Illinois deer research / Clinton County

Clinton County, Illinois — Deer Hunting Research

Southern IL region. FDR Deer Herd Index 43.6 — ranked #71 of 102 Illinois counties. Built from IDNR public harvest records and three record books deduplicated so every buck counts once.

C - Above Average
43.6 / 100
FDR Herd Index
#71 of 102
Statewide rank
43
Record-book bucks (deduped)
73,288
Public-land acres
1,704
2024 deer harvest

What drives the Clinton County index

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

Habitat · 25%45
Herd quality · 30%11
Population · 18%65
Momentum · 12%92
Trophy history · 15%42

Trophy record — counted once

43 unique record-book bucks from 46 total listings across the major whitetail record books — 3 cross-book duplicates removed. Trophy rank #86 in Illinois.

BookBucks
Listed in one book only43
In two books0
In all three books0
Unique bucks43

2005–2024 harvest trend

SeasonArcheryFirearmTotal
20246861,0181,704
20236637991,462
20226778061,483
20215696661,235
20206736881,361
20195656311,196
20184737451,218
20173906951,085
2016314627941
2015340616956
2014380583963
2013384547931
20123417551,096
20113978451,242
20104087941,202
20094098091,218
20084268761,302
20074301,0641,494
20064901,0661,556
20055291,1081,637

IDNR reports harvest by archery / firearm / CWD; muzzleloader is not broken out separately. Success proxy: Clinton County runs 3.69 record-book bucks per 1,000 hunter-trips.

See full Clinton County harvest charts →

Harvest by sex

IDNR records each harvested deer by sex. In 2024, Clinton County ran 953 bucks (males) and 751 does (females) — 55.9% bucks.

SeasonBucks (M)Does (F)Total% bucks
20249537511,70455.9%
20238376251,46257.3%
20228396441,48356.6%
20217464891,23560.4%
20207486131,36155%
20197044921,19658.9%
20187175011,21858.9%
20176364491,08558.6%
201657236994160.8%
201552243495654.6%
201452543896354.5%
201351042193154.8%
20125905061,09653.8%
20117005421,24256.4%
20106325701,20252.6%
20096545641,21853.7%
20087035991,30254%
20078536411,49457.1%
20068646921,55655.5%
20059227151,63756.3%

See full Clinton County sex-composition chart →

Age structure

IDNR classifies each deer as adult, yearling (1.5-yr), or fawn. In 2024, Clinton County ran 65.3% adult, 21.1% yearling, and 13.6% fawn — a higher adult share points to a more mature age structure.

SeasonAdultYearlingFawnTotal
20241,1133602311,704
20239343002281,462
20229303452081,483
20217622642091,235
20208682862071,361
20197233181551,196
20186863302021,218
20175852852151,085
2016508253180941
2015544247165956
2014544220199963
2013509237185931
20125852782331,096
20116573182671,242
20106732682611,202
20096702722761,218
20087213072741,302
20077703533711,494
20067893484191,556
20058233854291,637

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 Clinton 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: 73,288 acres (22.8% of the county). Verify current season dates, permits, and site-specific rules with IDNR before hunting.

Where to hunt public in Clinton County

Carlyle Lake · 23,710 acEldon Hazlet · 2,347 acEast Fork Management Unit State Fish and Wildlife Area · 403 acEldon Hazlet State Recreation Area · 107 ac

Full list on the Illinois public hunting land directory.

See Clinton 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 Clinton County charts

Nearby counties

Washington · 58.4Bond · 40.8Marion · 56.1Perry · 55.9St. Clair · 37.2Madison · 38.1Fayette · 49.9Jefferson · 46
← #70 Monroe County#72 Bond County →

Frequently asked questions

Is Clinton County, Illinois good for deer hunting?

Clinton County scores 43.6 of 100 on the FDR Deer Herd Index (C - Above Average), ranked #71 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 Clinton County?

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

Is there public hunting land in Clinton County, Illinois?

Yes — about 73,288 acres of public hunting land, roughly 22.8% of the county. Always verify current site regulations and permit requirements before hunting.

How many deer were harvested in Clinton County last season?

IDNR records show 1,704 deer harvested in Clinton County in 2024, the most recent reported season.