Illinois deer research / Cumberland County
Cumberland County, Illinois — Deer Hunting Research
Southern IL region. FDR Deer Herd Index 56.5 — ranked #42 of 102 Illinois counties. Built from IDNR public harvest records and three record books deduplicated so every buck counts once.
B - StrongWhat drives the Cumberland County index
Five weighted components, each scored 0–100 against all Illinois counties.
Trophy record — counted once
46 unique record-book bucks from 46 total listings across the major whitetail record books — 0 cross-book duplicates removed. Trophy rank #83 in Illinois.
| Book | Bucks |
|---|---|
| Listed in one book only | 46 |
| In two books | 0 |
| In all three books | 0 |
| Unique bucks | 46 |
2005–2024 harvest trend
| Season | Archery | Firearm | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 565 | 858 | 1,423 |
| 2023 | 600 | 733 | 1,333 |
| 2022 | 516 | 823 | 1,339 |
| 2021 | 553 | 760 | 1,313 |
| 2020 | 598 | 860 | 1,458 |
| 2019 | 584 | 772 | 1,356 |
| 2018 | 482 | 778 | 1,260 |
| 2017 | 447 | 776 | 1,223 |
| 2016 | 363 | 708 | 1,071 |
| 2015 | 391 | 724 | 1,115 |
| 2014 | 334 | 608 | 942 |
| 2013 | 347 | 592 | 939 |
| 2012 | 419 | 934 | 1,353 |
| 2011 | 435 | 956 | 1,391 |
| 2010 | 373 | 888 | 1,261 |
| 2009 | 401 | 891 | 1,292 |
| 2008 | 385 | 921 | 1,306 |
| 2007 | 310 | 951 | 1,261 |
| 2006 | 335 | 934 | 1,269 |
| 2005 | 361 | 918 | 1,279 |
IDNR reports harvest by archery / firearm / CWD; muzzleloader is not broken out separately. Success proxy: Cumberland County runs 5.13 record-book bucks per 1,000 hunter-trips.
See full Cumberland County harvest charts →
Harvest by sex
IDNR records each harvested deer by sex. In 2024, Cumberland County ran 778 bucks (males) and 645 does (females) — 54.7% bucks.
| Season | Bucks (M) | Does (F) | Total | % bucks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 778 | 645 | 1,423 | 54.7% |
| 2023 | 736 | 597 | 1,333 | 55.2% |
| 2022 | 743 | 596 | 1,339 | 55.5% |
| 2021 | 744 | 569 | 1,313 | 56.7% |
| 2020 | 782 | 676 | 1,458 | 53.6% |
| 2019 | 730 | 626 | 1,356 | 53.8% |
| 2018 | 693 | 567 | 1,260 | 55% |
| 2017 | 705 | 518 | 1,223 | 57.6% |
| 2016 | 582 | 489 | 1,071 | 54.3% |
| 2015 | 591 | 524 | 1,115 | 53% |
| 2014 | 508 | 434 | 942 | 53.9% |
| 2013 | 531 | 408 | 939 | 56.5% |
| 2012 | 714 | 639 | 1,353 | 52.8% |
| 2011 | 756 | 635 | 1,391 | 54.3% |
| 2010 | 644 | 617 | 1,261 | 51.1% |
| 2009 | 668 | 624 | 1,292 | 51.7% |
| 2008 | 692 | 614 | 1,306 | 53% |
| 2007 | 729 | 532 | 1,261 | 57.8% |
| 2006 | 742 | 527 | 1,269 | 58.5% |
| 2005 | 716 | 563 | 1,279 | 56% |
See full Cumberland County sex-composition chart →
Age structure
IDNR classifies each deer as adult, yearling (1.5-yr), or fawn. In 2024, Cumberland County ran 67.9% adult, 14.1% yearling, and 18.1% fawn — a higher adult share points to a more mature age structure.
| Season | Adult | Yearling | Fawn | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 966 | 200 | 257 | 1,423 |
| 2023 | 932 | 213 | 188 | 1,333 |
| 2022 | 919 | 191 | 229 | 1,339 |
| 2021 | 862 | 194 | 257 | 1,313 |
| 2020 | 1,001 | 218 | 239 | 1,458 |
| 2019 | 903 | 214 | 239 | 1,356 |
| 2018 | 827 | 209 | 224 | 1,260 |
| 2017 | 754 | 228 | 241 | 1,223 |
| 2016 | 648 | 178 | 245 | 1,071 |
| 2015 | 692 | 196 | 227 | 1,115 |
| 2014 | 583 | 166 | 193 | 942 |
| 2013 | 514 | 193 | 232 | 939 |
| 2012 | 803 | 213 | 337 | 1,353 |
| 2011 | 835 | 247 | 309 | 1,391 |
| 2010 | 771 | 174 | 316 | 1,261 |
| 2009 | 797 | 209 | 286 | 1,292 |
| 2008 | 769 | 230 | 307 | 1,306 |
| 2007 | 728 | 247 | 286 | 1,261 |
| 2006 | 758 | 241 | 270 | 1,269 |
| 2005 | 775 | 228 | 276 | 1,279 |
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 Cumberland 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: 66,869 acres (30.1% of the county). Verify current season dates, permits, and site-specific rules with IDNR before hunting.
See Cumberland 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 Cumberland County, Illinois good for deer hunting?
Cumberland County scores 56.5 of 100 on the FDR Deer Herd Index (B - Strong), ranked #42 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 Cumberland County?
46 record-book whitetails are attributed to Cumberland County across the major record books, with each buck counted once after cross-book deduplication.
Is there public hunting land in Cumberland County, Illinois?
Yes — about 66,869 acres of public hunting land, roughly 30.1% of the county. Always verify current site regulations and permit requirements before hunting.
How many deer were harvested in Cumberland County last season?
IDNR records show 1,423 deer harvested in Cumberland County in 2024, the most recent reported season.