Illinois deer research / Cook County
Cook County, Illinois — Deer Hunting Research
Northern IL region. FDR Deer Herd Index 38.6 — ranked #80 of 102 Illinois counties. Built from IDNR public harvest records and three record books deduplicated so every buck counts once.
D - AverageWhat drives the Cook County index
Five weighted components, each scored 0–100 against all Illinois counties.
Trophy record — counted once
76 unique record-book bucks from 95 total listings across the major whitetail record books — 19 cross-book duplicates removed. Trophy rank #53 in Illinois.
| Book | Bucks |
|---|---|
| Listed in one book only | 74 |
| In two books | 2 |
| In all three books | 0 |
| Unique bucks | 76 |
2005–2024 harvest trend
| Season | Archery | Firearm | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 128 | 0 | 128 |
| 2023 | 157 | 0 | 157 |
| 2022 | 156 | 0 | 156 |
| 2021 | 133 | 0 | 133 |
| 2020 | 191 | 0 | 191 |
| 2019 | 145 | 3 | 148 |
| 2018 | 143 | 0 | 143 |
| 2017 | 121 | 0 | 121 |
| 2016 | 108 | 0 | 108 |
| 2015 | 131 | 0 | 131 |
| 2014 | 119 | 0 | 119 |
| 2013 | 146 | 0 | 146 |
| 2012 | 158 | 0 | 158 |
| 2011 | 167 | 0 | 167 |
| 2010 | 158 | 0 | 158 |
| 2009 | 223 | 0 | 223 |
| 2008 | 201 | 0 | 201 |
| 2007 | 234 | 0 | 234 |
| 2006 | 191 | 0 | 191 |
| 2005 | 166 | 0 | 166 |
IDNR reports harvest by archery / firearm / CWD; muzzleloader is not broken out separately. Success proxy: Cook County runs 0.83 record-book bucks per 1,000 hunter-trips.
See full Cook County harvest charts →
Harvest by sex
IDNR records each harvested deer by sex. In 2024, Cook County ran 89 bucks (males) and 39 does (females) — 69.5% bucks.
| Season | Bucks (M) | Does (F) | Total | % bucks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 89 | 39 | 128 | 69.5% |
| 2023 | 108 | 49 | 157 | 68.8% |
| 2022 | 99 | 57 | 156 | 63.5% |
| 2021 | 96 | 37 | 133 | 72.2% |
| 2020 | 131 | 60 | 191 | 68.6% |
| 2019 | 113 | 35 | 148 | 76.4% |
| 2018 | 103 | 40 | 143 | 72% |
| 2017 | 84 | 37 | 121 | 69.4% |
| 2016 | 73 | 35 | 108 | 67.6% |
| 2015 | 80 | 51 | 131 | 61.1% |
| 2014 | 70 | 49 | 119 | 58.8% |
| 2013 | 95 | 51 | 146 | 65.1% |
| 2012 | 93 | 65 | 158 | 58.9% |
| 2011 | 112 | 55 | 167 | 67.1% |
| 2010 | 100 | 58 | 158 | 63.3% |
| 2009 | 139 | 84 | 223 | 62.3% |
| 2008 | 130 | 71 | 201 | 64.7% |
| 2007 | 137 | 97 | 234 | 58.5% |
| 2006 | 126 | 65 | 191 | 66% |
| 2005 | 111 | 55 | 166 | 66.9% |
See full Cook County sex-composition chart →
Age structure
IDNR classifies each deer as adult, yearling (1.5-yr), or fawn. In 2024, Cook County ran 73.4% adult, 18.8% yearling, and 7.8% fawn — a higher adult share points to a more mature age structure.
| Season | Adult | Yearling | Fawn | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 94 | 24 | 10 | 128 |
| 2023 | 111 | 38 | 8 | 157 |
| 2022 | 101 | 35 | 20 | 156 |
| 2021 | 87 | 34 | 12 | 133 |
| 2020 | 127 | 46 | 18 | 191 |
| 2019 | 103 | 40 | 5 | 148 |
| 2018 | 93 | 39 | 11 | 143 |
| 2017 | 84 | 23 | 14 | 121 |
| 2016 | 75 | 21 | 12 | 108 |
| 2015 | 93 | 23 | 15 | 131 |
| 2014 | 91 | 23 | 5 | 119 |
| 2013 | 94 | 34 | 18 | 146 |
| 2012 | 105 | 29 | 24 | 158 |
| 2011 | 117 | 30 | 20 | 167 |
| 2010 | 105 | 29 | 24 | 158 |
| 2009 | 166 | 37 | 20 | 223 |
| 2008 | 142 | 43 | 16 | 201 |
| 2007 | 161 | 39 | 34 | 234 |
| 2006 | 138 | 34 | 19 | 191 |
| 2005 | 112 | 28 | 26 | 166 |
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 Cook 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: 74,481 acres (12.2% of the county). Verify current season dates, permits, and site-specific rules with IDNR before hunting.
Where to hunt public in Cook County
Full list on the Illinois public hunting land directory.
See Cook 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 Cook County, Illinois good for deer hunting?
Cook County scores 38.6 of 100 on the FDR Deer Herd Index (D - Average), ranked #80 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 Cook County?
76 record-book whitetails are attributed to Cook County across the major record books, with each buck counted once after cross-book deduplication.
Is there public hunting land in Cook County, Illinois?
Yes — about 74,481 acres of public hunting land, roughly 12.2% of the county. Always verify current site regulations and permit requirements before hunting.
How many deer were harvested in Cook County last season?
IDNR records show 128 deer harvested in Cook County in 2024, the most recent reported season.