399 | 704 | 2,560 |
| 2006 | 1,356 | 434 | 698 | 2,488 |
| 2005 | 1,436 | 404 | 648 | 2,488 |
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 Clay County composition charts →
Seasons & access
| Season | Method | Dates | Tags |
|---|---|---|---|
| Archery · Oct 1 to mid-Jan | archery | 2026-10-01 → 2027-01-17 | otc |
| Firearm · 1st + 2nd Shotgun Season | firearm | 2026-11-20 → 2026-12-06 | otc |
| Muzzleloader · December | muzzleloader | 2026-12-11 → 2026-12-13 | otc |
Bow-huntable land, public and private: 179,679 acres (10 m estimate). Verify current season dates, permits, and site-specific rules with IDNR before hunting.
Where to hunt public in Clay County
Full list on the Illinois public hunting land directory.
See Clay 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 Clay County, Illinois good for deer hunting?
Clay County scores 56.6 of 100 on the FDR Deer Herd Index (B - Strong), ranked #34 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 Clay County?
Clay County has a Buck Index of 83 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 Clay County, Illinois?
Yes: the Illinois public hunting land directory lists 2 sites in Clay County, including Flag Pond State Natural Area, Hanging Rock Sandstone Cliff State Natural Area. Always verify current site regulations and permit requirements before hunting.
How many deer were harvested in Clay County last season?
IDNR records show 2,714 deer harvested in Clay County in 2024, the most recent reported season.
Cite this
Fully Drawn Research. "Clay County, Illinois deer hunting research." County page. https://www.fullydrawnresearch.ai/research/il/clay. Accessed Nov 1, 2026.
Data and charts from this page are free to use with attribution. See the Content Lab.